The Senate Intelligence Committee will vote Wednesday on the nomination of Gina Haspel to head the CIA, a panel aide confirmed to the Washington Examiner.
Haspel, who is now acting director, is expected to win approval of the panel thanks to unanimous support from its GOP members.
She has attracted opposition from outside groups and many Democrats who say she should not be confirmed because of her roll overseeing enhanced interrogation more than a decade ago. But Haspel has the backing of two Democrats, Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., and could pick up a few more.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is opposed to her nomination while Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., is undecided.
Flake’s Arizona colleague, Sen. John McCain, a Republican, has urged the Senate to block Haspel, although he is home battling cancer and will not be voting.
Haspel requires only 50 votes to win approval and unless another Republican declares opposition, she now has enough Senate support to be confirmed as the first woman to head the agency.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has not scheduled yet scheduled a floor vote on Haspel’s nomination.
