Van Hollen Statement on Gina Haspel

“The women and men of the Central Intelligence Agency are patriots and dedicated public servants, who work hard to detect foreign threats and protect the American people. I commend Gina Haspel for her longstanding commitment to that mission. Before making my final decision on her nomination to lead the agency, I reviewed both the public and classified records about her involvement with the torture program. I completed that review yesterday and have concluded that Ms. Haspel’s active participation in the dark days of torture program disqualifies her from leading the agency. She not only supported the program but was an enthusiastic advocate for it. She then helped destroy video evidence of the CIA’s torture program without proper authorization. I recognize that this is just one chapter in her long career of public service. But the Director of the CIA must exercise sound judgment during the most challenging of moments, consistent with our values as a nation and our rule of law. After reviewing the record, I do not believe Ms. Haspel meets that standard, and I will oppose her nomination.”

###