Feinstein, McCain opposed to CIA pick

WASHINGTON —The author of the Senate’s comprehensive review of CIA interrogation practices formally announced Thursday that she would oppose Gina Haspel as the agency’s new director, arguing that confirming someone so closely tied to the program would in effect be telling the world that the United States endorses torture.

“This nomination is bigger than one person,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who released the 2014 torture report as then-chair-womman of the Senate intelligence committee, wrote in a statement. “For the Senate to confirm someone so involved with the program to the highest position at the CIA would in effect tell the world that we approve of what happened, and I absolutely do not.”

Feinstein’s declaration comes on the heels of a similar message from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who stated Wednesday night that while Haspel’s 33-year record of service at the CIA is impressive, her refusal to denounce her past involvement with the interrogation program as immoral disqualifies her as a potential director.

“Ms. Haspel’s role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying,” wrote McCain, who himself endured years of torture as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. “I believe the Senate should exercise its duty of advice and consent and reject this nomination.”

It remains unclear whether the appeals from McCain and Feinstein will sway any lawmakers on the fence about Haspel’s nomination from voting for her.

Haspel’s confirmation hearing before the Senate intelligence committee on Wednesday went fairly smoothly, as she sought to persuade senators that she would under no circumstances restart the CIA’s interrogation program, and that she would disobey any potential order from President Donald Trump to have the CIA do something she deemed to be either immoral or against American values.

But Haspel refused to disavow her past actions related to the program, arguing that she had been led to believe they were legal at the time.

CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY Gina Haspel testifies before the intelligence committee.