{"id":361441,"date":"2018-05-16T14:57:35","date_gmt":"2018-05-16T13:57:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/newswire\/senate-intelligence-committee-votes-to-advance-gina-haspels-nomination-as-cia-director-rt-us-news\/"},"modified":"2018-05-16T14:57:35","modified_gmt":"2018-05-16T13:57:35","slug":"senate-intelligence-committee-votes-to-advance-gina-haspels-nomination-as-cia-director-rt-us-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/newswire\/senate-intelligence-committee-votes-to-advance-gina-haspels-nomination-as-cia-director-rt-us-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Intelligence Committee votes to advance Gina Haspel\u2019s nomination as CIA director \u2014 RT US News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gina Haspel is a step closer to becoming the next CIA director after the US Senate Intelligence Committee voted to advance her nomination.<\/p>\n

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It follows weeks of controversy surrounding her involvement with a post-9\/11 torture and detention program, launched under the administration of George W. Bush.<\/p>\n

In the closed session vote, Haspel won \u2018yes\u2019 votes from 10 of the committee\u2019s 15 members, including all eight Republicans and two Democrats. She was opposed by California Senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein and three others. Her nomination can now be considered by the full Senate.<\/p>\n

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Read more<\/p>\n


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Haspel, who is President Donald Trump\u2019s top pick to lead the spy agency, faced a tough confirmation hearing last week when she was grilled by senators<\/a> about her time overseeing a \u201cblack site\u201d<\/em> in Thailand where detainees were subjected to brutal torture methods, including waterboarding. She was also questioned about her role in the destruction of tapes showing those interrogation sessions.<\/p>\n

During the hearing, Haspel tried a number of times to dodge direct questions about her attitude to torture and was criticized by New Mexico senator Martin Heinrich for giving \u201clegalistic\u201d<\/em> answers to straight-forward questions.<\/p>\n

In the days leading up to the vote, it was unclear whether Haspel would have the support she needed from Democrats on the committee. However, a letter sent<\/a> by Haspel to top committee Democrat, Virginia Senator Mark Warner, seems to have sealed the deal for Trump\u2019s nominee.<\/p>\n

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As someone who has closely watched and reported on DC Democrats for years, seeing them spend a year parading around as “Resistance” warriors – only to watch them ensure Trump’s choice of a torturer be confirmed as CIA chief – is the opposite of surprising https:\/\/t.co\/xPv6nQyF6p<\/a>https:\/\/t.co\/QzOKsSpRFt<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) May 15, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

In the letter, seen as an attempt to sway undecided Democrats, Haspel condemned the CIA\u2019s past torture program and said the decision to begin such a program \u201cis not one the CIA should have undertaken\u201d<\/em> and promising not to restart any torture program at the agency.<\/p>\n

The admission seems to have eased the worries of Warner who announced he would back Haspel\u2019s nomination hours after she sent the letter claiming that torture was now contrary to her \u201cmoral and ethical values.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin was the first Democrat on the committee to say he would support Haspel\u2019s nomination. Haspel has also seen public support from a number of Democratic senators not on the committee, including Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly, North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp and Florida Senator Bill Nelson. That support means she is all but sure to be confirmed as director of the CIA when the full senate votes.<\/p>\n

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Here are the 5 Democratic senators (thus far) who have made clear they don’t give a shit about accountability for torture and instead have announced their support of Gina Haspel for CIA director: Mark Warner, Heidi Heitkamp, Bill Nelson, Joe Manchin and Joe Donnelly.<\/p>\n

\u2014 jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) May 15, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Two Republicans in the Republican-majority Senate have said they oppose Haspel\u2019s nomination, but one of the no votes comes from Senator John McCain who is battling brain cancer and will not be in Washington to vote.<\/p>\n

When pushed during her confirmation hearing, Haspel admitted that she is the person making decisions about which documents and information to release about her history with the CIA.<\/p>\n

The full senate is expected to vote on Haspel\u2019s nomination next week.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n