I rate Gina Haspel’s chances at less than 50% that she’ll be conformed to be the next CIA Dircetor due to her association with the agencies black ops interorigation program…
So….
Republicans and others are readying a fall back option for Trump’s pick to head the agency after Mike Pompeo has moved up to be the Sec of State….Susan Gordon....She is the Deputy Dir on Natioal Intelligence….
National security officials say they still believe she can survive a Senate confirmation hearing — but some say there contingency plans if she doesn’t.
“The reason you’re seeing contingency planning isn’t a lack of confidence in Gina, but because they’re seeing the Democrats band together … they’re worried they’re not going to have the votes,” said one former national security source familiar with conversations on Capitol Hill.
Many believe Haspel’s confirmation will depend on Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Mark Warner of Virginia along with GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky. Paul switched at the last minute this month and voted for Mike Pompeo to become Secretary of State, but it’s unclear whether he will do the same for Haspel. Collins, Manchin and Warner haven’t formally said how they’d vote on Haspel.
One of the contingency plans being discussed involves preparing Susan Gordon, the deputy director of national intelligence, to potentially take Haspel’s place in case Republican senators or Trump balk, two intelligence sources familiar with the matter said. Two additional sources who spoke with Republican strategists and lawmakers were also aware of general contingency planning. It’s unclear how formal these conversations are, but two of the sources said Gordon was in varying stages of being prepared….
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