March 3, 2000

C.I.A. Official Chosen for Weapons Agency

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ASHINGTON -- Seeking to blunt criticism about lax security at federal weapons labs, President Clinton will nominate the No. 2 official at the Central Intelligence Agency as head of a newly created nuclear weapons agency.

Energy Secretary Bill Richardson announced the selection Thursday before the House Armed Services Committee, where some lawmakers were critical of the way the administration is organizing the new agency.

Richardson said the president will nominate Air Force General John A. Gordon, deputy CIA director, to be administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration within the Energy Department.

The four-star general, who has a background as a physicist and once worked at a weapons lab, will have to leave the military to take the post. He is expected to win easy confirmation by the Senate.

"With his extensive background and experience in national security matters and proven leadership skills, General Gordon is perfectly suited to serve as the first administrator," said Richardson.

Richardson hoped that by picking an agency chief with topflight credentials in security and counterintelligence, he might blunt congressional critics.

Congress last year directed all Energy Department nuclear weapons programs be consolidated under a semi-independent agency within DOE to streamline the chain of command and strengthen accountability.

The change came in response to allegations that security at nuclear weapons labs and within the department was lax and may have led to the theft of nuclear secrets by China. The controversy came to a head when a Los Alamos weapons lab scientist was fired in March after being investigated for possible espionage.

Although never charged with espionage, the scientist, Wen Ho Lee, was arrested in December on charges that he mishandled and illegally copied secret nuclear weapons codes. He remains in jail awaiting trial. He has denied giving secrets to anyone.

Richardson has complained that the new agency, which began operation this week, has been given too much independence and is not adequately accountable to him or any future secretary. He also has complained that it conflicts with his own counterespionage activities and efforts to improve security.

Richardson wants DOE officials in security, counterintelligence and environmental-health safeguards, to take similar positions in the new agency.

But some lawmakers were skeptical.

"It undermines the insulation that we tried to achieve with the new agency," said Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, who helped craft the law that created the new agency. He said the way Richardson is implementing the law is illegal.

Nevertheless, Thornberry said Gordon was "an excellent choice" and that his nomination was "very encouraging."

"He seems like the kind of person that will not bow to bureaucratic pressures," Thornberry said in an interview.

Gordon was among four people recommended for the job by a search committee. He was a member of President Bush's national security team and has had a lengthy background in weapons development, nuclear arms stockpile management and arms control.

"He knows the nuclear weapons program inside out," said Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., who worked for him when both were at the National Security Council in the Bush administration.

Copyright 2000 The New York Times Company