Special from NewsMax's Most Informed Sources
June 8, 2002

1) Armitage Seeking CIA Director's Job
2) Judicial Watch Has Two More FBI Agents
3) NewsMax Poll: Keep Mueller, Dump Tenet

1) Armitage Seeking CIA Director's Job

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is lobbying to replace CIA Director George Tenet.

NewsMax has learned that a number of candidates are already jockeying for Tenet's position, believing he will be the first senior official President Bush will seek to replace in the coming months.

Armitage's move to the CIA, however, is said to be strongly opposed by Donald Rumsfeld.

Before being appointed Colin Powell's deputy at State, Armitage had sought to become Rumsfeld's deputy at the Pentagon. Rumsfeld vetoed the idea, believing the Armitage, a close ally of Powell, would be a thorn in his side.

Since then, a clear division has developed in the administration, with Powell, Armitage, and the State Dept on one side, versus Rumsfeld, Cheney and Condeleezza Rice on the other.

Rumsfeld may be opposing Armitage at CIA for both political and policy reasons. Rumsfeld and his deputy, Paul Wolfowitz, hold the view the U.S. should aggressively deal with Iraq.

Powell and Armitage have opposed such a plan.

Armitage's advantage in seeking the position is that he would receive quick Senate confirmation. As a close friend of Powell, and with a more dovish approach, he has significant Democratic allies. At the same time, Armitage is viewed as a team player by the White House.

A source says if Bush tried to nominate a hard-liner as CIA Director, the appointment would likely receive difficulty getting through the Senate.

Armitage's desire to go to CIA and leave State, has given more gravity to stories circulating in Washington that Colin Powell has decided to resign. He is said to be waiting for the opportune moment.

2) Judicial Watch Has Two More FBI Agents

Judicial Watch, the conservative legal watchdog group, is hot on the trail of exposing a federal cover-up of pre-knowledge of the 9-11 attacks.

This week, Judicial Watch filed suit in federal court, claiming that documents will show that White House officials went on Cipro, the antibiotic that protects against Anthrax, immediately on 9-11. Larry Klayman, chairman of Judicial Watch, concludes the FBI or CIA had knowledge that Anthrax attacks were also likely.

As we know, within weeks of 9-11, Anthrax was sent using the mail to deliver the bio-agent to media outlets and government officials.

NewsMax also hears the Judicial Watch will have more evidence of FBI malfeasance.

In addition to veteran FBI agent Robert Wright, who two weeks ago revealed the Bureau could have done more to prevent 9-11, Judicial Watch is speaking with two more FBI agents who want to go public about how the FBI mishandled their terrorist probes.

3) NewsMax Poll: Keep Mueller, Dump Tenet

A NewsMax Online poll taken this week shows a majority of NewsMax readers do not believe that FBI Director Robert Mueller should resign.

But, readers overwhelming think CIA Director George Tenet should resign.

In NewsMax's unscientific survey of almost 180,000 votes cast, 55 percent of respondents said FBI Director Mueller should not resign, 45 percent believe he should.

The poll gives Mueller a slim, but important vote of confidence. The embattled FBI Director has been hit with several weeks of crushing media coverage.

Mueller's counterpart at the CIA fared less well. Almost two-thirds of voters - 64 percent - said CIA Director Tenet should resign.

This suggests that voters may not hold Mueller fully responsible because he was appointed just days before 9-11, and still want to give him a chance at reforming the Bureau.

Voters were less sympathetic to Tenet, who had been appointed by Bill Clinton and has held the position for several years before 9-11.