THREAD: This new @WashingtonPost article by @MikeDeBonis about Marshall Billingslea, Trump’s nominee to lead human rights at the State Department, highlights his pro-torture record and the misleading nature of his testimony during his nomination hearing. https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/top-human-rights-post-goes-vacant-as-trump-nominee-confronts-links-to-post-911-torture-program/2019/11/29/e1a99644-113d-11ea-bf62-eadd5d11f559_story.html

Before the details from the new @WashingtonPost article, first consider this @HumanRights1st fact sheet about Billingslea's pro-torture record.
https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/sites/default/files/Billingslea_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Despite his well-documented pro-torture record, Billingslea claimed in response to questioning by @SenatorCardin during his confirmation hearing, "I'm not an advocate for torture, and I never have been."

As reported by @WashingtonPost/ @MikeDeBonis, after the confirmation hearing, the lead investigator for a 2008 Senate Armed Services Committee report that documents Billingslea's pro-torture record sent a letter to Senate Foreign Relations Committee disputing Billingslea's claims.

Retired Major General Thomas Romig, who was the Judge Advocate General of the Army at the time of Billingslea's Pentagon work during the Bush administration, also sent a letter to SFRC.

Romig explained in the letter that Billingslea "went out of his way to advocate for using abusive interrogation techniques against detainees in our custody...despite being told that his positions were wrong, counterproductive, and unlawful by a group of senior military lawyers."

In 2008, Romig explained to @MiamiHerald that he had expressed concerns about detainee treatment but was directly rebuffed by Billingslea. He recounted Billingslea saying, "Guys, it's time to wake up and smell the coffee. It's time to take the gloves off." https://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article1929304.html

Further, Mark Fallon ( @glynco) provided comments about Billingslea in the new @WashingtonPost/ @MikeDeBonis article.

And the @WashingtonPost/ @MikeDeBonis article notes that @SenatorMenendez has requested that the Pentagon declassify additional material on Billingslea, which suggests that there may be further evidence of his pro-torture history.

In addition, as reported by @WashingtonPost/ @MikeDeBonis, the concerns about Billingslea are bipartisan— @RandPaul is "very troubled" by his record.

Now, consider some of the details about Billingslea's pro-torture record, as documented in the 2008 Senate Armed Services Committee report...

According to the SASC report, Billingslea wrote a memo to then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld arguing for the use of eleven interrogation techniques on top of the 24 techniques that had been recommended by then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers.

During Billingslea’s confirmation hearing, he claimed that he "had to rely on lawyers up and down the chain of command to tell us that these things were legal." However, the SASC report demonstrates that multiple high-ranking military lawyers had raised legal and policy concerns.

The SASC report also describes Billingslea recommending that Rumsfeld approve a harsh interrogation plan for @MohamedouOuld, who was released from Guantanamo Bay after being held for 14 years without charge.

. @MohamedouOuld was treated so brutally that when military prosecutor Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Couch became aware of the techniques used, he refused to participate in the case.

As @SenatorMenendez explained during Billingslea's confirmation hearing, someone who advocated for torture cannot provide the moral credibility and leadership necessary to be Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.

My @HumanRights1st colleague @RobBerschinski—who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor—explained this concern about Billingslea to @WashingtonPost/ @MikeDeBonis.

Also, @RobBerschinski and I wrote this @Politico op-ed explaining that Billingslea’s record on torture disqualifies him from this State Department position. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/09/17/trump-billingslea-torture-human-rights-228112

And along with 20 other organizations, @HumanRights1st wrote a letter opposing Billingslea’s nomination.
https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/coalition-letter-opposing-nomination-marshall-billingslea-department-states-senior-human

As I told @WashingtonPost/ @MikeDeBonis: "As if Mr. Billingslea’s pro-torture record isn’t bad enough, it’s shocking that he also brazenly misled the Senate. On this basis, senators should nix Mr. Billingslea’s nomination."

Torture is illegal, immoral, ineffective, and counterproductive. @HumanRights1st is opposing this nomination to make it clear that torture is never acceptable. END OF THREAD.