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The US Senate on Thursday voted 63-34 to approve John Brennan, the controversial head of President Obama's drone and targeted killing program, as new head of the Central Intelligence Agency.
His confirmation ends the political battle of the nomination, which included public protest by human rights advocates and anti-torture campaigners during his Senate testimony that called into question Brennan's role in torture, rendition, and the killing of innocent people in US drone attacks abroad.
In addition, a protracted tugging match ensued between members of Congress who wanted more information on the targeting killing program he orchestrated as President Obama's chief counterterrorism official in the White House. Specifically, members of the Senate Intelligence Committee wanted access to key legal memorandum from the Office of Legal Council that offered the legal framework for the targeted assassination program that has claimed not only the lives of countless foreign individuals, but also US citizens living abroad.
A nearly thirteen hour filibuster on the Senate Floor on Wednesday, led by Republican Sen. Rand Paul, was the final dramatic conclusion to hold up the vote, but in the end--as had long been predicted--the president's choice was confirmed.
The roll call for the vote follows:
Alphabetical by Senator Name
Alexander (R-TN), Yea Ayotte (R-NH), Nay Baldwin (D-WI), Yea Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Baucus (D-MT), Yea Begich (D-AK), Yea Bennet (D-CO), Yea Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea Blunt (R-MO), Nay Boozman (R-AR), Nay Boxer (D-CA), Not Voting Brown (D-OH), Yea Burr (R-NC), Yea Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Cardin (D-MD), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Casey (D-PA), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Coats (R-IN), Yea Coburn (R-OK), Yea Cochran (R-MS), Nay Collins (R-ME), Yea Coons (D-DE), Yea Corker (R-TN), Yea Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Cowan (D-MA), Yea Crapo (R-ID), Nay Cruz (R-TX), Nay Donnelly (D-IN), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Fischer (R-NE), Nay Flake (R-AZ), Yea | Franken (D-MN), Yea Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea Graham (R-SC), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Nay Hagan (D-NC), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Yea Heinrich (D-NM), Yea Heitkamp (D-ND), Yea Heller (R-NV), Nay Hirono (D-HI), Yea Hoeven (R-ND), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Nay Johanns (R-NE), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Johnson (R-WI), Nay Kaine (D-VA), Yea King (I-ME), Yea Kirk (R-IL), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Lautenberg (D-NJ), Not Voting Leahy (D-VT), Nay Lee (R-UT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Yea Manchin (D-WV), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Yea McCaskill (D-MO), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Nay Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Merkley (D-OR), Nay Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Moran (R-KS), Nay | Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Murphy (D-CT), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea Paul (R-KY), Nay Portman (R-OH), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Yea Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Yea Risch (R-ID), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea Rubio (R-FL), Yea Sanders (I-VT), Nay Schatz (D-HI), Yea Schumer (D-NY), Yea Scott (R-SC), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shaheen (D-NH), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Nay Toomey (R-PA), Nay Udall (D-CO), Yea Udall (D-NM), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Not Voting Warner (D-VA), Yea Warren (D-MA), Yea Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Yea |
Political revenge. Mass deportations. Project 2025. Unfathomable corruption. Attacks on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Pardons for insurrectionists. An all-out assault on democracy. Republicans in Congress are scrambling to give Trump broad new powers to strip the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit he doesn’t like by declaring it a “terrorist-supporting organization.” Trump has already begun filing lawsuits against news outlets that criticize him. At Common Dreams, we won’t back down, but we must get ready for whatever Trump and his thugs throw at us. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. By donating today, please help us fight the dangers of a second Trump presidency. |
His confirmation ends the political battle of the nomination, which included public protest by human rights advocates and anti-torture campaigners during his Senate testimony that called into question Brennan's role in torture, rendition, and the killing of innocent people in US drone attacks abroad.
In addition, a protracted tugging match ensued between members of Congress who wanted more information on the targeting killing program he orchestrated as President Obama's chief counterterrorism official in the White House. Specifically, members of the Senate Intelligence Committee wanted access to key legal memorandum from the Office of Legal Council that offered the legal framework for the targeted assassination program that has claimed not only the lives of countless foreign individuals, but also US citizens living abroad.
A nearly thirteen hour filibuster on the Senate Floor on Wednesday, led by Republican Sen. Rand Paul, was the final dramatic conclusion to hold up the vote, but in the end--as had long been predicted--the president's choice was confirmed.
