Democrats seek Probe of Bush anti-terror policies

By PETE YOST – 12 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — 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.

Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., head of the intelligence committee, suggested that the George W. Bush administration broke the law by concealing a CIA counterterrorism program from Congress.

The assertion that Vice President Dick Cheney ordered the concealment came amid word that Attorney General Eric Holder is contemplating opening a criminal probe of possible CIA torture.

A move to appoint a criminal prosecutor is certain to stir partisan bickering that could prove a distraction to Obama's efforts to push ambitious health care and energy reform.

Obama has resisted an effort by congressional Democrats to establish a "truth commission," saying the nation should be "looking forward and not backwards."

Regarding the 8-year-old counterterrorism program, Feinstein said the Bush administration's failure to notify Congress "is a big problem, because the law is very clear."

Congress should investigate the secrecy because "it could be illegal," Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said.

According to Feinstein, CIA director Leon Panetta told Congress late last month that "he had just learned about the program, described it to us, indicated that he had canceled it and ... did tell us that he was told that the vice president had ordered that the program not be briefed to the Congress."

"We were kept in the dark. That's something that should never, ever happen again," said Feinstein.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he agreed with Feinstein that the CIA should keep Congress informed. But Cornyn said the new assertion "looks to me suspiciously like an attempt to provide political cover" to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats. Pelosi has accused the CIA of lying to her in 2002 about its use of waterboarding, or simulated drowning, which many people, including Obama, consider torture.

"This continued attack on the CIA and our intelligence gathering organizations is undermining the morale and capacity of those organizations to gather intelligence," said Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire.

Reports about the counterterrorism program, Cheney's role in directing its existence be kept from Congress and the attorney general's consideration of a special prosecutor came on the eve of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

A Justice Department official told The Associated Press that Holder will decide in the next few weeks whether to appoint a prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration's harsh interrogation practices. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on a pending matter.

In response to the report, Justice Department spokesman Matt Miller said Saturday that Holder planned to "follow the facts and the law" and noted that Holder has said that "it would be unfair to prosecute any official who acted in good faith based on legal guidance from the Justice Department."

Feinstein and Cornyn spoke on "Fox News Sunday." Durbin appeared on ABC's "This Week." Gregg spoke on CNN's "State of the Union." Leahy spoke on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Associated Press writer Nedra Pickler contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

{url]http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gurHxtUPTQkD8uS6wxN8DHVIuP5wD99DF9980

gimme a cigarette

oh...I guess I should read the OP huh?

ANY TIME DEMS PROBE YOU BEND OVER.........

I think the Dems and Reps both need to probe each other to keep them in line


shaddup Thomas

It's all over the news that Dick Cheney was running an international hit squad out of his office that was assasinating people in other countries.

False information...

There was a 'contingency' plan to do that if necessary... IT WAS A PLAN ONLY AND NEVER IMPLEMENTED.

Anyone that wanted to start a nasty political battle in any country in the world could 'leak' simular plans that would proabally shock most of us...

It is a part of how governments do business.

If you have a plan on the shelf you can just dust it off when you need it... makes for a faster response time.

No Adventure,that is not what was on the news.This hitsquad was operational and assasinating people in other countries(illegal),citizens of other countries(double illegal),including our allies,( Allies tend to hate that),and sometimes even killing the wrong people(Allies really ,really, really hate that),and it was kept secret from Congress (illegal). It was even kept secret from the CIA director until 8 months after Cheney was gone from power.And it was being run out of Dick Cheneys office(The Undisclosed Location).

Not what has been said on any news I have received...

Course I dont watch MSNBC. The propaganda slaps me in the face the minute I turn it on... Its even more sickening than Glenn Beck. (who sometimes actually makes sense but I can't stand his delivery or his appearent predjudices).