If GOP Takes Senate Next Week, Expect The CIA Torture Report To Disappear

from the bye-bye dept

Fri, Oct 31st 2014 10:42am — Mike Masnick

We've heard some mumbling about one of the main reasons that the CIA has been dragging its feet on declassifying the executive summary of the CIA torture report that the Senate Intelligence Committee put together: it knows there's a decent chance that the Republicans will win the Senate next week, and suddenly the report may disappear from view. As you may recall, the Intelligence Committee (with support from GOP Senators) voted to declassify the 480 page executive summary of the 6,300 page report (which the Senate spent $40 million putting together). Multiple leaks concerning the report have suggested that it's devastating and details how terrible the CIA's torture program was, how it was completely ineffective and how the CIA lied about it all.

But most of the support for releasing the report is coming from the Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee, led by Dianne Feinstein (who sides with the NSA on plenty of stuff, but is more willing to challenge the CIA). But if the Republicans take the Senate next week, then the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee will likely shift to Senator Richard Burr, who has made it quite clear that he's on the CIA's team and against the public interest.

"I personally don't believe that anything that goes on in the intelligence committee should ever be discussed publicly," Burr told reporters in March. "If I had my way, with the exception of nominees, there would never be a public intelligence hearing."

It's also expected that Burr will try to muzzle Ron Wyden and Mark Udall (if Udall is re-elected, which is iffy at this point):

If Burr takes over as chair, he could easily sideline the committee's vocal civil libertarian bloc led by Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and bolstered by Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), two senators who've called for Brennan's resignation.

Udall, in particular, drew blunt criticisms from Burr earlier this year for disclosing the existence of an internal CIA review of the detention and interrogation program that Democrats believe vindicates their own study.

"I think Mark did make some public releases that were committee-sensitive information, but that's for the committee internally to handle," Burr told reporters in March. "My concern is that the release of information could potentially cause the losses of life to Americans. That to me, is a threshold that should be addressed."

As for the torture report itself, Burr has already said that the report is inaccurate and he's against it being released in any form. When a group of religious leaders asked him to support releasing the report, Burr told them he didn't think the report was accurate:

Last year, Burr drew criticism from more than 190 North Carolina religious leaders, including Christians, Jews, Quakers, and Muslims, for opposing the release of the Senate's post-9/11 torture report.

"The U.S. does not condone torture, but torture has been done by our citizens and in our country's name," reads a letter the religious leaders sent Burr. "We are writing to you as fellow people of faith to support the release of the ... report."

Disappointing the religious groups, Burr responded in a letter saying he opposed making the report public due to factual inaccuracies contained within the report. "I believe the American public should be provided with reports that are based on accurate facts," he said.

Given all of this, if the GOP does win, it seems like the only way the public may ever see the details is if someone steps up and leaks the damn thing.

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Filed Under: cia, congress, dianne feinstein, gop, republicans, richard burr, senate, senate intelligence committee, torture report

54 Comments

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Reader Comments

The First Word

“

Lack of perspective

""My concern is that the release of information could potentially cause the losses of life to Americans."

Other things that potentially cause the losses [sic] of life to Americans:

Interstate highways
Cigarettes
Guns
Furniture [1]
Obesity
Swimming pools
Inadequate medical care
Motorcycles
Football
Flu
Police officers
and so on.

If the criteria for decision-making are that all outcomes which might possibly result in an American death are disallowed, then no possible decisions can be made. Ever.

[1] Americans Are as Likely to Be Killed by Their Own Furniture as by Terrorism - Micah Zenko - The Atlantic

—Rich Kulawiec

”

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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 10:45am

And this, as difficult as it is for my parents to understand, is why I'm not a Republican (amongst many other reasons).
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:01am

Re:
So because they at least give you a doctored report is somehow better than none at all?

Both are corrupt, I would almost want repukes up there more because they get cut less slack from everyone else, but the same shit is going down regardless of party.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:09am

the party of limited government and strict adherence to the constitution*
exceptions apply to mass surveilance, corporate welfare, starting wars and toppling governments in favor of said corporations, and whenever the issue is a personal choice that they don't agree with(gay marriage, abortion/contraception, drug use) then you better watch out because big government is coming and the GOP will make sure it won't be accountable
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david longfellow, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:09am

Disappearing report...
Don't worry, the report will be with Lois Lerner's emails.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:09am

"My concern is that the release of information could potentially cause the losses of life to Americans. That to me, is a threshold that should be addressed."

Perhaps he should concentrate on making sure that US agencies do not act in a way that causes people to want to kill Americans.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:15am

"Given all of this, if the GOP does win, it seems like the only way the public may ever see the details is if someone steps up and leaks the damn thing."

