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Gina Haspel: two Democratic senators signal backing for CIA nominee Gina Haspel: Senate committee approves CIA nominee, with early confirmation likely
(about 20 hours later)
Two crucial Democratic senators announced on Tuesday that they will support Gina Haspel, Donald Trump’s nomination for CIA director, in a move that immediately tipped the balanced towards her being confirmed by Congress in relatively short order. The Senate intelligence committee on Wednesday voted in favor of Gina Haspel becoming the new director of the Central Intelligence Agency, smoothing her way to a probable confirmation by the full Senate as early as this week, despite the bitter debate over her role in torture used by the US on terrorist suspects.
Her confirmation chances had been shaky since a hearing on Capitol Hill last week, amid an intense and continuing public debate on the torture of terrorism suspects. On Tuesday, Mark Warner, a Virginia senator and the senior Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, and Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota both announced they would back Haspel. Two crucial Democratic senators had announced on Tuesday that they would support Haspel, Donald Trump’s nomination to lead the spy agency , in a move that immediately tipped the balanced towards her being confirmed.
A career intelligence officer, she faced questions over her work running a covert detention site where terror suspects were brutally interrogated in the years after the 9/11 attacks. Senators also want more information about her role destroying videos of the torture sessions. Herchances had been shaky since a hearing on Capitol Hill last week, amid an intense public debate on the use of torture, including at a secret prison for terrorism suspects in Thailand that Haspel oversaw during the war that followed the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks in the US on September 11 2001.
Haspel is expected to clear committee easily in a closed-door vote on Wednesday and would now be expected to advance to a full Senate vote with enough support locked in to be able to take up her post. Her confirmation in the full Senate had depended on winning support from key Democrats from conservative or centrist states, such as Warner, who are under enormous pressure from liberal and human rights groups to block her. The committee vote on Wednesday resulted in 10 in favor, five against recommending full Congressional confirmation.
Earlier on Tuesday, a letter written by Haspel to Warner was released. Haspel appeared to be trying to shore up support for her confirmation. If confirmed, she wrote, she would “refuse to undertake any proposed activity that is contrary to my moral and ethical values”. All eight Republicans and two of the seven Democrats on the Senate intelligence committee supported Haspel. The remaining five Democrats had already announced their opposition and did not change their minds. Haspel took pains to tell Senators she would not agree to restart such an interrogation program in future, but she has avoided decrying torture as immoral per se.
“I have learned the hard lessons since 9/11,” Haspel wrote. “With the benefit of hindsight and my experience as a senior agency leader, the enhanced interrogation program is not one the CIA should have undertaken.” On Tuesday, Mark Warner, a Virginia senator and the senior Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, and Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota both announced they would back Haspel.
Haspel’s letter was requested by Warner. In a statement, the Virginia senator said: “I acknowledge that this has been a difficult decision. There are valid questions that have been raised regarding the acting director’s record, and I have been frank with Ms Haspel that I wish she had been more open with the American public during this process. Haspel, a career intelligence officer, faced questions over her work running a covert detention site where terror suspects were brutally interrogated in the years after the 9/11 attacks. Senators also want more information about her role destroying videos of the torture sessions.
“However, in both our one-on-one meetings and in classified session before the committee, I found … Haspel to be more forthcoming regarding her views on the interrogation program, which is why I asked her to memorialize those comments in writing.” Earlier on Tuesday, in a letter written by Haspel to Warner, Haspel wrote: “I have learned the hard lessons since 9/11.With the benefit of hindsight and my experience as a senior agency leader, the enhanced interrogation program is not one the CIA should have undertaken.”
Heitkamp released a statement on Tuesday saying her support had not been an easy decision but she was well respected by the agency’s rank and file and intelligence officials.Heitkamp released a statement on Tuesday saying her support had not been an easy decision but she was well respected by the agency’s rank and file and intelligence officials.
“It’s clear Ms Haspel has the experience and temperament to be an effective CIA Director,” Heitkamp said. “It’s clear Ms Haspel has the experience and temperament to be an effective CIA director,” Heitkamp said.
At a hearing last week, Haspel repeatedly refused to say if she thought torture was immoral. Senator John McCain of Arizona said her role “in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying”. At a hearing last week, Haspel repeatedly refused to say if she thought torture was immoral. Senator John McCain of Arizona said her role “in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying.”
McCain’s comments sparked a fresh debate over now banned torture techniques. The former vice-president Dick Cheney, who was integral to the post-9/11 strategy, said that if it were up to him, “I’d do it again.”McCain’s comments sparked a fresh debate over now banned torture techniques. The former vice-president Dick Cheney, who was integral to the post-9/11 strategy, said that if it were up to him, “I’d do it again.”
Donald Trump has expressed support for interrogation techniques such as waterboarding – simulated drowning. During the 2016 campaign, he promised to “bring back … a hell of a lot worse”.Donald Trump has expressed support for interrogation techniques such as waterboarding – simulated drowning. During the 2016 campaign, he promised to “bring back … a hell of a lot worse”.
Haspel did say in her Senate hearing she thought torture did not work as an interrogation technique and her “strong moral compass” would prevent her restarting such a program.Haspel did say in her Senate hearing she thought torture did not work as an interrogation technique and her “strong moral compass” would prevent her restarting such a program.
In her letter to Warner, Haspel wrote: “The United States must be an example to the rest of the world, and I support that.”In her letter to Warner, Haspel wrote: “The United States must be an example to the rest of the world, and I support that.”
Gina HaspelGina Haspel
CIACIA
TortureTorture
US constitution and civil libertiesUS constitution and civil liberties
US politicsUS politics
Trump administrationTrump administration
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