Chambliss puts Agriculture Committee staffer in top intelligence role

Upon taking over as the ranking Republican on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) brought on a new staff director with no direct experience working on intelligence matters.

Martha Scott Poindexter has served on Capitol Hill for over 10 years. She has worked as the Republican staff director on the Agriculture Committee since 2005, and before that as legislative director in Chambliss’s personal office. Previously, according to her LinkedIn profile, Poindexter was the director of government affairs at Monsanto, the agribusiness giant. She studied nutrition at Salem College and holds a Bachelors degree from the Mississippi State University College of Agriculture.

On Capitol Hill, a senior staffer’s effectiveness is measured several factors: by their subject matter expertise, by their ability to get things done, and by their close personal relationship with the boss.

Chambliss, in a brief interview with The Cable, defended his selection of Poindexter based on the latter two considerations. He said there was plenty of intelligence expertise on the professional staff and that Poindexter brought management prowess the committee needed.

"I’m not the least bit concerned about the experience issue," Chambliss said. "You have to have people that know intelligence, you also have to have people who know administration, hiring people, and making sure people do their jobs. You’ve got a great combination of all of those on the committee staff."

The minority staff has gone through some significant changes since the departure of former ranking member Kit Bond (R-MO). His staff director, Louis Tucker, left with him, as is customary when the leadership of the committee switches hands. Two other staffers also left recently, including Chambliss’s former representative on the staff, Jen Wagner, who seemed like a logical choice for the staff director job but didn’t get it and no longer works for Chambliss.

Two more staffers moved over to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which is now being led by new Chairman Mike Rogers (R-MI). Rogers needed to expand his staff quickly after assuming the chairmanship, so he naturally looked toward the Senate side in order to hit the ground running.

A Senate Intelligence Committee staffer, speaking on the condition of anonymity to The Cable, sought to dispel the notion that the turnover in the Senate committee was anything more than the natural turnover that occurs when a committee changes hands. The staffer pointed out that the deputy staff director, general counsel, and deputy general counsel were all kept on.

"Martha Scott kept nearly the entire staff, all of whom have significant intelligence experience both in the intelligence community and on the committee," the staffer said. "What she brings is years of experience in the senate and considerable knowledge of Senator Chambliss and how he runs a committee, which is essential."

The staffer argued that the committee’s lead lawyers on many of the sensitive political issues — such as detainee interrogation and domestic surveillance — were still among those who remain.

"The institutional knowledge on all the key intelligence issues is still here."

Another intelligence committee staffer told The Cable that Poindexter brings an intimate understanding of how Chambliss does business and a close personal relationship with the senator to the committee.

"She’s an expert on the Senate and has excellent relationships with many of its members. She’s picked up her new portfolio quickly and anyone trying to slip something by her would be a fool," this staffer said.

However, a former committee staffer told The Cable that while it’s true that the staff needed some management improvement and Poindexter’s experience is an asset, there was a measure of concern within the committee staff when she was given the job that her lack of experience with intelligence work could become an issue.

For example, the majority and minority staff directors are the only staff members who have access to the most sensitive intelligence information, information — except, of course, the congressmen who lead each party and the congressmen who lead each intelligence committee, known as the "Gang of 8."

Poindexter is one of only two GOP senate staffers invited to the Gang of 8 briefings. As such, she has the heavy responsibility of asking tough questions to the administration and the intelligence community — questions that require an extensive understanding of complex secret issues.

"There’s no doubt the minority staff could benefit from the political skills and closeness to the senator that Martha brings to the table," this former staffer said, "But in the view of some staffers and some members of the intelligence community, her inexperience could present a problem."