Senate Blocked Memo Implicating New CIA Director In Bush-Era Torture Programs
BAILEY T. STEEN | THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2018
THE DEMOCRATIC RESISTANCE came out in full force during the confirmation process of Gina Haspel, the new CIA director nominated by President Donald Trump. According to The Intercept and NBC News sources, however, it wasn’t Haspel that Democrats were resisting — it was “disturbing” documents that implicate her in Bush-era torture programs and destruction of evidence to protect the agency she now leads.
The Intercept’s journalist Ryan Grim published a Monday morning email from Elizabeth Falcone, the senior aide for Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, who reigns as the top Democrat within the Senate Intelligence Committee. Within the email, provided by a Senate source, Falcone declared staff access to the controversial memo would no longer be granted without “urgent need”, regardless of security clearance status, adding Congressional officials could only view the memo if they’re granted approval upon request:
“Folks — the classified Intel staff memo that has been available on haspel ?is currently not at senate security and unable to be viewed. If you have urgent need to read it, please call me or have your chief call mine. Thx.”
