During a tense confirmation hearing for Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence, Senators challenged her on her controversial meeting with Bashar al-Assad and her comments about the U.S. role in the Ukraine conflict. The most contentious topic, however, was her reluctance to outright label Edward Snowden as a traitor. Gabbard acknowledged that while Snowden broke the law, his actions revealed serious issues within government surveillance programs. This stance sparked significant unease among committee members from both parties, highlighting the potential obstacles she may face in her confirmation process.
"Ms. Gabbard's refusal to fully denounce Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who leaked classified information, raised the most concern among both Republicans and Democrats."
"Senator Michael Bennet pressed Ms. Gabbard, emphasizing that it's not a hard question to answer, especially with such high stakes involved."
"She stated Mr. Snowden 'exposed egregious, illegal and unconstitutional programs' within the government, which seemed to leave several committee members unsatisfied with her response."
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