SECRET IS OUT: I WANT TO QUIT
CIA pick sought to bail over torture flap
CIA DEPUTY Director Gina Haspel wanted to pull her nomination to head the spy agency amid lawmakers’ growing concern over her time leading a secret prison, according to a report.
The veteran CIA operative said during a White House meeting Friday that she was worried about being “the next Ronny Jackson” — President Trump’s physician who last month withdrew his nomination to be veterans affairs secretary amid misconduct claims, one White House official told The Washington Post.
Top administration officials spent the next few hours trying to persuade Haspel — who would be the first woman to head the intelligence agency if she’s confirmed — not to withdraw.
Haspel, the acting director of the CIA, faces a rigorous confirmation hearing in the Senate on Wednesday, when questions are likely to arise about her time leading a CIA prison in Thailand, known as a “black site,” in 2002.
An Al Qaeda terror suspect was tortured there under her leadership, while another was abused during interrogations before she took command.
Haspel also reportedly ordered videotapes of the tortures — including waterboarding and other controversial methods — destroyed in the mid-2000s.
She was called to the White House for questions about some of those tactics, several administration officials told the Post, out of fear she may not have the votes to clear the Senate.
A recently declassified report about her order to get rid of the tapes “found no fault with the performance.” A CIA supervisor later approved of the order — but reportedly didn’t inform higherups.
Haspel, who would replace now-Secretary of State Pompeo as CIA head, expressed concern during her Friday meeting that her nomination could taint the agency’s reputation, officials told the Post.
After saying she might withdraw, Haspel reportedly doubled back to CIA headquarters in Langley, Va.
White House Legislative Director Marc Short, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other officials then met with Haspel at her CIA office later Friday, officials told the Post.
Despite chatting with Haspel at Langley for several hours, the officials were still unsure if she’d stick with the nomination.
Sanders wouldn’t confirm the discussions to the Post, but called the 33-year CIA veteran a “patriot” and the “best of the best.”
Trump reportedly decided he wanted Haspel to stick with the nomination.
One Trump administration official signaled to the Post that Haspel would carry on.
“There is a hearing prep session today, courtesy calls with senators Monday and Tuesday, and classified materials will be delivered to Senate security so senators can read the real record instead of relying on gossip and unfounded smears,” the unidentified official said Sunday.
CIA spokesman Ryan Trapani said there’s been a “fascinating phenomenon over the last few weeks” over Haspel’s reputation.
“Those who know the true Gina Haspel — who worked with her, who served with her, who helped her confront terrorism, Russia and countless other threats to our nation — they almost uniformly support her,” he told the Post.
In recent weeks, Haspel has told lawmakers that she would oppose restarting the CIA’s brutal detention and interrogation program, administration officials told The Associated Press on Friday. She is expected to state that at her hearings this week.