Feingold Writes Holder: Investigate Bush-Era CIA Policies

Senator Russ Feingold, who has played a leading private and public role in pushing for an investigation into possible illegalities under President Bush, upped his efforts on Tuesday. In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, the Wisconsin Democrat urged the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into recent revelations about the CIA's Bush-era interrogation program.

"I write to encourage you to do so," Feingold said, "but also to urge you to focus on holding accountable the architects of the CIA's interrogation program. While allegations that individuals may have even gone beyond what was justified by those now-public [Office of Legal Counsel] memos are extremely disturbing, we should not lose sight of the fact that the program itself -- as authorized -- was illegal, not to mention immoral and unwise."

This past week, reports have surfaced that Holder is in the process of deciding whether to appoint a special investigator or prosecutor to look into past interrogation policies. New information about these policies was provided to his office in a classified 2004 CIA Inspector General report. The subject matter is different than the covert program that the CIA reportedly kept secret from Congress at the behest of former Vice President Dick Cheney. But for Feingold, it is no less significant.

"As I said in a letter to President Obama in April, the OLC documents make clear that the details of this program were authorized at the highest levels of government, which is where the need for accountability is most acute," the Senator writes. "Those who developed, authorized and provided legal justification for the interrogations should be held responsible."

"I understand this is a difficult decision for you," Feingold wrote, "and I want to assure you that you will have my full support if you take this important step in furtherance of the rule of law."

The full letter:

feingoldholder -

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Comments

[jubei]

Actually I like both Feignhold and Whitehouse as well,I think Obama is scared that if he goes up against the status quo and stand up to wall street and the federal reserve and AIPAC,Bildeberg and Rothschild they gonna wanna try assassinate him like how they did kennedy

[Grizzlynorth]

LOL - what a fruitcake

[noweknow]

Throughout history this is what happened to reformers. When the rich and powerful ruling elites feel their interests are threatened, they will doing everything in their power, including assassinations, to protect the status quo.

No question Obama got elected with the support of the rich and powerful American ruling elites. If President Obama choose to go off their script, they will let Obama know, in no uncertain term, who is really in charge.

I won't say it's going to be as dramatic as what the Honduras' oligarchs did to their elected president i.e. deported the Honduran president in the middle of the night wearing only his pajama, but Obama will be dealt with one way or another by his puppet masters.

[wrender]

Are you 13? Name calling is the hallmark of ignorance, insecurity, and failure to convince.

[brandnewstuff]

Agreed_ This nation needs a real change

Whitehouse­/Feindglod 2012
Former US Prosecutor and a man that is not afraid to bring a dagger to the party and use it- go Russ

[madisonhack]

That would be a great ticket, Feingold/Whitehouse or Whitehouse­/Feingold.

I was hoping Obama might have nominated one of them for AG...guess not.

[somsoc]

May Feingold be able to assist Holder to find his moral center, or his sense of justice.

[Grizzlynorth]

Holder's from Chicago - like Bammer - enough said

[kenEBport]

lot's of people are from Chicago, your point is missing,..­. oh, wait my bad...I can see it right there on top of your head with the help of this internet thingy,...

[MissSassyBoots]

Russ is my senator. While I may not always agree with him, I totally respect the fact that he sticks to his convictions, and is not bought and sold by lobbyists and corporations. Because of this, I will continue to support him.

[Grizzlynorth]

so where does he get his campaign financing from, then?

[Progrocker]

A very small amount of it from me. I wish I could give him more. Fortunately, I am not alone.

[ElsaIndy]

I wish he was mine.

[madisonhack]

Mine too.

We say, "If you're on the wrong side of Russ, you're on the wrong side."

[Clairvaux]

Feingold belongs in the White House after O's second term.

[Clearing-Brush]

First term

[somsoc]

Feingold belongs in the White House now, he has guts, something Obama is missing.

[LeroyJenkins]

true

[ElsaIndy]

yes

[Yermammy]

Agreed, sadly enough.

[Grizzlynorth]

yep, cleaning toilets for President Sarah Palin

[Clearing-Brush]

Ok, you're just here posting to get a rise out of someone? You don't have any friends you can go play with (in traffic)?

[kenEBport]

I genuinely like real grizzlies,­...you, not so much

[madisonhack]

Just think, Griz....if Palin were to meet you, she'd shoot you from a plane.

[lochnessmonster]

It would be so great if everyone lived by "just be cause it is the right thing to do"!

