President Trump’s nomination of Gina Haspel to be the first female Director of the CIA is not only necessary but historic. Haspel served as deputy director of the CIA, and in Sen. Angus King’s own words is “a qualified, experienced CIA veteran, who has the respect of CIA’s staff” (May 9, 2018).

Despite Haspel’s qualifications to be CIA director, King decided to vote against her confirmation.

King claims his opposition to Haspel’s confirmation is due to her service in the CIA while enhanced interrogation tactics were being performed. Yet in 2013, King voted to confirm John Brennan as CIA director. Brennan was a senior CIA official at the time the enhanced interrogation tactics began. King was conveniently able to ignore Brennan’s ties to enhanced interrogation tactics when it served his fellow liberals.

In a statement after the confirmation of Brennan, King said, “I believe that John Brennan, with his distinguished record of service and his substantial experience and expertise, is the right choice to lead the courageous men and women of the Central Intelligence” (May 8, 2013). Sadly, King’s history shows that he is more interested in political posturing than national security.

It is clear that King’s disdain for the president’s administration has led him to vote against a qualified candidate for CIA director — putting party politics before the safety of his constituents.

William Rolfe, West Paris