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| CIA pick Gina Haspel on torture: 'We're not getting back in that business' – live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Senator Kamala Harris, a Democrat from California and a former prosecutor, asks Haspel whether she believes torture techniques are immoral. | |
| Haspel sidesteps the question each time. Harris asks for a yes or no and she will not give it. | |
| Harris: “Do you believe in hindsight that those techniques were immoral?” | |
| Haspel: “I think I’ve answered the question.” | |
| Harris: “No you have not.” | |
| Does torture work, Harris asks. | |
| “I don’t believe that torture works,” she says but doesn’t directly but then says the program led to the extraction of “valuable information” and its unknowable whether “enhanced interrogation techniques played a role in that”. | |
| Senator Tom Cotton, a staunchly conservative Republican from Arkansas and an Iraq war veteran, used his time to critique his colleagues comments and views. He asks how many Democrats would support Haspel if she was nominated by Barack Obama. He jokes that she does not have to answer. | |
| Cotton, who boasts a close relationship with Trump, was reportedly considered as a possible replacement for Mike Pompeo, the former CIA director who now serves as Secretary of State. | |
| Tom Cotton preparing for his future CIA directorship. | |
| Next up is Senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat whose vote may be pivotal to her confirmation. Haspel sat down with Manchin this week, and on Wednesday morning she hugged the Democrat upon entering the room earlier, which some observers interpreted as a positive sign. | |
| His praise for her – Manchin said he boasts about the clandestine service to his West Virginia voters – suggest that just may be the case. | |
| WEST VIRGINIA:Haspel and Manchin pic.twitter.com/NbKSDCQcX4 | |
| Asked by Maine Independent Angus King whether she agrees with the Intelligence Community’s 2017 assessment that Russia meddled in the US presidential election to help Donald Trump win the US presidency, Haspel says: “I do.” | |
| Hearing is interrupted by a protester who shouts: "No, the question is what do you do to human beings in US custody? How do you treat human beings in US custody? Bloody Gina, bloody Gina, bloody Gina! You are a torturer." (She is escorted out by police.) | Hearing is interrupted by a protester who shouts: "No, the question is what do you do to human beings in US custody? How do you treat human beings in US custody? Bloody Gina, bloody Gina, bloody Gina! You are a torturer." (She is escorted out by police.) |
| In an exchange, Heinrich presses Haspel to say whether torturing terrorism suspects in post-9/11 period was morally right. She does not answer directly but defends her “moral compass”. | In an exchange, Heinrich presses Haspel to say whether torturing terrorism suspects in post-9/11 period was morally right. She does not answer directly but defends her “moral compass”. |
| “We should hold ourselves to a stricter moral standards, and I would never allow CIA to be involved in coercive interrogations,” she tells him. | |
| “Where was that moral compass at the time?” he replies. | |
| “In all of my assignments I have conducted myself honorably and in accordance with US law. My parents raised me right. I know the difference between right and wrong,” she replies. | |
| Haspel also says that in hindsight she would not support the order to destroy the tapes in 2005. | |
| Haspel says she would no longer support the destruction of tapes that occurred in 2005; she told Heinrich privately she supported it at the time | Haspel says she would no longer support the destruction of tapes that occurred in 2005; she told Heinrich privately she supported it at the time |
| Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, asks what she would do if Trump ordered her to waterboard a high value suspect | Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, asks what she would do if Trump ordered her to waterboard a high value suspect |
| “Senator, I would advise - I do not believe the president would ask me to do that,” she says, taking a long pause. “But we have today in the US government other US government entities that conduct interrogations. ... CIA is not the right place to conduct interrogations.” | “Senator, I would advise - I do not believe the president would ask me to do that,” she says, taking a long pause. “But we have today in the US government other US government entities that conduct interrogations. ... CIA is not the right place to conduct interrogations.” |
| “CIA does not today conduct investigations. We never did historically and we’re not getting back in that business.” | “CIA does not today conduct investigations. We never did historically and we’re not getting back in that business.” |
| Senator Martin Heinrich, a Democrat from New Mexico, follows up, saying she did not answer the question about what she would do if Trump ordered her to waterboard a detainee. | Senator Martin Heinrich, a Democrat from New Mexico, follows up, saying she did not answer the question about what she would do if Trump ordered her to waterboard a detainee. |
| “I would not restart under any circumstances an interrogation program at CIA, under any circumstances,” she says. | “I would not restart under any circumstances an interrogation program at CIA, under any circumstances,” she says. |
| Haspel gets defensive during a testy back-and-forth with Democratic senator Ron Wyden, a strident opponent of her nomination. | Haspel gets defensive during a testy back-and-forth with Democratic senator Ron Wyden, a strident opponent of her nomination. |
| “After 9/11, I didn’t look to go to the Swiss desk. I stepped up. I was not on the sidelines,” she said. | “After 9/11, I didn’t look to go to the Swiss desk. I stepped up. I was not on the sidelines,” she said. |
| Feinstein asks whether Haspel is the person, referenced in a book by longtime senior CIA lawyer John Rizzo, who “has previously run the interrogation program”. | Feinstein asks whether Haspel is the person, referenced in a book by longtime senior CIA lawyer John Rizzo, who “has previously run the interrogation program”. |
| “Is that you?” Feinstein asked. | “Is that you?” Feinstein asked. |
| Haspel: “I’m so pleased you asked me that question.” | Haspel: “I’m so pleased you asked me that question.” |
| Feinstein: “A yes or no will do.” | Feinstein: “A yes or no will do.” |
| Haspel: “No.” | Haspel: “No.” |
| Haspel emphatically denies that she is that person in the book and says that a correction has been issued. | Haspel emphatically denies that she is that person in the book and says that a correction has been issued. |
| The book has been the source of much debate. Rizzo initially reaffirmed his contention in the book that Haspel “ran” the interrogation program but he later walked that back. | The book has been the source of much debate. Rizzo initially reaffirmed his contention in the book that Haspel “ran” the interrogation program but he later walked that back. |
