During a grilling by Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Haspel refused to say whether the CIA’s now-defunct torture program that operated during the early fight against al Qaeda was immoral. Haspel’s controversial record at the agency includes leading a CIA black site where agents used so-called enhanced interrogation techniques, including waterboarding, on two terror suspects. Mudd took issue with Harris’ line of questioning, denouncing senators he said were either “supportive or silent” about the CIA’s torture program when it was implemented. They were either silent or supportive.”Mudd said officials at the Justice Department told the CIA its program “was not torture” and complied with U.S. law and the Constitution. “You can vote against Gina Haspel, but don’t give me the collective amnesia that it’s on CIA,” he continued.

Source: Huffington Post May 10, 2018 02:14 UTC