Senators Criticize Cheney Cover-Up

Former VP Had CIA Conceal Program from Congress; New Calls for Investigation of Bush-Era Torture

(CBS)  There are news calls from democrats in Washington tonight for investigations into George W. Bush-era torture and anti-terrorism policies. And the former vice president could be on the hot seat, as CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier reports.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney ordered the CIA to keep a top-secret intelligence program secret from congress, according to Senate Intelligence Chairwoman Diane Feinstein.

She says current CIA director Leon Panetta informed intelligence committees in late June.

"He was told that the vice president had ordered that the program not be briefed to the Congress," Feinstein said Sunday. "We were kept in the dark. That's something that should never, ever happen again."

"To have a massive program that is concealed from the leaders in congress is not only inappropriate; it could be illegal," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said.

The counterterrorism program was established as the CIA ramped up its hunt for Osama bin Laden. No one has revealed details of the program, but a U.S. official familiar with it told CBS News it was never fully operational.

The official said CIA Director Panetta canceled it when he found it hadn't been reported to Congress.

His decision to kill it was not difficult or controversial, the official said. It was an "on again/off again" program, not one on which the country deeply relied.

No one today called the program illegal. But the CIA could still face tough questioning on another front.

Attorney General Eric Holder is reportedly learning toward appointing a special investigator to determine whether the CIA tortured terrorism suspects. That's prompting bipartisan criticism.

"The military has done a series of independent reports. And I believe that that is sufficient. I don't believe a special commission is necessary," Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ariz., told CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday.

"I just don't want to see an instance where if the higher-ups gave the order to break the law, that the ones who get punished are the people basically on the front line, the lower-level troops," Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said.

That's exactly what those on the front line believe will happen, according to one former CIA official, Michael Sheuer.

"I think it will pull everybody back from doing anything that smacks of the non-conventional," he said.

He points out that the CIA already encourages every one of its agents to take out personal liability insurance, just in case they're prosecuted, if one White House decides whatever the last one authorized was illegal.

[revlin1]

This would almost be funny that anyone is criticizing anything except that it is so hypocritical considering ALL the coverup of the man occupying the White House! HELLO? Where's the birth certificate! LOL

[mgpm-2009]

I hope this man gets what he truely deserves. He's a boil on America's backside.

[sjc_1]

"...if one White House decides whatever the last one authorized was illegal."

If they would stop doing illegal operations, there would not be a problem no matter who was in power. Rule of Law is the guiding principle and FISA was the law in force. You do NOT wiretap without a FISA warrant...period! There is no ambiguity there at all and they should not pretend that there was.

[aubfmet]

Time to put Cheny and the last administration behind us. We won't get anywhere whipping a dead dog.

[chonder2]

Pelosi or no Pelosi. The ONLY way to settle the CIA relationship issue with the Cheney Administration, and Pelosi, is to find out what was the reasoning was after 9/11 to reform the intel gathering process.To show without a doubt what that process has resulted in would be to hold open hearings that dig back to 9/12.

[chonder2]

Yea your right, God bless Bush/Cheney.Next time we need to invade a country on false pretenses we'll give them a call! Have a feedom fry.

[pjk12354]

Cheney is not above the law...........he slithers underneath it......thats how he gets away with what he does.

[chonder2]

Bush/Cheney to keep us safe invaded Iraq and SECURED the oil ministry!
Have another freedom fry.

[ljstroud]

I suspect this is away to cover up Pelosi saying she was never told.

[omnibus66]

Jim Jones, Jeffrey Dahmer, David Duke, Ted Bundy, and even Saddam Hussein had their worshipers. Judging from these blogs, Cheney has his also.

Defending the indefensible is a difficult task, and would at least partially account for all the name calling going on here. With nothing positive to say about Cheney, the strategy seems to be to attack the one who criticizes him.

That used to work. Doesn't anymore.

[rf35]

Hold the old goat accountable. Investigate, determine if a crime was committed, and take appropriate action (prosecute) if one was.

Same goes for anyone, regardless of party. Both major parties are corrupt and have lost sight of the fact that they are supposed to be serving the citizens of America, not themselves, their pet special interest groups, or foreign nationals living here without proper documentation.

[OregonJames]

There has been very little talk so far concerning the killings of some 2,000 prisoners by a CIA contracted sheik in Afghanistan. I wonder if this is the big cover-up that everyone is now speaking of.

[ahrats]

Dick Cheney should be treated the same as the people in the 50's considered to be communist,black listed. The american people have heard more out of Mr Cheney in the last 6 months then he said over the last 8 years and none of it is his fault. He leaked a CIA operative name, hoping they would be killed, beacuse they proved the government wrong. His wimpy secretary (Scotter) took the fall and was pardoned by the president. Him and Rush are what is wrong with the Republican party, out of touch and stupid.

