Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for director of nationwide intelligence superior out of the Senate Intelligence Committee Tuesday, teeing her up for a closing vote later this month.
The panel met in secret, however lawmakers who emerged indicated that the vote to report Gabbard’s nomination favorably had fallen alongside celebration traces, with 9 Republicans supporting the ex-Democratic congresswoman and eight Democrats opposing.
Gabbard, 43, can solely afford to lose three GOP votes within the full Senate earlier than her nomination fails.
Some Republicans and nationwide safety hawks have raised alarms concerning the Hawaiian’s previous skepticism of the intelligence group — most notably its reporting that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad carried out dozens of chemical weapons assaults in opposition to his personal folks through the decade-long civil battle within the Center Japanese nation.
Through the open portion of Gabbard’s affirmation listening to final week, a handful of Republicans grilled her over her earlier stances and signaled that they had deep reservations about her nomination.
Sen. Todd Younger (R-Ind.) advised the nominee at one level that “it would befit you and be helpful for the way you’re perceived by members of the Intelligence Committee” to acknowledge that Nationwide Safety Company leaker Edward Snowden harmed nationwide safety.
Gabbard, a previous supporter of Snowden, refused to name the ex-contractor a “traitor,” however did say she wouldn’t push for a pardon and acknowledged he had damaged the legislation by sharing particulars of the NSA’s warrantless surveillance program.
Younger introduced Tuesday that he would again Gabbard after revealing that she gave him assurances “that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), one other potential swing vote, additionally got here out in favor of Gabbard, praising her plans to slim down the Workplace of the Director of Nationwide Intelligence.
Sen. James Lanford (R-Okla.), who additionally appeared to have considerations about Gabbard, introduced Monday that he would assist the nomination.
Practically all of the Democrats on the panel in addition to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a staunch privateness advocate, voiced skepticism about Gabbard through the listening to.
The nominee used her time to elucidate her about face on points resembling International Intelligence Surveillance Act Part 702, which authorizes the federal government to conduct surveillance on non-US residents overseas.
“The national security capability that is provided by Section 702 that enables this foreign surveillance on non-US persons overseas is critical, period,” mentioned Gabbard, who had beforehand voiced considerations concerning the authority and had sponsored payments to repeal it whereas in Congress.
Gabbard additionally claimed that in her now-notorious 2017 assembly with Assad, she pressed him “about his own regime’s actions, the use of chemical weapons, and the brutal tactics that were being used against his own people.”
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), typically seen as extra hawkish on international coverage, harassed that Gabbard’s FBI background verify revealed she was “clean as a whistle.”
Gabbard had been a Democrat till 2022 and lately modified her celebration affiliation to Republican final yr whereas endorsing President Trump.
“For too long, faulty, inadequate, or weaponized intelligence has led to costly failures and the undermining of our national security,” Gabbard mentioned throughout her listening to. “The most obvious example of one of these failures is our invasion of Iraq based upon a total fabrication or complete failure of intelligence.”
“President Trump’s reelection is a clear mandate from the American people to break this cycle of failure, end the weaponization/politicization of the [intelligence communty], and begin to restore trust in those who have been charged with the critical task of securing our nation.”
