According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the path for former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to become Donald Trump's director of national intelligence took a major hit after she was confronted by senators from both sides of the aisle about Edward Snowden who stole U.S. secrets before fleeing to China and then ending up in Russia.
During Gabbard's hearing she was grilled by both Sens. James Lankford (R-OK) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) and notably refused to label the former intelligence analyst a "traitor."
According to the Journal's Dustion Volz, those two exchanges may lead to the embattled ex-Democrat not even making it to a full Senate vote.
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The report states, "... her testimony stunned some lawmakers and aides in both parties, who thought she would more definitively break from her past positions," adding, "Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Todd Young of Indiana, who both serve on the intelligence committee, are among the Republicans who have yet to say whether they will support Gabbard. Only one Republican would need to oppose her to block her nomination from being reported favorably to the full Senate, assuming all Democrats oppose her. "
Observors note that the equally embatttled FBI director nominee,Kash Patel, may slide through but they are less bullish on the DNI nominee.
“Kash is in. Tulsi, we’re not so sure," one predicted with another calling Gabbard's path to confirmation "trickier."
The report adds, "Heading into Thursday’s hearing, congressional aides saw Gabbard’s past advocacy for pardoning Snowden—most notably during a May 2019 podcast interview with Joe Rogan—as a likely liability."
You can read more here.
