Newly confirmed United States Director of Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com

By Kathy wray Coleman, editor, associate publisher

WASHINGTON, DC - Following contentious Senate hearings, Tulsi Gabbard was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday as United States Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

A former Honolulu councilwoman and former Democratic congresswoman representing Hawaii who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2016 and is now a Republican, Gabbard faced questions during Senate hearings about her views on Russia, ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, and Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked classified information. But in the end, she was able to sway Republicans who were holding out, winning confirmation 52-48  with all  Senate Republicans but Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky voting yes. Each and every Senate Democrat voted no.

She was sworn in shortly after winning confirmation and was among a handful of Trump nominees, most of them men, whose nomination brought heightened national media scrutiny.

President Donald Trump described Gabbard, 43,  as a committed public servant and "a woman of great common sense."

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