President Trump’s nominee for CIA director Gina Haspel on Wednesday defended her “moral compass” as she brushed back Democratic criticism of her handling of the post-9/11 detention and interrogation program -- while sharing gripping details about her credentials as a lifelong spy. Haspel, currently the deputy CIA director, was chief of a base at a black-site prison in Thailand in 2002, where controversial interrogation techniques were used on detainees -- including waterboarding. They have also complained that the CIA has failed to declassify enough information about her career, leaving the public in the dark about what sort of CIA director she may be. At the hearing, Haspel said she was confident she would not allow the CIA to engage in illegal or immoral activity, even if it came from a presidential order. Haspel was reportedly preparing for the tough hearing by practicing her answers at mock confirmation hearings with former intelligence officials.

Source: Fox News May 09, 2018 14:04 UTC