ST. LOUIS (AP) — The director of national intelligence says he doesn’t plan to overturn a subordinate’s preliminary decision to build a federal spy agency’s new regional headquarters in St. Louis rather than relocate to Illinois

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that James Clapper said Monday that he has “no basis” to reject the recommendation by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s director.

Illinois officials continue to lobby for a reversal of NGA director Robert Cardillo’s choice. A final decision is expected by early June.

The agency plans to move from its current location near the Anheuser-Busch brewery south of downtown St. Louis to a site on the city’s impoverished north side.

Illinois politicians sought to convince the federal government to instead move to a location near Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County.

 

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