Nominee toughens anti-torture position

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s CIA nominee appeared to be on a path toward confirmation as she picked up support from key Democrats Tuesday and toughened her public stance against harsh interrogation.

“With the benefit of hindsight and my experience as a senior agency leader, the enhanced interrogation program is not one the CIA should have undertaken,” Gina Haspel said in written answers to more than 60 questions released by the Senate intelligence committee.

Haspel, who was involved in supervising a secret CIA detention site in Thailand, wrote that she had learned “hard lessons since 9/11.” In comments aimed at clarifying her position on now-banned torture techniques, Haspel said she would “refuse to undertake any proposed activity that is contrary to my moral and ethical values.”

“I do not support use of enhanced interrogation techniques for any purpose,” Haspel wrote.

The Senate intelligence committee is expected to vote Wednesday to recommend that the full Senate confirm her.

Confirmation by the full Senate appeared likely as five Democrats announced their support. The only Republicans who are not expected to vote for her are Kentucky’s Rand Paul and Arizona’s John McCain, who is battling cancer.

In announcing his support Tuesday, Virginia’s Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the committee, said Haspel has been “professional and forthright” with the panel.

Haspel testified at a Senate hearing that torture does not work as an interrogation technique and that, as director, her strong “moral compass” would ensure she did not carry out any administrative directive she found objectionable. Her written answers to questions went further to underscore her position.