So Mr. Miller ordered the agency to swear Mr. Ellis in, a move The Washington Post reported on Saturday. In a statement, the Pentagon defended Mr. Ellis’s hiring, saying he was properly selected by the Defense Department general counsel. Mr. Ellis is seen as a smart lawyer. When he was on the Intelligence Committee, Mr. Ellis was a trusted adviser to Representative Devin Nunes, Republican of California. Should Mr. Ellis take over as general counsel, at least for a time, he may be able to stall that testimony.

Source: New York Times January 17, 2021 20:42 UTC