WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel has cleared the final hurdle to the top Intelligence post after six Democrat Senators crossed party lines to vote in her favor.
Senate confirmed Haspel's nomination as CIA Director by a 54-45 vote, clearing the way for her to become the first female to lead America's Central Intelligence Agency.
Four moderate Democrats who face re-election this year in states Trump won in 2016 - Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Bill Nelson of Florida - were joined by fellow Democrats Mark Warner and Jeanne Shaheen voted to confirm Haspel, while two Republicans voted against her.
Sen. John McCain, who urged the Senate to reject Haspel's nomination citing her refusal in testimony to acknowledge torture's immorality, was absent from voting while fighting brain cancer.
Earlier, Haspel's nomination was approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee after she sent a letter to Vice Chairman Mark Warner claiming she now believes the CIA should not have undertaken its enhanced interrogation program.
'Congratulations to our new CIA Director, Gina Haspel,' Trump tweeted shortly after the Senate confirmation.
61-year old Gina would become the first female director in CIA's 70 year history, but the historic significance is overshadowed by her alleged link to a black site prison in Thailand where terrorism suspects were tortured.
As an undercover officer, Haspel served as CIA station chief in Thailand in 2002. The station was notorious for running one of the 'black sites' where suspected al-Qaida extremists were interrogated using techniques such as water-boarding, sleep deprivation and nudity.
Human rights groups say Ms Haspel left Thailand to oversee further US torture, but it is unclear what role she played as her exact record has been classified by the CIA.
Trump in March had promoted CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to the top Intelligence post to replace Mike Pompeo, who was to become the new Secretary of State.
A 33-year CIA veteran, Haspel spent most of her career as an undercover operative.
Haspel earned the agency's George H.W. Bush award after she pulled together a capture operation involving two terrorists with suspected connections to an embassy bombing.
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