Obama to Nominate FBI Deputy Director to Head TSA

President Obama will nominate FBI Deputy Director John Pistole to head the Transportation Security Administration, the White House said Monday.

Pistole becomes the third nominee named to fill the post that has been vacant since the Bush administration; the other two did not reach the confirmation phase.

The most recent nominee, retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Harding, withdrew in March due to potential conflicts from his past work in the defense industry. (Click here for previous story.)

Obama said in a statement that Pistole’s work with the FBI makes him a valuable asset to the administration’s efforts to strengthen security and screening measures at the nation’s airports.

Pistole began his career as a Special Agent with the FBI in 1983, serving in several field offices. In 1999, he helped lead the investigative and recovery efforts for the Egypt Air Flight 990 crash off the coast of Rhode Island.