Two Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Monday they’ll support Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence.
The backing by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) for Gabbard ahead of a committee vote Tuesday is a positive sign for the embattled nominee following a rocky confirmation hearing last week.
Contentious confirmation: Gabbard, a former House Democratic lawmaker, has faced concern from both parties over a number of controversial stances, which surfaced during her confirmation hearing — including her past support of intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, opposition to the controversial surveillance tool known as Section 702 and a 2017 trip where she met with now deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Collins’ rationale: Collins said in a statement she’d help advance Gabbard’s nomination, adding that she and Gabbard agree on reducing the size of the DNI’s office and that Gabbard addressed her concerns about Snowden.
Lankford cites 702: Lankford had said before the hearing that he would support Gabbard, but his comments afterward — expressing concern that Gabbard refused to label Snowden a traitor — had raised doubts about his vote. Lankford told reporters Monday that he is indeed supporting Gabbard after the pair spoke this weekend. Federal surveillance programs were part of the discussion, Lankford said, adding, “Obviously we want to make sure 702 is clear.”
A bit more from Gabbard: Also Monday, the Intelligence Committee posted Gabbard’s answers to senators’ written post-hearing questions seeking further details on her visit to Syria, surveillance programs and Snowden, among other lingering issues.
In her responses, Gabbard reiterated her answers from the hearing that Snowden “broke the law” by disclosing classified intelligence without authorization and downplayed her sponsorship of a resolution in the House encouraging the charges against Snowden be dropped.
Gabbard was also pressed by Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) on whether she was aware of threats of suicide bomb attacks against the U.S. made by Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun, a Syrian cleric she met with during her 2017 trip. Gabbard said during the hearing that she’d only learned about them that day, but The Washington Post reported that documents undercut Gabbard’s assertion. In her answer to Heinrich’s follow up question, Gabbard responded: “I have no recollection of this specific information being presented to me eight years ago.”
Looking ahead: The Intelligence Committee meets Tuesday afternoon to vote to send Gabbard’s nomination to the full Senate. All Democrats are expected to oppose her, and Republican Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Jerry Moran of Kansas are still seen as potential swing votes.
Jordain Carney contributed to this report.
