Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR). Image via screengrab.
The Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee was forced to silence Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) after he interrupted the panel's ranking Democrat at the end of the CIA director nominee's confirmation hearing.
Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) brought up former CIA director John Brennan's comments "repudiating" controversial interrogation techniques used by nominee Gina Haspel during the second Bush administration when Cotton interjected that the former intelligence chief "supports her nomination."
Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) banged the gavel and declared "senator will suspend" as a warning to Cotton, but the Arkansas Republican countered him and repeated his statement about Brennan.
"No," Burr said, "senator will suspend."
"I appreciate that, Mr. Chairman," Warner said, thanking his Republican colleague for shutting Cotton down.
Watch the tense moment below, via CSPAN3.
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