Senators to press Haspel about CIA torture
WASHINGTON – Gina Haspel, President Trump’s nominee to head the CIA, will face tough questions from senators Wednesday about her role in an agency interrogation program that was outlawed as torture.
The focus of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s confirmation hearing will be on Haspel’s oversight in
2002 of a secret “black site” in Thailand where suspected terrorists were subjected to waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques.
Haspel, who has more than 30 years at the agency, will be asked about her involvement in the destruction of 92 CIA videotapes that showed prisoners being waterboarded, a technique that simulates drowning.
Republicans hold a slim 51-49 majority, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has said he will oppose Haspel because of her role in the torture. No Democrats have come out in favor of Haspel.
President Obama banned torture in
2009, and Congress passed that prohibition into law in 2015. President Trump told ABC News in January 2017 that he “absolutely” believes torture “works” and would consider using it again if the CIA director and Defense secretary wanted to do so.
If confirmed, Haspel would be the first woman to lead the spy agency.
More than 50 former national security officials from Democratic and Republican administrations endorsed Gina Haspel. Her opponents include more than 100 retired admirals and generals, who said the use of torture by the CIA encourages foreign governments to torture Americans.