Feinstein: Public outrage should quell so Congress can investigate interrogation methods

August 22nd, 2009 AP sources: Report details harsh CIA methodsWASHINGTON — Congressional officials confirm that an internal government report written in 2004 reveals that CIA interrogators threatened one of their prisoners with a gun and a power drill. The account was reported Friday by Newsweek magazine, which said interrogators brandished the weapons during an interrogation of suspected USS Cole bomber Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.

August 22nd, 2009 AP sources: Internal report tells of CIA methodsWASHINGTON — As the Justice Department considers whether to investigate alleged harsh interrogation practices sanctioned by the Bush administration, sources say a soon-to-be-released report by the CIA's inspector general reveals that agency interrogators conducted mock executions of terror suspects. These latest allegations are contained in a 2004 report that has been kept secret and is to be released next week, two congressional officials told The Associated Press.

July 13th, 2009 Democrats push for probe into Bush policiesWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has been reluctant to probe Bush-era torture and anti-terrorism policies, but his Democratic allies aren't likely to let the matters rest. "I've always preferred my idea of a commission of inquiry to look at all these issues," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said Sunday.

July 12th, 2009 Feinstein: CIA concealment may have broken the lawWASHINGTON — The chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says the Bush administration may have broken the law if it ordered the CIA to conceal the existence of a counterterrorism program. Sen. Dianne Feinstein says that CIA Director Leon Panetta told senators last month that Dick Cheney as vice president had ordered the program not be disclosed to Congress.

July 12th, 2009 2 senators: CIA concealment may have broken lawWASHINGTON — Six months into Barack Obama's presidency, twin investigations may be on the horizon into Bush-era policies in the war on terror. Two senators including the head of the intelligence committee suggested Sunday that the prior administration broke the law by concealing a CIA counter-terrorism program from Congress.

July 12th, 2009 Feinstein suggests CIA concealment broke lawWASHINGTON — Six months into Barack Obama's presidency, his Democratic allies are pushing for twin investigations into Bush-era torture and anti-terrorism policies. Two senators including the head of the intelligence committee suggested Sunday that the prior administration broke the law by concealing a CIA counterterrorism program from Congress.

July 1st, 2009 CIA report on interrogation delayed againWASHINGTON — The Justice Department is again delaying the release of an internal CIA report on the agency's secret detention and interrogation program during the Bush administration. The report had been expected to be made public two weeks ago but was held back over debates about how much of it should be censored.

July 1st, 2009 CIA report on interrogation expected WednesdayWASHINGTON — The Justice Department is expected to release on Wednesday an internal CIA report on the agency's secret detention and interrogation program during the Bush administration. The report had been expected to be made public two weeks ago but was delayed over debates about how much of it should be censored.

June 7th, 2009 Justice lawyers sought interrogation limitsWASHINGTON — Senior Justice Department lawyers in 2005 sought to limit tough interrogation tactics against terror suspects, but were overruled. James Comey, then the No.

May 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that he has "no idea" if the enhanced interrogation techniques used during the Bush administration were effective. "I have no idea.

May 13th, 2009 Top Democrat calls for probe of interrogationsWASHINGTON — The House majority leader said Tuesday that Congress should investigate whether the Bush administration authorized the torture of terrorism detainees, and he contended that the Republican focus on what Speaker Nancy Pelosi learned about harsh interrogation methods was a distraction. Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., was asked at a news conference about a controversy over what Pelosi was told during a 2002 intelligence briefing.

May 12th, 2009 House No. 2: Explore Pelosi interrogation briefingWASHINGTON — The House majority leader reluctantly agreed Tuesday that congressional hearings should investigate Speaker Nancy Pelosi's assertion that she wasn't informed, more than six years ago, that harsh interrogation methods were used on an al-Qaida leader. Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., called Republican challenges to Pelosi's assertion a diversion from the real question of whether the Bush administration tortured terrorist suspects.

April 27th, 2009 GOP to CIA: Release interrogation briefing recordsWASHINGTON — Top House Republicans are calling for the CIA to release to Congress its records on the classified briefings it conducted for lawmakers on its harsh interrogation program in an effort to establish what Democrats knew about those techniques. A spokesman for the Republicans said Monday that they would decide whether to ask that the records be declassified after they have been handed over.

April 22nd, 2009 Shifting rhetoric on interrogation prosecutionsA look at the White House's shifting rhetoric on the possibility of prosecutions stemming from CIA interrogation techniques against terror suspects. THURSDAY In a written statement, Obama says that withholding the Justice Department memos "could contribute to an inaccurate accounting of the past." He says CIA operatives who carried out interrogations based on legal advice "will not be subject to prosecution." He adds, "This is a time for reflection, not retribution" and "nothing will be gained by spending our time and energy laying blame for the past." SUNDAY Chief of staff Rahm Emanuel says in a television interview that those who "devised policy" relating to the interrogation methods during the Bush administration "should not be prosecuted either." White House aides say later he was referring to CIA superiors who ordered the interrogations, not the Justice Department officials who wrote the legal memos allowing them.

April 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Most of the interrogative techniques that the Central Intelligence Agency has been approved to use, are considered to be torture under federal law or international treaties, according to a US Justice Department lawyer. Lawyers in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel felt that the CIA was using almost illegal methods of interrogation.