Independent senator comes out against Haspel

Independent Sen. Angus King (Maine), who caucuses with Democrats, said on Wednesday that he will oppose CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel’s nomination to lead the spy agency. 

“The difficulty of these decisions is that I cannot vote for half a nominee. I cannot support Acting Director Haspel’s decorated career with CIA without also condoning her involvement in the destruction of videotapes showing detainee interrogations,” King said in a statement explaining his decision to oppose her nomination. 

King’s statement comes hours after Haspel testified before the Intelligence Committee, of which he is a member. 

{mosads}Democrats repeatedly pressed her during the hearing on her nomination to explain her role in the 2005 decision to destroy the tapes, which public reporting has widely indicated show the interrogations of two men but which Haspel said depict only one man’s interrogation. 

King noted on Wednesday that he’s previously raised concerns about the tapes, including writing in 2014 that “those involved in the decision to destroy those records against the clear direction of senior U.S. officials should no longer be leading the Agency.” 

King’s opposition to Haspel’s nomination narrows the pool of potential Democratic “yes” votes for Haspel, who will need a simple majority to be confirmed. 

Fifteen Democrats, including King, supported former Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) to be CIA director. King and six Democrats voted for Pompeo late last month to lead the State Department. 

With GOP Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) opposed to Haspel’s nomination and Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) absent for cancer treatment, she will need to win over at least one Democratic senator to be confirmed.

Several other GOP senators remain on the fence. 

Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), who is running for reelection in a state handily won by President Trump in 2016, on Wednesday became the first Democrat to say he will vote for Haspel.