Paul says he’ll block Trump nominees
Republican senator joins Dems against CIA duo
WASHINGTON – Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Wednesday that he will oppose President Trump’s nominations of Mike Pompeo to be secretary of State and Gina Haspel to be CIA director.
The senator said he would do everything he could to block the nominees and did not rule out the possibility of mounting a filibuster. He serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which will vote on whether to recommend Pompeo’s confirmation to the full Senate.
Paul’s opposition — the first announced by a Republican senator — underscores that both of Trump’s nominees face contentious confirmation hearings in the Senate.
The senator said he cannot vote for the candidates based on their past support for using torture techniques to in- terrogate enemy combatants and suspected terrorists. That issue is at the heart of the controversy over both nominees and has led several Democrats — including Ron Wyden of Oregon and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois — to come out against them.
Shortly after Haspel became deputy director of the CIA, senators raised questions about her drafting of a cable that called for the destruction of taped CIA interrogations in 2002 at a secret prison in Thailand, where terrorism suspects were waterboarded and subjected to other “enhanced interrogation techniques.”
“I find it just amazing that anyone would consider having this woman at the head of the CIA,” Paul said.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, expressed misgivings about Haspel but supports Pompeo.
Paul, who was the lone GOP vote against confirming Pompeo to be CIA director in 2017, said he opposes Pompeo’s nomination to be secretary of State because Pompeo said he did not consider “enhanced interrogation techniques” to be torture.
During his confirmation hearing to be CIA director last year, Pompeo said he would “absolutely not” bring back those techniques. However, in response to written questions from members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, he said he would review the ban on waterboarding if the ban was shown to impede the collection of “vital intelligence.”
Paul objected to Pompeo’s support for the Iraq War and his hawkish position on Iran. Pompeo said military strikes on Tehran would be more effective than diplomacy.
“I’m perplexed by the nomination of people who love the Iraq War so much that they would advocate for a war with Iran next,” Paul said. “I think it goes against most of the things President Trump campaigned on.” As a candidate, Trump criticized Democrat Hillary Clinton’s support for the Iraq War and pledged to stop dragging the United States into foreign conflicts.
Paul’s opposition to Pompeo could prevent the Foreign Relations Committee from approving him. Republicans have a slim 11-10 advantage on the committee, and Paul’s “no” vote could allow Democrats to vote down Pompeo. Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., could still ask Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to bring the nomination to the Senate floor for a vote.
Trump nominated Pompeo and Haspel Tuesday after firing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.