WASHINGTON ― You possibly can’t make it up, people. Senate Republicans voted late Wednesday to substantiate Joe Kent, a conspiracy theorist with alarming ties to white nationalists and far-right teams, to steer the Nationwide Counterterrorism Heart.
Kent was confirmed, 52-44. Each Republican however one, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, voted for him. Each Democrat current opposed him.
A former CIA paramilitary officer and twice-failed congressional candidate backed by President Donald Trump, Kent has frequently aligned himself with far-right extremists.
Throughout his marketing campaign for a congressional seat in Washington state, Kent talked with white nationalist Nick Fuentes about serving to him along with his social media technique. He gave an interview to Nazi sympathizer Greyson Arnold, who has a historical past of creating racist and antisemitic statements, together with describing Adolf Hitler as “a complicated historical figure which many people misunderstand.” He has downplayed the extremism of the neofascist Proud Boys, whose leaders had been convicted of seditious conspiracy associated to the Jan. 6, 2021, revolt. He lumped the Black Lives Matter motion in with “child trafficking rings and cartels,” saying they need to face “federal terrorism charges.”
Kent has additionally pushed harmful conspiracy theories, together with the false declare that the 2020 presidential election was “rigged” and “stolen” from Trump, and that the FBI was concerned in finishing up the Jan. 6 revolt. He additionally falsely claimed that the Secret Service was “in on” final yr’s assassination try towards Trump.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the highest Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, strongly opposed Kent’s nomination. On Wednesday, he warned his colleagues that Congress acquired “clear written evidence” in Might that Kent, when he was chief of employees to Director of Nationwide Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, tried to govern intelligence to match a political narrative being promoted by Trump.
“His efforts to alter intelligence assessments in support of demonstrably false political claims is not only a gross violation of the solemn responsibility with which the intelligence community is charged, which is to speak truth to power regardless of politics, but it is also a threat to our ability to keep the nation safe,” Warner mentioned in a press release.
“When intelligence is shaped to fit political agendas instead of hard facts, it blinds decision-makers to real threats, sows confusion among our allies, and emboldens our adversaries,” he mentioned.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who represents Kent’s residence state, mentioned so lots of his actions are “completely disqualifying” for main the company liable for accumulating intelligence to guard the nation from terrorist threats. She singled out his conspiracies in regards to the Jan. 6 Capitol assault, which was incited by Trump as he watched from the White Home.
“You want to know who in the federal government was behind the insurrection? How about we start with man in the White House who promised to march to the Capitol with them?” Murray mentioned in a fiery speech on the Senate ground on Wednesday. “How about we start with the president, who calls rioters ‘patriots?’ How about we start with the guy who pardoned violent cop beaters, en masse?”
She added, “If you cannot be honest with the American people about Jan. 6, you have no business being trusted with protecting our democracy. It should be that simple.”
