WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate ahead of an expected vote to confirm Gina Haspel as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). 

“Gina Haspel is among the most qualified people to be nominated for the position of the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. She’s served with the Agency for thirty three years, including tours as a case officer, four times as a station chief, the deputy chief of the National Resources Division, the Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service, and currently as the Deputy Director of the Agency,” Sen. Warner said. “In many ways, her story is representative of the thousands of people at the Agency and throughout the Intelligence Community who serve quietly, without recognition, and often at great personal risk, in order to keep our nation safe from those who wish to do us harm… I would also note that, as a Senator from Virginia, the home to thousands of CIA personnel, and the Vice Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, I have heard from many Agency officers, and for that matter, members of the rank and file of other Intelligence Community agencies. And almost to a person, this rank and file have supported her nomination.”

Sen. Warner also addressed concerns about Ms. Haspel’s participation in the Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation program.

“Let me be clear—this has not been an easy decision. Over the past several weeks I have held multiple meetings and calls with Ms. Haspel and many others about her record and her character. In our open committee hearing, I have raised questions about her involvement with the Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation program, and if she were to be confirmed, her willingness to push back if President Trump asked her to undertake any immoral, or legally questionable, activity… I strongly believe that we, as Americans, have a duty to look squarely at our mistakes, and to not sweep them under the rug, but to learn from them, and in the future do better,” said Sen. Warner. “Most importantly, I believe she is someone who can and will stand up to the President, who will speak truth to power if this President orders her to do something illegal or immoral – like a return to torture. I believe this not just because she’s told me so, or because she wrote it in a letter, or even because she said it under oath in front of the committee. I believe it because I’ve heard it from people who worked with her and who have known her for years.” 

Concluded Sen. Warner, “I respect my colleagues who have made a different decision. This was not an easy choice. I too spent weeks working through it. But at the end of the day, and as we vote later this afternoon, I believe Gina Haspel should be confirmed. I look forward to supporting her, I look forward to her being a good Director of the CIA, and I look forward to her performance convincing those who could not support her today that her long-term value to our country will make our country safer and that she will act in accordance to the principles and values of our country.”

 

Below is the full text of his remarks:

 

Gina Haspel is among the most qualified people to be nominated for the position of the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. She’s served with the Agency for thirty three years, including tours as a case officer, four times as a station chief, the deputy chief of the National Resources Division, the Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service, and currently as the Deputy Director of the Agency.

 

In many ways, her story is representative of the thousands of people at the Agency and throughout the Intelligence Community who serve quietly, without recognition, and often at great personal risk, in order to keep our nation safe from those who wish to do us harm.

 

In addition, while she’s not emphasized this, we should not overlook the historic nature of Ms. Haspel’s nomination as the first woman to be nominated as Director of the CIA. Seeing her portrait in the halls of the Agency next to the long line of former Directors will be a long overdue but important breakthrough for the Intelligence Community.

 

I would also note that, as a Senator from Virginia, the home to thousands of CIA personnel, and the Vice Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, I have heard from many Agency officers, and for that matter, members of the rank and file of other Intelligence Community agencies. And almost to a person, this rank and file have supported her nomination.

 

Let me be clear—this has not been an easy decision for me. Over the past several weeks I have held multiple meetings and calls with Ms. Haspel and many others about her record and her character. In our open committee hearing, I have raised questions about her involvement with the Rendition, Detention, and Interrogation program, and if she were to be confirmed her willingness to push back if President Trump asked her to undertake any immoral, or legally questionable, activity. 

 

I questioned her willingness to declassify to the extent possible more information about her background at the Agency.

 

I still wish more could be done to discuss her background in an open setting. The Agency just recently has declassified more information about her service with the Counter Terrorism Center. I thank them for that, but I still believe that it would have been preferable if we could have found a way to be even more transparent. If she’s confirmed as Director, I will encourage Ms. Haspel to keep this in mind.

 

To those here who have concluded that Ms. Haspel’s background with the RDI program should preclude her from leading the CIA. I respect their arguments, and I know the passion with which they put forward their position. I myself struggled with this point. 

 

Many people at the CIA participated in the program. They were told it was legal by the Justice Department and ordered by the President. But, some of the actions undertaken were repugnant and amounted to torture. 

 

Since those days, America’s had a long debate about the standards that we as a nation, can, and should, apply to the treatment of detainees, regardless of who they might be. That is why I was one of 17 cosponsors in the Senate of the McCain-Feinstein amendment to prohibit torture and to prohibit any interrogation technique not authorized by the U.S. Army Field Manual. That is why I voted to both approve and to declassify the Senate Intelligence Committee’s extensive study of the RDI program. 

 

I strongly believe that we, as Americans, have a duty to look squarely at our mistakes, and to not sweep them under the rug, but to learn from them, and in the future, to do better.

 

Nor do I believe that we can excuse torture or the way in which detainees – no matter who they were, or what crimes they were guilty of – were treated. We are better than that, and we need a CIA Director who will ensure – in an ironclad way – that we will never return to those dark days; that we will follow the law, as enacted by Congress.

 

This is why I have pushed Ms. Haspel, both in our hearing and in our private meetings on this very point—what is her view now of the RDI program? And how would she react if she were asked as Director to undertake something similar in the future?

 

In both our one-on-one meetings and in classified session before the Committee, I found Acting Director Haspel to be forthcoming regarding her views on the interrogation program. However, I thought it was important that she say this in public, not just privately, which is why I asked her to memorialize those comments in writing.

 

Gina Haspel wrote, “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.” I believe this is a clear statement of growth as a leader and learning from the mistakes of the past. And while I wish that she would be more forceful, I also understand her reluctance to condemn the many men and women at the Agency who thought they were doing the right thing at the time.

 

I first met Gina at one of her overseas postings. But I didn’t really get to work with her until this last year, when the former Director appointed her to be the Deputy Director of the Agency. Over this last year, I have found her to be professional and forthright with our Intelligence Committee.

 

I’ve had the ability to have candid, unfiltered discussions with her. Whether the challenge we confront is North Korea… ISIS terrorists… or the long-term challenge of countries like China and Russia, I will feel safer knowing that the CIA has Ms. Haspel at the helm.  

 

Most importantly, I believe she is someone who can and will stand up to the President, who will speak truth to power if this President orders her to do something illegal or immoral – like a return to torture. 

 

I believe it because I’ve heard it from people who worked with her and who have known her for years. People we all know and trust—John Brennan, James Clapper, Leon Panetta, Jim Mattis, and many others who served presidents of both parties. Every one of them said they trusted her to push back on immoral, illegal, or just plain stupid orders from the President.

 

I furthermore believe that she is someone who will push back – and push back strongly – against any attempts by this President to undercut, denigrate, or ignore the professional men and women of CIA, and their responsibility, again, to speak truth to power whatever the political ramifications may be.

 

It is for these reasons that I am supporting Gina Haspel’s nomination to be Director of the CIA.

 

I respect my colleagues who have made a different decision. This was not an easy choice. I too spent weeks working through it. But at the end of the day, and as we vote later this afternoon, I believe Gina Haspel should be confirmed. I look forward to supporting her, I look forward to her being a good Director of the CIA, and I look forward to her performance convincing those who could not support her today that her long-term value to our country will our make our country safer and that she will act in accordance to the principles and values of our country.

 

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