Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri voiced grave concerns about the potential lack of Republican support for Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation as the Director of National Intelligence.
In a recent statement, Hawley highlighted the challenges Gabbard is facing within her own party, as well as from Democrats, in securing her confirmation according to The Daily Caller.
Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, has been a controversial figure due to her outspoken views on various national security issues.
Her criticism of U.S. financial involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where she claimed over $200 billion was spent, has drawn significant attention and scrutiny.
During her tenure in Congress, Gabbard was often at odds with her party, most notably when Hillary Clinton suggested Gabbard was a Russian asset, intensifying national security concerns among some Democrats. These allegations have made her nomination particularly contentious.
The focus of Gabbard's recent confirmation hearing was her stance on key intelligence issues, like her views on whistleblower Edward Snowden and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702.
In 2020, Gabbard introduced a resolution to drop all charges against Edward Snowden, who disclosed sensitive NSA surveillance activities in 2013. Although acknowledging that Snowden broke the law, Gabbard does not view him as a traitor and believes his actions highlighted the need for greater transparency and reform within the intelligence community.
Gabbard supports the continuation of FISA Section 702 but has advocated for stringent protections to safeguard civil liberties, arguing that this balance is crucial for the program's integrity.
A number of key Republican senators including Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, and John Curtis from Utah, remain undecided on Gabbard's confirmation. Their hesitation echoes similar concerns from other senators like Lisa Murkowski from Alaska and Susan Collins from Maine, who previously supported another of Biden’s nominees, Avril Haines.
The intelligence community itself has not been silent on Gabbard's nomination. Notably, Gabbard has claimed that she was unjustly placed under surveillance and subjected to rigorous screenings at airports, attributing this treatment to her inclusion on the "Quiet Skies" watchlist by TSA and Federal Air Marshals.
Senator Hawley’s recent statements underscore the broader implications of Gabbard's potential failure to secure confirmation. He emphasized, “I have to tell you, I’m worried by what I hear from some of my Republican colleagues,” illustrating his concern for the future of intelligence reform.
Hawley's support for Gabbard is grounded in his desire for reform within the intelligence sector. He argued that the intelligence community has previously misled the public on crucial issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and believes Gabbard’s appointment could foster necessary change.
“I’m worried that her nomination may be in jeopardy, and I’m just worried what that will mean. It will mean that the reforms that we need in the intelligence space, let’s not just pretend everything is fine and dandy and hunky dory in the intelligence community. It’s not,” Hawley elaborated.
The Senator concluded, “We need reform to stop things like FISA Section 702, stop spying on Americans. I hope Tulsi gets confirmed because we need that kind of reform.”
His strong endorsement reflects a critical viewpoint of the current practices within intelligence operations, highlighting the necessity for a new direction spearheaded by leaders like Gabbard.