12.04.18

Durbin Calls For Full Senate Briefing By CIA Director Haspel On Saudi Involvement In Khashoggi Murder

WASHINGTON—Following a classified briefing on Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi from CIA Director Gina Haspel in which only a handful of Senators were allowed to attend, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement:

While I cannot discuss the content of the briefing, it certainly reinforced my support for the bipartisan joint war powers resolution to end unauthorized U.S. military involvement in Yemen and the need for a stronger response by the U.S. and the Trump Administration to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.  Every Senator should hear what I heard this afternoon.  CIA Director Haspel must brief the full Senate immediately. 

Last week, Durbin voted for and the Senate overwhelming advanced a joint resolution that would halt U.S. military support for the Saudi-led coalition’s war in Yemen pursuant to the War Powers Resolution.

In March, Durbin supported a similar bipartisan joint war powers resolution to end unauthorized U.S. military involvement in Yemen, which was the first-ever vote in the Senate to withdraw U.S. Armed Forces from an unauthorized war.  Durbin has a long history of defending Congress’s constitutional role in matters of war, regardless of who was in the White House.   

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