Meghan McCain on Thursday lambasted Gina Haspel, President Trump’s pick to lead the CIA, calling the agency’s past use of enhanced interrogation under her watch “pyschotic.”
“It [torture] does not work,” McCain said after noting her father, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., endured nearly 6 years of torture as a prisoner of war.
“Life isn’t like the show ’24,’ where you just take a gun and blow someone’s kneecap off and get all the information you want. The point is the people break at a certain point and they give false information,” McCain said on “The View.”
When asked by co-hosts whether or not she thinks Haspel is qualified, McCain raised the issue of waterboarding.
“If you are okay with waterboarding. … I think that is psychotic,” McCain said. “What’s next? are we going to be like ISIS and chop people’s heads off?”
The elder McCain encouraged his Senate colleagues Wednesday in a statement not to confirm Haspel due to her involvement in the controversial interrogation program.
“I believe Gina Haspel is a patriot who loves our country and has devoted her professional life to its service and defense,” the Arizona Republican said.
“However, Ms. Haspel’s role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying. I believe the Senate should exercise its duty of advice and consent and reject this nomination,” his statement continued.
The senator is currently home in Arizona undergoing treatment for brain cancer. He is not expected to be present for Haspel’s confirmation vote.
