emptywheel

In her description of legal/policy issues behind destroying tapes so far, Haspel hasn't mentioned the active request from Carl Levin for tapes.

Haspel says there was a HPSCI investigation that never produced a report. She says HPSCI Chair found no problem. That's VERY curious given that Pete Hoekstra had a briefing the day of the destruction.

Haspel: I knew there was disagreement about the issue of the tapes outside of the agency. We were working towards a meeting with the then Director. We were working through a process.

Warner: Do you believe program consistent w/American values? Haspel: With some distance between events of 9/11, we've had debate about interrogation standards. We have decided to hold ourselves to stricter moral standard. I support US holding itself to stricter moral standard.

Warner: I need to get a sense of what your moral code says about this kind of action. [Haspel taking notes abt Warner's comments abt Trump] Warner: What will you do when you are D/CIA? Haspel: My father served 33 years in AF, my parents gave me strong moral compass.

Haspel's answer is really about risk to CIA officers, not about morals. So ... maybe her parents didn't give her a strong moral compass.

Haspel: My moral compass is strong. I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral. I believe CIA must undertake activities that are consistent w/American values. [Terrible follow up from Warner, tho he had been doing unusually well up until that point]

Several minutes in Risch hasn't asked a question. Now asking a leading question about how oversight has changed.