Democrats Call for Full Investigation of CIA Allegations
Some accuse the CIA of misleading Congress multiple times over the past 8 years
Democrats on the House Intelligence panel are calling for a full-scale investigation into allegations that the Central Intelligence Agency misled Congress multiple times over the past eight years.
Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois said in a recent letter to the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee that the CIA's actions were inexcusable and called for lawmakers to launch an immediate investigation into the agency's alleged deception.
Democrats say that CIA Director Leon Panetta informed Congress in late June that his agency had been withholding important information about a secret program, begun after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Schakowsky announced today that the director has terminated the "very serious" covert program without the knowledge of Congress.
In response, Panetta is also launching an internal probe at his agency to determine why Congress was not told about the program.
Earlier this week, another recently publicized letter sent from seven Democrats on the Intelligence Committee to the director asked him to publicly admit that his agency had deceived Congress for several years. The release of the letter Wednesday reignited a continuing dispute between the spy agency and congressional Democrats.
"Recently you testified that you have determined that top CIA officials have concealed significant actions from all members of Congress, and misled members for a number of years from 2001 to this week," the letter said.
The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Democratic Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, wrote in a separate letter that the committee "has been misled, has not been provided full and complete notifications, and (in at least one occasion) was affirmatively lied to."
But some Republicans are accusing Democrats of using the matter as a diversion tactic to quiet controversy surrounding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi was criticized for not being forthcoming about when she received information on the agency's enhanced interrogation techniques.
She accused the CIA in May of misleading Congress in a 2002 briefing about the use of waterboarding against a terrorism suspect.
"I do not believe that the CIA lied to Congress," Minority Leader John Boehner told reporters on Thursday. "I'm still waiting for Speaker Pelosi to put up the facts or retract her statement and apologize."
The letters did not include any details about what information the CIA officials allegedly concealed or how they misled members of Congress.
Reader Comments
Nancy Pelosi covering her lies and her rear end.
Nancy Pelsosi is starting trouble with the CIA for political reasons. This could really backfire on all of us. She would have said something sooner if it was true. She just made it up. Now she is looking for something to give her credit. Bad, bad Nancy. If Pelosi knew about anything she would have told it sooner. But now she is looking for something to cover her lies. Pelosi doesn't give a d*** about any of us, just herself and her own ego.
How do you think all the bad terrorist guys who murdered and killed innocent people got assassinated? These killers admitted it and bragged about it. That was enough evidence. So duly found guilty in absentia by their own confession and duly executed. This goes back a long long way and was done by both Democrats and Republicans. If they weren't doing this during the last 8 years they were probably negligent.
Dems Sink National Security
I can not believe these stupid, pig-headed Democrats who want to forever cripple the national security of this country.
And yet these same stupid idiots will propose the current Amnesty bill which should make every American's blood boil at the outlandish proposals in it.
Disgusting!
Let Us Fiddle While The House Burns Down!!
They just cannot help themselves!! Scoring -- what they perceived to be the the ultimate prize -- POLITICAL POINTS WITH THE LEFT, far outweighs national security of this Country. They forget that they took the same approach during the Clinton era. HOW DID THAT WORK FOR US?? {Remember Somalia; first World Trade Center bombings; bombing of Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia (killing 17 US Airmen); bombing of two US Embassies in Tanzania and Kenya killing hundreds; bombing of the USS Cole; and findly, 9-11!!} Don’t forget, some of the same players are in charge again.
Think that the President is RIGHT! “Look forward, not backwards.” If they are trying to provide cover for Pelosi, she has already done damage .. to herself. Can only imagine some of the folks rushing to an open microphone, and yacking as though they comprehend CIA operations that they are complaining about!
Do they not understand that a growing number of citizens – though not for hiding info from authorized members – can flat understand why some in the CIA are increasingly dubious of providing anything to members of congress?? As each day goes by, it becomes increasingly clear that they only care about one thing – THEIR OWN PERSONAL POWER.
Heck, I would argue that the majority of the CIA leaders have taken an oath “TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, BOTH FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC.” When you look at what some on capital hill have done – and are doing – would you trust your personal life to them – could they be judged ‘domestic enemies’?? The CIA may just be protecting our Constitution against the egotistically loquacious mental midgets on capital hill!
I sure hope their actions now do not cause more casualties in this country and overseas. THIS TIME FOLKS, A LOT MORE FOLKS ARE WATCHING, AND IT WILL BE ON THEIR HANDS.
NOW, RE-READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH!! (Especially members of Congress!!)
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