Posted on 01/23/2025 8:24:35 PM PST by SeekAndFind
On Thursday, the United States Senate voted to confirm former Rep. GOP representative and former Director of National Intelligence under Trump 1.0 John Ratcliffe (R-TX) as the next Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The final vote tally by voice vote was 74 in favor and 25 against. Mr. Ratcliffe has now been officially confirmed as Director of the CIA. The one Senator who did not vote, for reasons as yet unknown, was John Fetterman (D-PA). As of this writing, the formal roll call tally has not yet been released.
On Tuesday, President Trump said about John Ratcliffe:
Trump touted Ratcliffe’s loyalty Tuesday, saying in his announcement:“From exposing fake Russian collusion to be a Clinton campaign operation, to catching the FBI’s abuse of Civil Liberties at the FISA Court, John Ratcliffe has always been a warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public.”
A CIA official told CNN on Tuesday that the agency is “committed to ensuring a smooth transition.”
During his confirmation hearings, Mr. Ratcliffe vowed to return the CIA to its core mission of intelligence-gathering:
Testifying last week before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ratcliffe said he's devoted his professional life to national security "for roughly a quarter of a century." And he promised that if confirmed, he would focus on "setting and communicating priorities and demanding relentless execution."
He pledged that if was confirmed, the CIA would be rededicated to its intelligence-gathering mission.
"We will collect intelligence — especially human intelligence — in every corner of the globe, no matter how dark or difficult," Ratcliffe said.
With this vote, now-Director Ratcliffe can begin doing just that. Ratcliffe has also stated that he views China as America's primary geopolitical rival and has vowed to pursue intelligence-gathering not only on America's rivals but also on terror groups, drug cartels, and other criminal organizations.
Previously on RedState: Senate Gets to Work: Votes Several Trump Nominees Out of Committee (Updated)
RedState Weekly Briefing: ActBlue Blues and KJP Reviews, As Ratcliffe Twists the Screws
Senate Democrats tried to slow-walk the vote with procedural games:
Senate Democrats slowed Ratcliffe's confirmation after his nomination advanced out of committee earlier this week, forcing procedural maneuvers to extend consideration of his nomination in recent days. Still, Ratcliffe's nomination was advanced with wide margins in a 72-26 procedural vote Thursday morning.
Sen. John Barrasso, the Republican whip, celebrated that the Senate was poised to confirm Ratcliffe's nomination, calling it "a win for our national security," while noting that it "should have been done two days ago."
"But Democrats unnecessarily delayed this important vote," Barrasso continued. "John Ratcliffe is undeniably qualified for the job, he's going to lead the CIA without bias, and with the safety of the American people being his priority."
Mr. Ratcliffe served in President Trump's first term, from May 2020 to the end of the president's term in 2021, as Director of National Intelligence. Before this, Mr. Ratcliffe served two terms in the House of Representatives representing Texas's 4th Congressional District following service as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.
This follows the confirmation of former Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) as Secretary of State. More confirmation votes are expected before Trump's first week ends. Stay tuned.
Wouldn’t it be funny if, for once, the Dems suddenly changed to being on the side of GOP nominee approval harmony (after visits by the CIA agents apprising them of the blackmail evidence the new boss uncovered.)
Jake Blues: We think Mrs. Sline will be interested in seeing these photos.
Or maybe Ratliffe is actually Brennan’s b***h and the Democrats know it so they go along. Lara Logan posted something about that on X the other day.
As long as Fetterman votes for Hegseth
Yeah, seriously. If the Dems support the guy, i’m assuming that he’s not the sort of swamp-drainer we need.
Ratcliffe was originally refused by McConnell and Burr, and Grennell was appointed acting.
After Grennell spent a few months turning over desks and setting the curtains on fire, McConnell and Burr changed their minds and decided that Ratcliffe was good after all.
Now when you have half the Democrats voting for him, it just shows how much the Overton Window has moved.
I feel bad for General Mike Flynn right now and wish he’d make a comeback somehow.
That was exactly my reaction.
It kinda scares me that he sailed through so easily.
He’s a former congressman. The dems usually show deference to their own.
Ratcliffe was a good guy for Trump when being a good guy was tough. As DNI he declassified a Russian intelligence document that even CNN described as:
“ The declassified document, which includes a Russian intelligence assessment from 2016 that Hillary Clinton had approved a campaign plan to “stir up a scandal” against then-candidate Donald Trump by tying him to Russia and the hack of the Democratic National Committee, has sparked charges from Democrats that Ratcliffe was politicizing intelligence and sharing Russian disinformation.”
EC
I pray you are right. I trust Trump.
Radcliffe I feel is PDJT’s worse pick.
We will see what he does on day ONE at the CIA.
Trump should be willing not to campaign for his opponent in exchange for some support. Having a Repuke hold you hostage because they vote trade is BS. I’d take a reasonable Democrat 90% of the time. Trump should also find a reasonable Democrat in AK
Murkowski wins in Alaska because Democrats cross over and vote for her, she is beholden to them.
“Or maybe Ratliffe is actually Brennan’s b***h and the Democrats know it so they go along.”
It was too easy.
THE missing vote should be J D VANCE.
HOW is the vote being calculated???
So Republicans need to cross over and support a Democrat. This isn’t so complicated
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