Vermont Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders today issued statements regarding their votes not to confirm John Brennan to be the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Nonetheless, and despite a 13-hour filibuster from Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, the Senate confirmed Brennan Thursday afternoon 63 - 34.
Leahy said in a statement: ‘ I have worked with John Brennan, and I respect his record, his experience, and his dedication to public service. But the administration has stonewalled me and the Judiciary Committee for too long on a reasonable request to review the legal justification for the use of drones in the targeted killing of American citizens. The administration made the relevant OLC memorandum available to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in order to advance this nomination. I expect the Judiciary Committee, which has oversight of the Office of Legal Counsel, to be afforded the same access. For that reason, I reluctantly opposed Mr. Brennan’ s nomination.’
Sanders said in a statement: ‘ While we must aggressively pursue international terrorists and all of those who would do us harm, we must do it in a way that protects the Constitution and the civil liberties which make us proud to be Americans. With regard to the use of drones and other methods employed by the Central Intelligence Agency, I am not convinced that Mr Brennan is adequately sensitive to the important balancing act required to make protecting our civil liberties an integral part of ensuring our national security.’
WASHINGTON, March 7, 2013
Leahy, Sanders vote against CIA director nominee, confirmed anyway
Submitted by tim
on