Senate Democrats are urging a delayed confirmation hearing for former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, President-elect Donald Trump's director of national intelligence nominee, citing unresolved questions and incomplete procedural requirements, Mediaite reported.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters after meeting with Gabbard on Capitol Hill, "I went in with a lot of questions. I've still got a lot of questions.
"This is an extraordinarily serious job that requires maintaining the independence of the intelligence community. It also means maintaining the cooperation of our allies.
"We've got a lot of our intelligence from our allies on a sharing basis. And if that information is not kept secure, it raises huge concern," he said.
According to Axios, Warner and other Democrats have cited procedural delays as one reason for postponing the hearing. A source familiar with the matter noted that Gabbard's FBI background check, ethics disclosure, and pre-hearing questionnaire have yet to be submitted, violating committee rules that require these documents a week before the confirmation hearing.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton, R-Ark., insists the hearings will proceed before Inauguration Day.
"The Intelligence Committee, the nominees, and the transition are diligently working toward that goal," Cotton said in a statement.
Trump's transition spokesperson, Alexa Henning, said, "After the terrorist attacks on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, it's sad to see Sen. Warner and Democrats playing politics with Americans' safety and our national security."
Gabbard's nomination has sparked debate. Critics view her past statements as sympathetic to Syrian President Bashar Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin. She also made headlines during Trump's first term for criticizing his foreign policy.
In November 2018, she posted on X: "Hey @realdonaldtrump: being Saudi Arabia's bitch is not 'America First.'"
In October 2019, Gabbard said: "He's essentially pimping out our men and women in uniform to a foreign power who's the highest bidder and saying very blatantly and directly, 'Hey, they're paying us for them.' He is unfit to be our commander in chief."
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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