Senators to CIA: Refusal to Make Haspel Information Public ‘Unacceptable’

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released the following statement about the CIA’s refusal to make public information about Gina Haspel, nominee to head the CIA. The senators have written multiple requests to Haspel and CIA asking for information. 

“We find the CIA’s response to requests for information about Gina Haspel to be wholly inadequate. Ms. Haspel is not an undercover operative, she’s the deputy CIA director seeking a Cabinet-level position. It’s unacceptable for the CIA to hide her behind a wall of secrecy, particularly when such secrecy is unnecessary to protect national security,” the senators said. 

“Concealing her background when no sources and methods are at stake shows nothing but contempt for the Senate and the public. We believe senators and the American public have the need to know whether or not the nominee before us was a senior manager for a program that has been shown to be deeply flawed, as well as a number of other disturbing facts about her record.”