A conservative senator is complicating President Trump’s ongoing cabinet shuffle, though the tumult could be smoothed over by compliant Democrats from across the aisle.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Wednesday he will oppose Trump’s bid to name Mike Pompeo, the current Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, as Secretary of State. The lawmaker said he would similarly vote against the nomination of Gina Haspel to replace Pompeo, as head of the CIA.
Haspel is the current Deputy Director of the Agency. Paul hit out at her nomination because she was involved in President George W. Bush’s post-9/11 torture program–and the subsequent cover-up.
Last year, Paul also opposed Pompeo’s nomination to lead the Agency, casting the only Republican “no” vote against the former Congressman. The Senator cited Pompeo’s views on surveillance and torture. This week, Paul bemoaned Pompeo’s hawkish views on Iran, and on foreign policy, in general.
“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 of Pompeo, according to Politico.
On Haspel, the senator said: “My opposition to her is over her direct participation in interrogation and her gleeful enjoyment at the suffering of someone being tortured.”
Paul noted that the effectiveness of his opposition “depends on the solidarity of the Democrats.” If every member of the Senate Democratic Caucus votes with Paul, the nominations of Haspel and Pompeo will be delayed indefinitely.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is currently in Arizona receiving cancer treatment, with no set timetable for a possible return. And if he is present for a vote, McCain might reject Haspel, the senator noted on Tuesday.
“Ms. Haspel needs to explain the nature and extent of her involvement in the CIA’s interrogation program during the confirmation process,” McCain said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), also in poor health, is retiring at the end of the month.
One absent Republican and one Republican voting “no” would mean the rejection of a nomination, given the current make-up of the Senate, if every Democrat also stands united in opposition.
But Senior Democrats reacted to news of President Trump’s cabinet shuffle by signaling they would be open to the named replacements.
“The instability of this administration in just about every area weakens America,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). “If he’s confirmed, we hope that Mr. Pompeo will turn over a new leaf and will start toughening up our policies towards Russia and [Vladimir] Putin.”
Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and the author of an exhaustive report on Bush administration torture, said she was open to Haspel’s nomination.
“It’s no secret I’ve had concerns in the past with her connection to the CIA torture program and have spent time with her discussing this,” Feinstein said. “To the best of my knowledge she has been a good deputy director and I look forward to the opportunity to speak with her again.”
When Pompeo was confirmed as CIA Director, fourteen Senate Democrats backed his nomination. That support might not carry over for Pompeo’s selection as top US diplomat, however, according to one lawmaker.
“There are Democrats who supported him for the CIA director, but being Secretary of State is totally different than CIA director,” Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) told Politico. The lawmaker did not support Pompeo’s nomination to lead the CIA.
