Senate GOP blocks vote on CIA nominee

WASHINGTON -- A Republican critic of the Obama administration's drone policy mounted a self-described filibuster yesterday to block Senate confirmation of John Brennan to take over as director of the CIA.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) took the floor shortly before noon. With intermittent support from other conservatives, plus Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Paul spoke almost continuously for five hours before Majority Leader Harry Reid tried but failed to move to a vote on Brennan.

Paul resumed his oration, snacking on some candy at the dinner hour while continuing to speak. At one point, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill), who walks haltingly with a cane because of a stroke, delivered a canister of hot tea and an apple to Paul's desk, but a doorkeeper removed them.

Paul, the son of former Texas Rep. and libertarian leader Ron Paul, offered to cease if President Barack Obama or Attorney General Eric Holder issued a statement assuring drones would not be used in the United States to kill terror suspects who are U.S. citizens. Later Paul offered to allow a vote on Brennan if the Senate voted on his resolution stating the use of the unmanned, armed aircraft on U.S. soil against American citizens violates the Constitution. Democrats rejected the offer.

Reid (D-Nev.) said he plans to file a motion to bring debate over Brennan's nomination to an end. Reid had pushed for a confirmation vote yesterday.

Paul began speaking shortly before noon on what he said was the Obama administration's refusal to rule out the use of drone strikes inside U.S. borders against American citizens. Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Wyden joined Paul briefly three hours into the debate but turned it back to him. Wyden has long pressed for greater oversight of the use of drones.