Tag Archives: CIA

Trump Claims He Revoked John Brennan’s Security Clearance For His Role In Russian Interference Probe

The Hill reports: President Trump in an interview attributed his decision to revoke ex-CIA Director John Brennan’s security clearance to his role in early stages of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that he considers Brennan and other former intelligence officials whose clearances he’s considering revoking among the leaders …

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Former CIA Director John Brennan: Treasonous Trump Is Giving Aid And Comfort To The Enemy [VIDEO]

“What Mr. Trump did yesterday was to betray the women and men of the FBI, the CIA, the NSA and others and to betray the American public. And that’s why I use the term that this was nothing short of treasonous. Because it is a betrayal of the nation. He’s giving aid and comfort to the enemy. It needs to …

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Former CIA Analyst Convicted Of Disclosing Identity Of Colleague Takes To State TV To Beg Trump For Pardon

Media Matters provides the transcript: BRIAN KILMEADE (CO-HOST): What are you calling for now, John? You served your time, wrote a book about it, what are you asking for now? JOHN KIRIAKOU (FORMER CIA ANALYST): I would be forever indebted to the president for a pardon. This president is unlike other presidents. You know, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, they …

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Senate Confirms Haspel As CIA Director In 54-45 Vote

The Washington Post reports: The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Gina Haspel as the next CIA director after several Democrats were persuaded to support her despite lingering concerns about her role in the brutal interrogation of suspected terrorists captured after 9/11. Lawmakers approved her nomination 54 to 45, a wider than expected margin, with six Democrats voting yes and two …

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Senate Committee Approves CIA Nominee Gina Haspel

Reuters reports: U.S. Senate committee voted Wednesday in favor of Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be CIA director, and she is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate as soon as next week. The Intelligence Committee voted 10-5 behind closed doors to approve the nomination, which was expected after two of its seven Democratic members, Vice Chairman …

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Key Democrat Backs Haspel, Confirmation Now A Lock

The Washington Post reports: Gina Haspel appears to have secured enough votes to be confirmed as the country’s next CIA director after stating in a letter to a top Democrat that the agency never should have detained terrorist suspects and employed brutal interrogation techniques against them. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) said Tuesday that he had …

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Second Dem Senator Backs Haspel For CIA Director

Manchin was first. The Hill reports: Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) has announced he will support President Trump’s pick to lead the CIA, Gina Haspel, increasing her chances of being confirmed. Donnelly said in a statement Saturday he believes that Haspel “has learned from the past, and that the CIA under her leadership can help our country confront serious international threats …

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McCain Blasts CIA Nominee Gina Haspel: Her Refusal To Acknowledge The Immorality Of Torture Is Disqualifying

New York Magazine reports: After Gina Haspel’s confirmation hearing on Wednesday it appeared likely that she had the votes to become the next CIA director. But that night Senator John McCain released a statement urging his colleagues to reject her nomination, potentially giving wavering senators the cover they need to oppose her. McCain has been home in Arizona battling brain …

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Joe Manchin Becomes First Dem To Back Gina Haspel

Axios reports: Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said Wednesday that he will vote to confirm President Trump’s nominee for CIA director, Gina Haspel. Why it matters: Several Republicans and outside groups were hoping they could get Manchin, a red-state Democrat, to fold on Haspel because, with his support, Haspel will go to the floor as a bipartisan nominee. They also hope …

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LIVE VIDEO: Confirmation Hearing For Trump’s CIA Pick

The Hill reports: President Trump’s nominee to lead the CIA Gina Haspel will be grilled by senators Wednesday at a hearing expected to center on her role in the CIA’s use of harsh interrogation techniques during the George W. Bush administration. Haspel, a 33-year career veteran of the agency, faces a difficult confirmation battle given the GOP’s narrow 51-49 majority. …

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Gina Haspel: I Won’t Restart CIA’s Torture Program

The Washington Post reports: Gina Haspel is expected to tell the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday that she “will not restart” the CIA’s brutal interrogation program if confirmed to lead the agency, according to excerpts of her remarks released by the agency in advance of what is expected to be a contentious confirmation hearing. Haspel’s hearing comes just days after …

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State TV Backs CIA Nominee: She Should Double Down And Say I’m Proud Of My Role In Torturing Suspects

“I believe she should double down and say, ‘I’m proud of what I accomplished, whether it was black sites, enhanced interrogation, and I dare anyone to sit in my shoes and accomplish as much as I’ve done.’ And she could even, if she wanted to, if they could un-classify everything, tell us everything that you were able to pick up, …

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REPORT: Trump’s CIA Director Pick Sought To Withdraw Over Questions About Her Role In Torturing Suspects

The Washington Post reports: Gina Haspel, President Trump’s nominee to become the next CIA director, sought to withdraw her nomination Friday after some White House officials worried that her role in the interrogation of terrorist suspects could prevent her confirmation by the Senate, according to four senior U.S. officials. Haspel told the White House she was interested in stepping aside …

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REPORT: Trump To Pardon Leaker Scooter Libby

The Associated Press reports: President Donald Trump plans to pardon I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, a former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, according to a person familiar with the president’s decision. The person said the announcement could come as early as Friday. The person, who wasn’t authorized to discuss the decision ahead of its public announcement and demanded anonymity, …

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LIVE VIDEO: Mike Pompeo Confirmation Hearing

CNN reports: Mike Pompeo, President Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, will face an uphill climb to win Senate confirmation. He will testify today during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Trump selected the former CIA director to run the State Department after he fired former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The announcement to replace the top …

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Sen. Rand Paul Vows To Filibuster Confirmation Of CIA Nominee: Torture Is The Hallmark Of Totalitarianism

GOP Sen. Rand Paul today published a blistering op-ed attacking Trump’s pick to head the CIA. An excerpt: Over the past several days, there has been an increasingly granular debate about the degree of Gina Haspel’s participation in the torturing of detainees at the CIA’s Thailand “black site,” with neocons going out of their way to try to defend the …

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LIVE VIDEO: Intel Chiefs Testify Before Senate Panel On White House Security Clearances, Cyber Attacks, More

Already underway. The Washington Post reports: FBI Director Christopher A. Wray is appearing Tuesday morning before a Senate panel, where he is expected to field questions on security clearances for White House personnel and whether he remains confident in the independence of his agents. Wray is one of six top intelligence agency heads testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee for …

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Trump To Release Long Secret JFK Files

USA Today reports: President Trump said Saturday that he will allow more than 3,000 classified files on the JFK assassination to be released next week by the National Archives as ordered by Congress. The classified files were scheduled to be made public by Oct. 26, barring intervention by the president, under the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act …

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Ex-CIA Chief: Trump Is Endangering America [VIDEO]

CNN reports: Former CIA director John Brennan slammed President Donald Trump’s “dangerous” and “ugly” comments on the deadly violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia — writing a personal letter to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer after “The Situation Room” anchor spoke publicly about the fact that he lost all four grandparents to the evils of Nazism. “Wolf: Just watched …

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Julian Assange: CIA Head Mike Pompeo Has Declared War On Me, But He Loved Wikileaks During The Election

From an op-ed Julian Assange has written for the Washington Post: When the director of the CIA, an unelected public servant, publicly demonizes a publisher such as WikiLeaks as a “fraud,” “coward” and “enemy,” it puts all journalists on notice, or should. Pompeo’s next talking point, unsupported by fact, that WikiLeaks is a “non-state hostile intelligence service,” is a dagger …

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