Senate panel advances Trump’s CIA nominee

The Senate Intelligence Committee voted on Wednesday to send Gina Haspel’s nomination to the floor, setting up a final vote on the nominee as soon as this week.

Two Democrats, Sens. Mark Warner (Va.), the vice chairman of the committee, and Joe Manchin (W.Va.), sided with Republicans in approving her nomination in a 10-5 vote during a closed committee meeting. 

“As Director of the CIA, Gina Haspel will be the first operations officer in more than five decades to lead the Agency. … Most importantly, I believe she is someone who can and will stand up to the President if ordered to do something illegal or immoral – like a return to torture,” Warner said in a statement after the vote.

{mosads}Haspel’s background as a career CIA officer who played a role in the agency’s use of interrogation and detention policies viewed as torture has been the key debate in her confirmation process.

Many critics of Haspel said that her work in the post-Sept. 11 CIA was disqualifying for someone who wanted to lead the agency. 

Her defenders said she is highly qualified to run the agency and was following orders in the environment that followed the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history.

At her confirmation hearing, Haspel repudiated the programs and said she would not allow their return. 

Senate GOP leaders have signaled that they want to try to confirm her as soon as Thursday, though without cooperation from Democrats that could slide into next week.