[brandnewstuff]

Super Max Prisons makes a nice new home with roomates

[dreamgypsy]

Respectfully,
The Honorable Senator Russ Feingold,
Thank You Sir for honoring your Oath, and inspiring Attorney General Holder to do the same.
Peace

[noweknow]

The gun loving GOP thugs and their Blackwater mercenaries may very well turn to domestic terrorism and even start a civil war if their political intimidation failed to prevent Bush and Cheney from facing war crimes prosecutions.

[ObamanextPresident]

We would all be wise to ......Heed these words.

[dantanna]

ALL WE ASK IS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. Thanks for this democrat senator who is on the law's side. Investigate, persecute, and punish if people are found guilty. We are not asking to waterboard members of the Bush administration - We just want the law to be upheld and let it prevail over any individual regardign of their position or title.

[texanna]

I say that everyday We the People should send AG Holder a copy of Our Constitution with appropriate passages underlined as well as copies of the many laws that the bushies broke until he gets the message that there's a problem that he has to resolve. As long as he and the Pres think We don't know what's going on, they'll be able to just look forward and not backward at the steaming pile of you-know-what that the bushies left behind as they walked out of DC.

[Labsaregreat]

Please explain what articles of the constitution were violated? I need hard facts to argue with my conservative friends

[kenEBport]

It would be much easier if you started with the ones that weren't violated. Really cut down on your search time...

[Tuckerndfw]

The only agency with the authority to say what the Constitution says (means) is the US Supreme Court.

Anyone else, including individual USSC justices, lawyers and journalists, who claim the Constitution says what they want it to mean is blowing hot air. Everyone is entitled to his opinion, but the only opinion that matters regarding the Constitution is that of the US Supreme Court.

The Bush administration appears to have violated 18 USC 113c (Torture). They also appear to have violated other laws. But, they are innocent until they are proven guilty in a court of law with jurisdiction over the matter. Which is why they need to be prosecuted.

Violating the US Constitution, in & of itself, is not a crime.

[texanna]

You can start with the 4th amendment as it relates to the warrantless wiretapping that was conducted for over 2 years before the bushies could find a lawyer that would write something that would support it and then later as they got Congress to retroactively condone it. You can proceed to our Writ of Habeus Corpus that assures us that we have the right to confront our accusers in open court. This right was abridged by the odious PATRIOT act that the bushies rammed through Congress. You do remember that in the middle of the night the bushies substituted the PATRIOT act that we've got for the one that Congress thought they had drafted? Don't forget that when Our Congress ratifies a treaty it becomes the law of the land and we most definitely had ratified the treaty outlining what torture is and is not. Waterboarding is definitely torture and has been considered to be so since the Spanish Inquisition. Finally, there are a slew of laws that have been passed over the 2+ centuries that our country has been in existence that they broke, but I think you've got enough talking points to talk to your conservative friends.

[betty22]

investigate yourselves too...all of you are not squeeky clean....w­ithout ....

[Scurvybro]

Uh, is this your stones-and­-glass-hou­ses admonishment? I think the original deliverer of this message had more moral authority upon which to base it.

Beyond that, what is your point? That potential wrongdoing should not be investigated because no one's pure? Yeah, that sounds reasonable. Murderers, rejoice!

[BabblingBrooks]

Harass the CIA! That would be a great way to A) Stir up a hornet's nest. B) Hamper anti-terrorism and counter-terrorism activities.

[Telemachus]

Harass the Mafia! And let all that protection money go to waste!

[Progrocker]

Just more fear mongering.

[BocaMom]

Thank you , Russ. Let's nail Cheney's ass and Pelosi's, too! Then let's get us out of Iraq and Afghanstan!

[BabblingBrooks]

Yeah! Leave those places to the terrorists so they can regroup and attack us again! Right! Good plan! It worked for Great Britain. Just ask Neville Chamberlai­n...

[Grizzlynorth]

right on, BB - these dimocraps have always been 'cut and run' - ref Harry Greid telling OBL and AQ that they had beaten the USA and had won the war - great patriot, that gob of slime, isn't he?

[Scurvybro]

Your position appears to be based on the premise that the CIA is incapable of making missteps, that every one of its actions is legal, justified and effective in fighting terrorists -- without exception. What's more, your implication is that the CIA's actions never needlessly cause harm to innocent people, both U.S citizens and others.

You're free to hold these beliefs, of course. They just happen to be illogically absolute.

I'll give you this: You could not have chosen a more apt name.

[janfin]

YEA! Senator Feingold. I love this guy!

[valerief]

Yay, Senator Feingold! He's soooo right.