Gabbard avoids condemning government secrets leaks snowden in confirmation hearing

Legislators from both sides of the hallway gave director of the national intelligence -nominated Tulsi Gabbard more than half a dozen chances of withdrawing her earlier support from Edward Snowden, the productive leaks of government secrets, in her confirmation hearing on Thursday, but she did not take them.

Gabbard has previously called the former NSA contractor for a “courageous” warrior who revealed condemning civil freedom violations from the intelligence community. As a legislature, she introduced legislation that supports a supplement of drug addiction.

On Thursday, she has repeatedly refused to withdraw this characterization of him. And she repeatedly refused to call him a “traitor.”

“This is where the rubber hits the road,” the democratically late was booming. Michael Bennet inside the consultation room. “This is not a moment for social media, this is not a moment to spread conspiracy theories … That’s when you need to answer the questions from people whose votes you ask to be confirmed as the biggest intelligence officer for this nation. “

“Is Edward Snowden a traitor for the United States of America? This is not a difficult question to answer when the effort is so high, ”he continued.

Instead, Gabbard repeated a canned reaction that his actions were illegal and that she disagreed with his methods.

“Edward Snowden broke the law. I do not agree with or support with all the information and intelligence he released, nor the way he did,” she said.

But she added that he “released information that exposed creepy, illegal and constitutional programs.”

Bennet ended with a passionate call to vote her down.

“Can’t we do better than…. A person who can’t answer if Snowden is a traitor five times? “…” I question her judgment. “

Republican Senator James Lankford presented her to another opportunity to clarify her attitude: “Was Edward Snowden a traitor?”

Again, Gabbard twisted.

She went back from her support to a pardon. In an exchange with the GOP -sen. Susan Collins, a key vote in the panel, she said that DNI’s role has no role in advocating the Klemency acts.

“My responsibility would be to ensure the security of our country’s secrets,” Gabbard said, “and would not take action to advocate for any acts related to Snowden.”

And moments later the Republican late asked. Todd Young, a potential swing vote in the committee, Gabbard: “Has (Snowden) betrayed the confidence of the American people?”

“Edward Snowden broke the law,” she said, “and he released this information in a way he shouldn’t have.”