A Defense of the Lonely Senator from Kentucky

The Republican Party has been quick to turn against Senator Rand Paul, the only remaining principled conservative left in the Senate. Is this it for the Grand Old Party?

Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) does not approve of Ms. Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump’s nominee for CIA Director. Appearing on State of the Union with Jake Tapper, Sen. Paul gave a blistering testimony against nominee Ms. Haspel, remarking that the President “keeps appointing people who loved the Iraq War so much, they want a war with Iran next.” While Sen. Paul has been something of a wildcard in terms of his support for President Trump — voting on principle more often than party loyalty — this particular stand is drawing more of the Grand Old Party establishment’s ire than is typical for the junior Senator from Kentucky. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) referred to Sen. Paul as an “outlier” and said that the nomination of Ms. Haspel will pass without the Tea Party firebrand.

The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment in the American legal system, and Sen. Paul firmly believes — with evidence to back — that Ms. Haspel has carried out so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques,” which constitute an atrocious violation of the nation’s founding values, not to mention its laws. With the party against him, he cannot even call on usual Senate allies such as Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) or Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for support. Only Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), himself a victim of torture, has voiced concerns over Ms. Haspel’s record. Why does Sen. Paul stand so very alone, and why is the party so against his call to principle?

Sen. Paul’s reasoning shows that he is anything but an obstructionist or a traitor. He is simply a man of principle.

First, it is important to understand why exactly Sen. Paul opposes Ms. Haspel’s nomination. He penned an op-ed for Politico on March 18, in which he explained why he will “do whatever it takes, [including] filibuster” to stop her from ascending to the nation’s highest spy position. He asserted, “There is no question that during her career, Haspel participated in and helped develop the program that our own government has labeled torture.” As a result of Sen. Paul’s anti-torture stance, Congressman Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) has jumped into the fray to imply that Sen. Paul is a traitor who defends terrorists. The social media reaction to Sen. Paul’s announcement labels him with terms like “liberal” and an “obstructionist.” Sen. Paul’s reasoning shows that he is anything but an obstructionist or a traitor. He is simply a man of principle.