CIA

The Senate on Thursday confirmed John Brennan as CIA director. Sen. Bernie Sanders was among those voting no. The final vote was 63 to 34 to confirm the nomination of the former intelligence officer who held posts under Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. During Brennan’s confirmation process, questions were raised about the use of drone aircraft and so-called enhanced interrogation techniques. “While we must aggressively pursue international terrorists and all of those who would do us harm, we must do it in a way that protects the Constitution and the civil liberties which make us proud to be Americans,” Sanders said. “With regard to the use of drones and other methods employed by the Central Intelligence Agency, I am not convinced that Mr. Brennan is adequately sensitive to the important balancing act required to make protecting our civil liberties an integral part of ensuring our national security.”