CIA sends classified Haspel files to Hill
WASHINGTON —- The CIA hand-delivered classified documents related to Gina Haspel’s bid to become the agency’s director to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Monday, as the panel’s top Democrat excoriated the nominee for a “lack of transparency” in refusing to make records about her career publicly available.
“By failing to declassify much about your work at headquarters, including decisions that could be relevant to the nomination, the Agency has opened itself up to the criticism that it is only releasing favorable materials while suppressing related items that could reflect negatively,” committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner, DVa., wrote in a letter Monday to Ms. Haspel, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post. In it, Mr. Warner pointed out that as acting director, Ms. Haspel could herself order the declassification of materials senators wanted released.
This came after President Donald Trump defended his nominee to head the Central Intelligence Agency on Monday, dismissing criticism of her involvement in a harsh interrogation program and arguing that Democrats want her out because she “is too tough on terror.”
The latest clash between committee Democrats and Ms. Haspel comes just two days before she is scheduled to face the full panel in an open session Wednesday for a nomination hearing that is expected to be so brutal that Ms. Haspel recently contemplated withdrawing her nomination.
On Monday, CNN reported a backup nominee is in place in case Ms. Haspel isn’t confirmed: Susan Gordon, the current deputy director of national intelligence.
Ms. Haspel is all but guaranteed to field stern questions about the roles she played in the CIA’s controversial enhanced interrogation program, including drafting a memo ordering the destruction of videotaped evidence of such measures being used. And many of her answers will be broadcast live.
Should she perform well, it is possible that she could clinch the nomination: Republicans are generally supportive of her candidacy, and a handful of Democrats have sounded positive notes about their most recent interactions with her.