The roll call for the vote follows:
Alphabetical by Senator Name
Alexander (R-TN), Yea Ayotte (R-NH), Nay Baldwin (D-WI), Yea Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Baucus (D-MT), Yea Begich (D-AK), Yea Bennet (D-CO), Yea Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea Blunt (R-MO), Nay Boozman (R-AR), Nay Boxer (D-CA), Not Voting Brown (D-OH), Yea Burr (R-NC), Yea Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Cardin (D-MD), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Casey (D-PA), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Coats (R-IN), Yea Coburn (R-OK), Yea Cochran (R-MS), Nay Collins (R-ME), Yea Coons (D-DE), Yea Corker (R-TN), Yea Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Cowan (D-MA), Yea Crapo (R-ID), Nay Cruz (R-TX), Nay Donnelly (D-IN), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Fischer (R-NE), Nay Flake (R-AZ), Yea | Franken (D-MN), Yea Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea Graham (R-SC), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Nay Hagan (D-NC), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Yea Heinrich (D-NM), Yea Heitkamp (D-ND), Yea Heller (R-NV), Nay Hirono (D-HI), Yea Hoeven (R-ND), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Nay Johanns (R-NE), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Johnson (R-WI), Nay Kaine (D-VA), Yea King (I-ME), Yea Kirk (R-IL), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Lautenberg (D-NJ), Not Voting Leahy (D-VT), Nay Lee (R-UT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Yea Manchin (D-WV), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Yea McCaskill (D-MO), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Nay Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Merkley (D-OR), Nay Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Moran (R-KS), Nay | Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Murphy (D-CT), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea Paul (R-KY), Nay Portman (R-OH), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Yea Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Yea Risch (R-ID), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea Rubio (R-FL), Yea Sanders (I-VT), Nay Schatz (D-HI), Yea Schumer (D-NY), Yea Scott (R-SC), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shaheen (D-NH), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Nay Toomey (R-PA), Nay Udall (D-CO), Yea Udall (D-NM), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Not Voting Warner (D-VA), Yea Warren (D-MA), Yea Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Yea |
His confirmation ends the political battle of the nomination, which included public protest by human rights advocates and anti-torture campaigners during his Senate testimony that called into question Brennan's role in torture, rendition, and the killing of innocent people in US drone attacks abroad.
In addition, a protracted tugging match ensued between members of Congress who wanted more information on the targeting killing program he orchestrated as President Obama's chief counterterrorism official in the White House. Specifically, members of the Senate Intelligence Committee wanted access to key legal memorandum from the Office of Legal Council that offered the legal framework for the targeted assassination program that has claimed not only the lives of countless foreign individuals, but also US citizens living abroad.
A nearly thirteen hour filibuster on the Senate Floor on Wednesday, led by Republican Sen. Rand Paul, was the final dramatic conclusion to hold up the vote, but in the end--as had long been predicted--the president's choice was confirmed.
The roll call for the vote follows:
Alphabetical by Senator Name
Alexander (R-TN), Yea Ayotte (R-NH), Nay Baldwin (D-WI), Yea Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Baucus (D-MT), Yea Begich (D-AK), Yea Bennet (D-CO), Yea Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea Blunt (R-MO), Nay Boozman (R-AR), Nay Boxer (D-CA), Not Voting Brown (D-OH), Yea Burr (R-NC), Yea Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Cardin (D-MD), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Casey (D-PA), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Coats (R-IN), Yea Coburn (R-OK), Yea Cochran (R-MS), Nay Collins (R-ME), Yea Coons (D-DE), Yea Corker (R-TN), Yea Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Cowan (D-MA), Yea Crapo (R-ID), Nay Cruz (R-TX), Nay Donnelly (D-IN), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Fischer (R-NE), Nay Flake (R-AZ), Yea | Franken (D-MN), Yea Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea Graham (R-SC), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Nay Hagan (D-NC), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Yea Heinrich (D-NM), Yea Heitkamp (D-ND), Yea Heller (R-NV), Nay Hirono (D-HI), Yea Hoeven (R-ND), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Nay Johanns (R-NE), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Johnson (R-WI), Nay Kaine (D-VA), Yea King (I-ME), Yea Kirk (R-IL), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Lautenberg (D-NJ), Not Voting Leahy (D-VT), Nay Lee (R-UT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Yea Manchin (D-WV), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Yea McCaskill (D-MO), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Nay Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Merkley (D-OR), Nay Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Moran (R-KS), Nay | Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Murphy (D-CT), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea Paul (R-KY), Nay Portman (R-OH), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Yea Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Yea Risch (R-ID), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea Rubio (R-FL), Yea Sanders (I-VT), Nay Schatz (D-HI), Yea Schumer (D-NY), Yea Scott (R-SC), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shaheen (D-NH), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Nay Toomey (R-PA), Nay Udall (D-CO), Yea Udall (D-NM), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Not Voting Warner (D-VA), Yea Warren (D-MA), Yea Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Yea |