| In an email to the Daily Beast’s Spencer Ackerman last month, Rizzo said: “After reading your story, and upon further reflection, I want to make clear that I never intended to suggest in my book that Gina Haspell was in charge of CIA’s interrogation program. She was not. I have nothing further to say on this subject other than to stress that I fully support her nomination to be CIA Director.” | In an email to the Daily Beast’s Spencer Ackerman last month, Rizzo said: “After reading your story, and upon further reflection, I want to make clear that I never intended to suggest in my book that Gina Haspell was in charge of CIA’s interrogation program. She was not. I have nothing further to say on this subject other than to stress that I fully support her nomination to be CIA Director.” |
| Haspel points to a story in the Washington Post that explains the contention over the book. Read that here. | Haspel points to a story in the Washington Post that explains the contention over the book. Read that here. |
| Haspel also declines to answer a question from Feinstein about whether she oversaw the waterboarding of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri at the black site prison in Thailand. Haspel says the answer is classified. | Haspel also declines to answer a question from Feinstein about whether she oversaw the waterboarding of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri at the black site prison in Thailand. Haspel says the answer is classified. |
| Feinstein also asked: “Were you an advocate for destroying the (CIA interrogation) tapes?” | |
| Haspel replied: “Senator, I absolutely was an advocate if we could within and conforming to US law.” | |
| Next up is Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, and one of the members of the committee who has pressed the CIA for more transparency from the CIA over her history. | Next up is Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, and one of the members of the committee who has pressed the CIA for more transparency from the CIA over her history. |
| Feinstein said the CIA declassified only select pieces of information while keeping damaging parts “under wraps”. | Feinstein said the CIA declassified only select pieces of information while keeping damaging parts “under wraps”. |
| Feintstein says she likes Haspel personally but finds the hearing to be “probably the most difficult hearing in my more than two decades that I have ever sat in”. | Feintstein says she likes Haspel personally but finds the hearing to be “probably the most difficult hearing in my more than two decades that I have ever sat in”. |
| Senator James Risch, a Republican of Idaho, spends the majority of his five minutes for questions praising Haspel and recalling meeting her in the field. He does eventually ask a question about the tension between the various agencies within the intelligence community and the congressional committees charged with overseeing them. | Senator James Risch, a Republican of Idaho, spends the majority of his five minutes for questions praising Haspel and recalling meeting her in the field. He does eventually ask a question about the tension between the various agencies within the intelligence community and the congressional committees charged with overseeing them. |
| "I will sleep better at night knowing you are directing these efforts," Sen. Risch tells Gina Haspel when pledging to support her nomination | "I will sleep better at night knowing you are directing these efforts," Sen. Risch tells Gina Haspel when pledging to support her nomination |
| Why do senators charged with assessing and confirming senior officials use their question time to shower nominees with unrestrained praise? | Why do senators charged with assessing and confirming senior officials use their question time to shower nominees with unrestrained praise? |
| Warner: With the benefit of hindsight, do you believe the interrogation program was consistent with American values?” | Warner: With the benefit of hindsight, do you believe the interrogation program was consistent with American values?” |
| Haspel doesn’t answer directly and Warner follows up, pressing her to reveal her “moral code.” | Haspel doesn’t answer directly and Warner follows up, pressing her to reveal her “moral code.” |
| She responds again: “I would never, ever take CIA back to an interrogation program. First of all, CIA follows the law. We followed the law then, we follow the law today. I support the law. I wouldn’t support a change in the law.” | She responds again: “I would never, ever take CIA back to an interrogation program. First of all, CIA follows the law. We followed the law then, we follow the law today. I support the law. I wouldn’t support a change in the law.” |
| Warner comes back – what would you do if the president asks you to do something you find “morally objectionable”? | Warner comes back – what would you do if the president asks you to do something you find “morally objectionable”? |
| Haspel: “My moral compass is strong. I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral even if it was technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it.” | Haspel: “My moral compass is strong. I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral even if it was technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it.” |
| Warner: So you wouldn’t follow the president’s order? | Warner: So you wouldn’t follow the president’s order? |
| Haspel: “No, I believe that CIA must undertake activities that are consistent with American values.” | Haspel: “No, I believe that CIA must undertake activities that are consistent with American values.” |
| Burr begins the round of questioning by asking Haspel to explain her role in the destruction of videotapes that depicted brutal interrogations. | Burr begins the round of questioning by asking Haspel to explain her role in the destruction of videotapes that depicted brutal interrogations. |
| Haspel maintained that the decision to destroy the recordings was made by her boss at the time, Jose Rodriguez, who was the director of the agency’s clandestine service. | Haspel maintained that the decision to destroy the recordings was made by her boss at the time, Jose Rodriguez, who was the director of the agency’s clandestine service. |
| “Mr Rodriguez has been very up front on a number of occasions publicly that he and he alone made the decision to destroy the tapes. I would also make it clear that I did not appear on the tapes as has been mischaracterized in the press.” | “Mr Rodriguez has been very up front on a number of occasions publicly that he and he alone made the decision to destroy the tapes. I would also make it clear that I did not appear on the tapes as has been mischaracterized in the press.” |
| She said a review found that there was no legal requirement to keep the tapes. She said multiple investigations concluded that she was not at fault and her actions and my decisions were consistent with my obligations as an agency officer. | She said a review found that there was no legal requirement to keep the tapes. She said multiple investigations concluded that she was not at fault and her actions and my decisions were consistent with my obligations as an agency officer. |