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January 30, 2025 11:53 AM UTC

Michael Bennet Has Had Enough of Tulsi Gabbard's Ducking and Dodging

  • 2 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Denver) made headlines on Wednesday by verbally pummeling Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. during a confirmation hearing for the Trump nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Apparently, Bennet was just getting started.

This morning Bennet was really riled up during a confirmation hearing for Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick to be the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Gabbard tried to squirrel her way out of answering Bennet’s very first question, which did not go over well with the Denver Democrat:

 

 

BENNET: I would like to repeat my colleague’s question to you. Thank you for being here for to answer these questions and for your service. Was Edward Snowden a traitor to the United States of America? [Pols emphasis]

GABBARD: Senator, I will also repeat my answer. He broke he broke the law.

BENNET: You said earlier that you were offended by a question that my colleague from Kansas asked, which I think was his duty as somebody on this committee to to fulfill his responsibility to advise and consent. We are not here to be a rubber stamp for the president of the United States. So let me ask you again, do you believe, as the chairman of this committee believes, as the vast majority of members of our intelligence agencies believe, that Edward Snowden was a traitor to the United States of America?

GABBARD: Senator, if confirmed as Director of National Intelligence…

BENNET: This is not a moment for social media…It’s not a moment to propagate theories, conspiracy theories or or attacks on journalism in the United States. This is when you need to answer the questions of the people whose votes you’re asking for to be confirmed. As the chief intelligence officer of this nation. As my colleagues said, this is not about you. It’s about the people that serve the intelligence agencies of the United States. Is Edward Snowden a traitor to the United States of America? That is not a hard question to answer when the stakes are this high. [Pols emphasis]

GABBARD: Senator, as someone who has served…

BENNET: Yes or no? Is Edward Snowden a traitor to the United States of America?

GABBARD: As someone who has worn a uniform…

BENNET: I’ll go on to my questions…

GABBARD: In combat, I understand how critical our national security is…

BENNET: Apparently you don’t. Apparently you don’t. [Pols emphasis]

Dammmnnnn.

Bennet has every right to be irritated with Gabbard’s refusal to just answer direct questions — particularly given the gravity of the position of DNI. This is a tactic that many Trump cabinet nominees have used recently; in his confirmation hearings, Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth repeatedly dodged questions about his background by mumbling nonsense about a smear campaign against him.

Bennet continued with Gabbard by asking about a social media post she made when Russia invaded Ukraine in which she wrote that Russia had legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine potentially becoming a member of NATO. Gabbard has a history of siding with Russia — flat-out parroting Russian propaganda. She has spoken glowingly about other oppressive regimes, including former Syrian leader Bashar Assad (with whom she secretly met in Syria in 2017). Gabbard’s cozy history with some of America’s loudest critics has even led to concerns that she might have been an asset of a foreign intelligence service.

Thus, it’s hard to blame Bennet for this outburst later:

 

“I’m questioning her judgment. That’s the issue that’s at stake.”

BENNET: And what I would say what I would say, Mr. Chairman…it’s up to all of us. We’re the Senate. We get to decide whether we’re going to confirm this nominee. Obviously, we didn’t select this nominee. But can’t we do better than somebody who doesn’t believe in [Section] 702?

Can’t we do better than somebody who can’t answer whether Snowden was a traitor five times today? Who made excuses for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine? This is the first time that I’m aware of any American official has done that. [Pols emphasis]

I’m questioning her judgment. That’s the issue that’s at stake here. And as you said and I totally agree, this is about our intelligence officers… Most of what we do here is in secret. This is one of the very few opportunities that you will ever have to have a conversation with this panel in public. And the record is going to be very clear about the position you took with regard to Edward Snowden. And the record is going to be very clear about your reaffirmation of the statements you made in the middle of the night when Russia was invading the free country of Ukraine. And I hope we will take that into consideration when we have this vote.

The public portion of Gabbard’s confirmation hearing has concluded. The Senate Intelligence Committee is continuing its vetting process behind closed doors. At least three Republican Senators are (justifiably) believed to be reluctant to advance Gabbard’s nomination to a full Senate vote.

Comments

2 thoughts on “Michael Bennet Has Had Enough of Tulsi Gabbard’s Ducking and Dodging

  1. Our good Senator Bennet (one "t") was doing a great job on these panels.  He could have really shreded the nominees but held back on the bloodletting.  Michael did good, again. Hopefully more than a couple of the maga decide it is time to hold sfb useless cult members to standards above slime mold.

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