Sen. Paul Will Do 'Whatever It Takes' to Block Pompeo, Haspel -- REPORT
Even though there is no political solution to end government violence, thankfully there is a voice of reason in the senate. Here's to Rand Paul for standing up to Trump (assuming Rand does filibuster these nominations).
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Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., will do "whatever it takes" — including filibuster — to block President Donald Trump's nominations of CIA Director Mike Pompeo as secretary of state and CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to the top post of the agency...
It is right Even though there is no political solution to end government violence, thankfully there is a voice of reason in the senate.
Rand Paul: I Will Do ‘Whatever it Takes’ to Block Gina Haspel and Mike Pompeo, Including Filibuster
Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said he would do “whatever it takes” to oppose the secretary of state nominee Mike Pompeo and Gina Haspel to replace him as CIA director.
Paul said “I’ll do whatever it takes, and that includes filibuster. I will try to make a point to the American people, and maybe the American people will rise up and say, you know, we stand in solidarity with those who seek freedom from torture, not the freedom to a people, to have someone run our spy agency that has all of this enormous power, who is intimately involved with torture and from everything we’re reading, was supportive of the policy. So, no, I can’t support that. And I will do everything I can, including filibuster. You know, filibuster doesn’t stop anyone. The only way I could stop anyone is if we convinced enough senators. And it would take a majority at this point to stop their appointment.”
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul says he will do “whatever it takes” to block President Donald Trump’s nominees for Secretary of State and director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
“I’ll do whatever it takes, and that includes filibuster” to block CIA director Mike Pompeo’s nomination as secretary of state, and Gina Haspel’s nomination to lead the CIA, Paul said in an interview with CNN’s “The Lead” with Jake Tapper.
“I will try to make a point to the American people.” A filibuster would not actually block either of the two nominees if the majority of senators agree on their nominations, Paul said, but he hopes to be able to make a case, particularly on the nomination of Haspel.
Trump nominated Pompeo to replace Rex Tillerson as secretary of state Monday, and nominated Gina Haspel, now deputy secretary at the CIA, to lead the agency. She would be the first woman to lead the spy agency if confirmed.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Sunday vowed to do “whatever it takes” to block President Trump’s picks for secretary of State and CIA director.
I don’t think you really want people who are eager for war to be running the State Department. You want a diplomat,” Paul said on CNN’s “State of the Union,” explaining why he opposes the nomination of Mike Pompeo.
“I frankly think that Pompeo’s positions are too much of an advocate for regime change, really everywhere,” he said. “I don’t think our policy ought to be for regime change, so I think Pompeo really isn’t a good fit to be a diplomat,” he added.
Trump last week fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and announced he'd seek to replace him with Pompeo, who is the current CIA director. He then said he would nominate CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to replace Pompeo.
Paul has said he will oppose both nominations. In Haspel's case, Paul opposes her appointment due to her involvement in the enhanced interrogation program during the George W. Bush administration.
Paul said during a separate interview on CBS's "Face the Nation" that there is “no evidence [Haspel] was protesting against torture, and there’s every evidence she was covering it up.”
He added that the U.S. should set an example for the world, and should not have someone who condoned torture leading the CIA.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican Sen. Rand Paul said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that he would take all necessary steps to oppose President Donald Trump's nominees for secretary of state and CIA director.
"I'll do whatever it takes, and that includes filibuster," Paul said.
Paul, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, previously indicated he would oppose Trump's decision to move CIA Director Mike Pompeo to the State Department and CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to the top post at the agency.
The Kentucky senator said Sunday his opposition came from Pompeo's support for regime change abroad and Haspel's history with CIA torture.
Paul has made regular use of the filibuster or other lengthy floor speeches during his time in the Senate, tipping the government into a brief shutdown last month, and attempting to stall John Brennan's nomination for CIA director in 2013.
In the interview Sunday, Paul called on others to support him, including California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Paul said he takes issue with Pompeo's hawkish statements and does not think the congressman turned spy chief would be a "good fit" for the nation's top diplomatic post.
"I don't think our policy ought to be for regime change," Paul said.
On Haspel, Paul said, "What America stands for is not torture."
"Torture is the hallmark of totalitarianism," Paul continued.