In May, news broke that Morell and former CIA Director David Petraeus disagreed about how much information to disclose to the public in talking points about a terrorist attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya.
State Department officials reportedly argued against Morell removing mention of previous CIA warnings of threats in Libya, according to administration officials. Morell was not acting on pressure from administration officials to deemphasize indications that there might be a threat to the consulate, officials said.
I'm sure they did...
When Petraeus received the modified talking points, however, he reportedly said, "frankly, I'd just as soon not use this." Petraeus said the talking points did not include enough detail for Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (Md.), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, who requested them.
The White House announced Wednesday afternoon that President Obama would appoint Morell to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
Morell will be reportedly replaced by White House lawyer Avril D. Haines, effective Aug. 9. Haines previously served as Obama's legal counsel for national security as well as a National Security Council adviser.
And what is his new position.
The President's Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) is an advisor to the Executive Office of the President of the United States. According to its self-description, it "...provides advice to the President concerning the quality and adequacy of intelligence collection, of analysis and estimates, of counterintelligence, and of other intelligence activities."[1]
The PIAB, through its Intelligence Oversight Board (IOB), also advises the President on the legality of foreign intelligence activities.
So, get this, the guy chiefly responsible for bowdlerizing the Benghazi talking points (which was reportedly not done by the President or his advisers, has been elevated, or a least
laterally arabesqued into being presidents advisor on intelligence.
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