Leahy, Specter Query
Attorney General Mukasey
On DOJ Investigation Into
Destroyed CIA Interrogation Tapes
WASHINGTON (Tuesday, Dec. 11,
2007) – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) Monday sent a letter to
Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey asking a series of questions
about the Justice Department’s knowledge of and involvement in
the Central Intelligence Agency’s possession and subsequent
destruction of videotapes showing interrogations of detainees.
The Department of Justice has launched an initial investigation
into the matter.
“This weekend, the Department
announced that the National Security Division will conduct a
preliminary inquiry in conjunction with the CIA’s Office of
Inspector General. Notwithstanding this inquiry, we request a
complete account of the Justice Department’s own knowledge of
and involvement with these matters,” Leahy and Specter wrote.
The Judiciary Committee will hold
a hearing next week for Mark Filip, the President’s nominee to
be the Deputy Attorney General. The hearing will provide a
public forum for Senators to query Filip about the Department of
Justice’s reported investigation.
The text of
the letter is below. Click
here for a PDF of the letter.
December 10, 2007
The Honorable Michael B. Mukasey
Attorney General
United States Department of
Justice
Washington, D.C.
20510
Dear Attorney General Mukasey:
We write on behalf of the Senate
Judiciary Committee to request important information about the
reported destruction by the Central Intelligence Agency of
videotapes showing interrogations of detainees and about the
Department of Justice review of this matter. We were alarmed to
learn of the existence of these videotapes only after they were
destroyed, and to learn of the destruction of the tapes so long
after the fact.
This weekend, the Department
announced that the National Security Division will conduct a
preliminary inquiry in conjunction with the CIA’s Office of
Inspector General. Notwithstanding this inquiry, we request a
complete account of the Justice Department’s own knowledge of
and involvement with these matters. When and how did Department
officials or attorneys first become aware of the existence of
videotapes of detainee interrogations? Did Department officials
or attorneys ever view the tapes? Did the Department evaluate
the legality of the interrogation techniques used in the
interrogations that were videotaped? When and how did
Department officials or attorneys become aware of any plan to
destroy videotapes of interrogations of detainees? Were
Department officials or attorneys asked about the advisability
or legality of destroying the tapes? Did Department officials
or attorneys communicate views on the advisability or legality
of destroying the tapes? When and how did Department officials
or attorneys become aware that videotapes were destroyed? What
communication has the Department had with the White House about
the existence, plan to destroy, and destruction of the
videotapes? With whom, how, and when were there any
communications between the Department and the White House about
these matters?
We would also like to know whether
the Department or others in the Administration advised Members
of Congress of the existence of these tapes or of their
destruction. We learned yesterday through a
Washington Post
report that a small group of Congressional leaders was advised
of the CIA’s secret detention and interrogation program as early
as September 2002. Was this group or a similar group informed
of the videotaping of interrogations or of the destruction of
the videotapes? If so, when did this occur and what was the
rationale for not advising the Chairmen and Ranking Members of
the Senate and House Judiciary Committees?
In addition, please describe the
review that the National Security Division now intends to
conduct. Who will conduct the review? How do they intend to
proceed? What is the scope of the review? What specific facts
and issues are involved? Senator Biden has suggested that a
special counsel be appointed to conduct the investigation. How
are you determining whether to proceed by way of a special
counsel?
Thank you for your prompt
attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
PATRICK
LEAHY ARLEN
SPECTER
Chairman
Ranking Member
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