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Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel Face Senate Hearings

From Tampa Free Press, Article By Danielle Shockey, Original Publish Date: January 30, 2025

Tulsi Gabbard Faces Tough Grilling At Confirmation Hearing For Intelligence Chief Role

President Donald Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, faced intense scrutiny from Republican and Democratic senators during her confirmation hearing on Thursday, as lawmakers pressed her on her past praise for intelligence leaker Edward Snowden and her evolving stance on a controversial electronic surveillance program.

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and 2020 presidential candidate who later left the party to endorse Trump sought to reassure Republican members of the Senate Intelligence Committee while addressing her previous progressive positions. However, her responses left some senators unconvinced, raising doubts about her ability to secure the necessary votes for confirmation.

Snowden Controversy Takes Center Stage


Gabbard’s past admiration for Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked classified information in 2013, emerged as a key point of contention. During her time in Congress and as a commentator, Gabbard had hailed Snowden as a “brave whistleblower” and called for his pardon.

Under questioning from Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), Gabbard avoided directly labeling Snowden as a “traitor,” instead emphasizing her focus on preventing future leaks. “I’m focused on the future and how we can prevent something like this from happening again,” she said.

When Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) pressed her on whether she would seek a pardon for Snowden if confirmed, Gabbard firmly stated, “If confirmed as the director of national intelligence, my responsibility would be to ensure the security of our nation’s secrets, and I would not take actions to advocate for any actions related to Snowden.”

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the committee’s ranking Democrat, criticized Gabbard’s past statements, arguing that they were incompatible with the role of the nation’s top intelligence official. “What message would it send to the intelligence workforce to have a DNI who would celebrate staff and contractors deciding to leak our nation’s most sensitive secrets as they see fit?” Warner asked.

Gabbard acknowledged that Snowden’s actions were illegal but maintained that his leaks had exposed “egregious, illegal, and unconstitutional programs” within the government, leading to significant reforms.

Shifting Views on Surveillance Program


Gabbard also faced tough questions about her evolving position on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which authorizes warrantless surveillance of foreign targets but has been criticized for incidentally collecting data on Americans.

Previously a vocal opponent of the program, Gabbard recently shifted her stance, citing amendments passed last year that she said addressed her concerns. However, her refusal to clarify her views on whether a warrant should be required to search for Americans’ data in the surveillance program drew criticism from Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).

“You will be the director of national intelligence, and people will be wanting to hear from you about what we should do as policymakers,” Cornyn said.

Defending Her Record and Loyalty


Gabbard also faced accusations of echoing propaganda from U.S. adversaries, including Russia and the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Critics pointed to her 2017 meeting with Assad and her past comments questioning U.S. intelligence assessments of chemical weapons attacks in Syria.

Gabbard vehemently denied being a puppet of foreign powers, stating, “The fact is what truly unsettles my political opponents is I refuse to be their puppet.” She defended her record, citing her military service and commitment to opposing U.S. military interventions, such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Committee Chairman Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) came to Gabbard’s defense, dismissing attacks on her loyalty and praising her unconventional views. “She has undergone five FBI background checks. I spent more than two hours last week reviewing the latest, putting eyes on more than three hundred pages. It’s clean as a whistle,” Cotton said.

A Narrow Path to Confirmation


With Republicans holding a narrow 9-8 majority on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard will need the support of every Republican member to advance her nomination. Democrats are expected to oppose her, making her path to confirmation uncertain.

If the committee deadlocks, her nomination could still proceed to the full Senate, but it would require a 60-vote majority—a challenging hurdle in the divided chamber.

If confirmed, Gabbard would oversee 18 intelligence agencies with a combined budget of over $100 billion and play a critical role in shaping the intelligence presented to the president.

From Tampa Free Press, Article By Wendy Vasquez, Original Publish Date: January 30, 2025

Florida Sen. Ashley Moody Backs Kash Patel For FBI Director Amid Heated Senate Confirmation Hearing

Florida Senator Ashley Moody voiced strong support for Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI Director, during a contentious Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday.

Moody praised Patel’s commitment to collaborating with state and local law enforcement, calling him the right leader to “rightsize” the agency and restore its focus on combating crime.

However, the hearing quickly turned heated as Democratic senators, including California’s Adam Schiff, grilled Patel over his past involvement with the “J6 Prison Choir” and his claims about classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

Moody voiced strong support for Patel, praising his commitment to collaboration with state and local law enforcement. “We need somebody at the helm that understands the mission is to stand on that line between good and evil, between crime and chaos,” Moody said. “There is no other mission, and we trust that you’re going to rightsize this agency and set it back on course. And I am proud to support you.”

Moody’s endorsement underscored Patel’s reputation as a staunch ally of law enforcement and a proponent of a more decentralized approach to federal policing.

The hearing took a contentious turn when Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) grilled Patel over his involvement with the “J6 Prison Choir,” a group of individuals convicted for their roles in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Schiff accused Patel of promoting a song titled Justice for All, which featured the choir singing the National Anthem alongside former President Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The song reached No. 1 on iTunes following its release in March 2023.

“Isn’t that great? People who violently attack police have a number one song thanks to you, Mr. Patel. That’s something to be really proud of,” Schiff said sarcastically. He challenged Patel to address Capitol Police officers present in the room, asking, “Tell them you’re proud that you raised money off of people who assaulted their colleagues, who pepper sprayed them, that beat them with poles. Tell them you’re proud of what you did, Mr. Patel.”

Patel vehemently denied the allegations, stating, “That is an abject lie and you know it. I’ve never, never, ever accepted violence against law enforcement. I have worked with these men and women my entire life, and I did not make a single dime out of this.” He emphasized his long-standing support for law enforcement and condemned the violence of January 6.

Schiff also pressed Patel on his claims that Trump had declassified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago. Patel acknowledged that Trump had declassified “a large number” of materials but did not confirm that all the documents in question had been declassified. Trump faced criminal charges over the alleged unlawful storage of classified materials, though the case was later dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon due to a violation of the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

The hearing also revisited Schiff’s own controversies, including his censure by the House of Representatives in June 2023 for falsely claiming he had evidence of collusion between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy removed Schiff from the House Intelligence Committee in January 2023 over his conduct.

Throughout the hearing, Patel defended his qualifications, citing his extensive experience in public service and law enforcement. He reiterated his commitment to restoring trust in the FBI and ensuring the agency focuses on its core mission of protecting Americans from crime and terrorism.

“I have spent my career standing with law enforcement and fighting for justice,” Patel said. “If confirmed, I will ensure the FBI remains apolitical, transparent, and accountable to the American people.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee will now deliberate on Patel’s nomination.

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