[babooph]

The propaganda system will "investigate" & find some army sgt has been responsible for all the criminal activity.It worked in the prison torture "story"& the brainwashed public has been conditioned from childhood in the schools & churches to be good little believers.

[tautomer]

Heck if Congress would take care of business instead of settling old scores we wouldn't be faced with double digit unemployment. Feinstains state of CA is buried under massive deficits and she's worrying about some retired ex-VP. I guess it beats workin for a living!

[nextgenman09]

Translation: Lets just all forget about the immoral and illegal activities of Cheney.

[mick7744]

It is ridiculous to say that Bush & Cheney & Co should spend years in prison for their treasonous, but personally immensely profitable crimes against America and the world.

They should only be locked up until such time as they are taken to a place of execution to be put to death in the manner prescribed by law.

I would wish for a creative, painful manner to be employed AFTER they had both been subjected to a few rounds of water boarding to learn the access codes to their offshore accounts, thus ending the current recession.

They stole BILLIONS...and they did it by crawling over the bodies of thousands of young Americans and a million Iraqis.

Having been brain-dead for most of his wastrel existance, Bush probably won't even notice when he gets put down like the murdering, thieving, treasonous dog that he is, but hopefully, Darth Cheney (the rabid dog) will really suffer.

Of course, I don't expect any of this to happen.

I would imagine by now, Obama has some inkling of some of what REALLY happened during those eight long years and rightly fears that the country would be torn asunder if the truth were ever to come out.

[Stormy500]

See, this is what I am talking about. We are Democrats who voted for Obama and are very pleased at his performance now at just 6 months into his presidency. Many of us were Republicans in our lives and many of us still vote locally for a Republican if we believe he/she is best for our district, our state, and our country. But here now we have to be lumped in with these over-the-top individuals who call for "executions" and other absurd notions. Just as ridiculous and offensive as the ultra-right and their angry calls for vengeance and McVeigh-type ramblings of victimization and revenge...nutty and un-helpful for our country-- all of them.

[proudmilvet]

Ah, Uncle Dick your at it again. Like "Old Man Potter" in the movie It's a Wonderful Life,Still foreclosing homes on widows & orphans!

[jimgilmorego]

I think the CIA should be investigated for so willingly abiding the Cheny administration's illegal and pernicious practices. The FBI certainly didn't want to be involved in torture and refused to take part in it.

I really detest their "don't blame us we were only following orders" defense.

How far were they willing to go...are there any morales left?

[Stormy500]

I was disappointed not to see Senator McCain's comments on this subject mentioned in this article. Did he say something of the effect of "this is just the beginning"? Alot of we Democrats like to hear or read comments made by Republican men and women in Congress who have minds of their own, like John McMain (unless he is running for president) and Chuck Hagel. Sick of this ultra-left and ultra-right garbage.

[carlyt1]

Bad weekend of the Bush administration.time for justice. there is a related post at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?page_id=588

[babooph]

Surely these senators never believed anything that creep ever said about anything at all ?We need some senators less naive than the whaco Christians-oops many of them are.

[hungry1968-16]

by mccain08nc July 12, 2009 8:19 PM PDT
Hungry good to see you again!

You never answer my question the last 10 times I posted so I will keep asking until you answer it. You told me several times that our prison system is not designed to be a deterrent and punishment system.

So I will ask you again if two people are driving drunk and both have an accident the first person does not injury any one but himself so he gets a heavy fine and loses his license. The second person had the exact same accident and blew the exact same on the breathalyzer but this person had the unfortunate luck of killing his passenger. He now gets 7-10 years in prison for vehicular manslaughter. So how is that not a "Punishment" based on the results of the crime.

I know for an intellectual like you it is hard to answer such a simple question but please do try.






I've answered you each and every time that you've asked this question, and I'm going to keep responding the EXACT SAME way, whether you like the answer or not:

NO - the penal system is NOT a "punishment" system.

It is a system designed to "rehabilitate" the criminal, for assimilation back into society.

Most criminals look at it as "three hots and a cot" - something that they've NEVER had at ANY point in their lives, free medical, education, counseling, etc, etc, etc, as children or as adults.

Tell me how providing people with opportunities and free benefits is "punishment".


I ask you this EVERY TIME you post this nonsense, and all you do is run away.

Why don't you answer me ONE time, instead of "tucking tail" like you always do?

[hungry1968-16]

by mccain08nc July 12, 2009 8:19 PM PDT
Don't worry I know how to get rid of great intlectual like hungry.





By posting a lot of unsubstantiated BS, having Hungry shoot it down - for the 100th TIME - and then running away, because he has no logical response to my post.

Yep - he "showed me" alright.