The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is set to reject former CIA director Mike Pompeo’s nomination as secretary of state. Despite this fit of pique, Pompeo is virtually guaranteed to be confirmed.
The committee is comprised of 10 angry Democrats and Rand Paul, a “conservative” who constantly sets himself against President Trump. It doesn’t matter who else is on the committee, now that Paul has switched sides Pompeo has no chance.
Even if the committee rejects him, however, Pompeo’s nomination will still go forward. And Republicans on the floor love him.
“After meeting with Mike Pompeo, discussing his foreign policy perspectives, & considering his distinguished time as CIA Director & his exemplary career in public service, I will vote to confirm Mike Pompeo to be our next Secretary of State,” Sen. John McCain tweeted.
Pompeo’s proposed replacement at the CIA, Gina Haspel, is facing even more troubles. Over 100 respected admirals and generals begged the Senate to reconsider Haspel’s nomination.
“While the public record concerning Ms. Haspel is incomplete, there are multiple uncontested reports that she ran a CIA ‘black site’ prison, at which at least one detainee, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, was repeatedly tortured, including by waterboarding,” they wrote in their letter.
“In addition to her role in overseeing and implementing torture, Ms. Haspel also appears to have strongly advocated for and played a key role in carrying out an order to destroy 92 videotapes of individuals in U.S. custody being subjected to torture.”
Trump’s cabinet nominations have faced an unprecedented level of scrutiny. Some of the senators complaining about Pompeo’s unfitness for secretary of state heartily supported his bid to become head of the CIA.
Democrats, with the help of a few Republicans, want to block the Trump administration’s efforts. It doesn’t matter what’s going on. If the White House wants something, the left opposes it.
(Source: New York Magazine)