Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced Monday that she will support Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation for director of national intelligence, giving President Donald Trump's nominee a crucial Republican swing vote.
Collins had expressed skepticism over Gabbard, particularly over her reversal on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and then her position on Edward Snowden.
Gabbard could not afford to lose Collins' vote, as the Senate Intelligence Committee has a 9-8 partisan split, meaning she can only afford to lose one Republican vote, assuming all Democrats vote against her. Collins' announcement on Monday clears at least one hurdle ahead of Tuesday's intel meeting to advance Gabbard to the full Senate floor.
"After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence," Collins said in a statement. "The Office of the Director of National Intelligence … has become far larger than it was designed to be, and Ms. Gabbard shares my vision of returning the agency to its intended size."
"In response to my questions during our discussion in my office and at the open hearing, as well as through her explanation at the closed hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ms. Gabbard addressed my concerns regarding her views on Edward Snowden," Collins said. "I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security."
Gabbard in 2020 proposed legislation to repeal Section 702. She has also voted against reauthorizing the program. But earlier this month she told Punchbowl News that the program is "crucial" and "must be safeguarded to protect our nation while ensuring the civil liberties of Americans."
The other Republican swing vote on the intelligence panel is Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., who was displeased with Gabbard's responses regarding Snowden during her confirmation hearing last week, The Hill reported. When asked three times, she refused to call Snowden a "traitor," stating only that he broke the law.
Gabbard on Monday pushed back on the controversy over her responses to those questions about Snowden.
Gabbard said that she declined to call Snowden a "traitor" because she doesn't use the word "casually," adding that, "Snowden should have raised his concerns about illegal surveillance through authorized channels, such as the inspector general or the Intelligence Committee, instead of leaking to the media."
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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