Mike Pompeo, the CIA director President Trump has nominated to be his next secretary of state, has an extensive anti-gay reputation. In Pompeo's confirmation hearing Thursday, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) wasn't letting that fact slide.
After questioning Pompeo's view of Muslim-Americans, Booker brought up the fact that Pompeo once called gay sex "a perversion," forcefully questioning the nominee about whether he is still opposed to same-sex marriage.
Pompeo told Booker that his thoughts haven't changed, but said he didn't discriminate against "married gay couples" working at the CIA while he led the agency. It's similar to the answer Pompeo gave Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) during his confirmation hearing for CIA director last year, when he assured her every CIA employee would be treated equally.
But Booker kept pushing.
"Yes or no, do you still believe he gay sex is a perversion?" he continued to ask. He never got a yes or no answer. Watch the whole uncomfortable exchange here. Kathryn Krawczyk