Which seems like the modus operandi for anything reaching the public in regards to governmental misconduct...
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:19am

Re: Re:
I know perfectly well that both are corrupt. But just look at this one case in isolation. At the very basic level, this is pro-torture vs anti-torture. Anyone that is pro-torture doesn't deserve to lead, IMHO.
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Rich Kulawiec, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:19am

Lack of perspective
""My concern is that the release of information could potentially cause the losses of life to Americans."

Other things that potentially cause the losses [sic] of life to Americans:

Interstate highways
Cigarettes
Guns
Furniture [1]
Obesity
Swimming pools
Inadequate medical care
Motorcycles
Football
Flu
Police officers
and so on.

If the criteria for decision-making are that all outcomes which might possibly result in an American death are disallowed, then no possible decisions can be made. Ever.

[1] Americans Are as Likely to Be Killed by Their Own Furniture as by Terrorism - Micah Zenko - The Atlantic
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:21am

At this point the only realistic way I see us getting the report with a GOP takeover is if Mark Udall were to lose re-election and then he leaks the report (and all other sorts of goodies) as a parting shot. A man can dream, can't he?
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JWW (profile), 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:32am

Re: Disappearing report...
And I would also note that if the report disappeared, Obama would applaud the action.

Finally we would have bipartasianship!
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:42am

Disappearing spellcheck [was Re: Re: Disappearing report...]
... bipartasianship!

That is just such a cromulent word. I mean, break it apart and take a good hard look at it. In small pieces, one at a time.

Bi – part – asian – ship

But then, put it all back together again, and what does it mean, exactly?
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:53am

Re: Re: Re:
I agree, as a Free Nation that espouses Liberty and Justice there is no room for torture of any kind.

But people are mistaken to believe that anyone in leadership is anti-torture... the dems are feeding people everyone a line.

They could have ended torture but instead shoved obamacare down people throats...

Neither Party as this time is acting on behalf of either our Liberties or National Interests, they are both building a damn empire and just simply disagree on how to do it, which the rest of the sheeple fall for this bullshit R vs D farce.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:59am

Re: Re:
"So because they at least give you a doctored report is somehow better than none at all?"

Yup! It should be publically released with statements from all parties (Repub, Demo, CIA, White House) about what their opinions are. Why does a mostly factual report have to stay secret over a couple of (likely) minor details?

This is a report about a major issue in our history and needs to be released to the public.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 11:59am

Re: Disappearing spellcheck [was Re: Re: Disappearing report...]
Bipartisanship.

A word that does not fucking mean the way they use it.

Bi = 2
Partisan = "someone strongly supporting their party or cause"
Ship = is just a denoting of condition "this in they way of being"

So a Bipartisan agreement literally means 2 people pissing and moaning over a problem until one or the other has made enough concessions for both to agree, grudgingly or not.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 12:02pm

Re: Re: Re:
So... I am confused...

Which part of the lie is making you happy?

the first part of the misleading lie
-or-
the last part of the damned lie?

"I can put shit in a box and slap a warranty on it if that is what you want!
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Tead, 31 Oct 2014 @ 12:03pm

40M for an crappy report?!?!
"he opposed making the report public due to factual inaccuracies contained within the report."

Apparently 40M does not guarantee accuracy these days.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 12:07pm

"...potentially cause the losses of life to Americans."

If this is the cause of your actions becoming public, you aren't doing your job very well.

If you can't protect yourselves, please tell me why I need to trust you to protect me?
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 12:14pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
You seem to be saying that doing something just because the people want to see them doing it is a bad thing. It's what they're supposed to be doing! Representative government, remember?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 12:26pm

"I personally don't believe that anything that goes on in the intelligence committee should ever be discussed publicly," Burr told reporters in March. "If I had my way, with the exception of nominees, there would never be a public intelligence hearing."

That's some scary shit right there, especially coming from someone who is likely going to be the committee chair?
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lucidrenegade (profile), 31 Oct 2014 @ 12:41pm

Re:
This^

While I hope Udall gets re-elected, he should definitely make the report public if he doesn't.
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Jack Bower, 31 Oct 2014 @ 12:45pm

Re: Re:
So redacted then?
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Jack Bower, 31 Oct 2014 @ 12:47pm

Re: Chair
Considering that the chair of the science comity is an avowed creationist I would expect nothing less
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 12:51pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Not what I am saying.

What I am saying is that they are doing it as pure political theater, and you are enjoying the show.

Why should we even be worrying about a "torture report"? It should be flat out NOT ALLOWED!

This why there are so many sheeple... you get distracted by the smoke and mirrors before you realize... hey? Why are there smoke and mirrors in the first place? O right... to deceive and mislead us of course!

If there needs to be a report it needs to say... 0 tortures happened or this agent tortured someone and now that agent is being criminally prosecuted and it describing the details around the case!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 1:13pm

Re: Re: Disappearing spellcheck [was Re: Re: Disappearing report...]
But partisan is not at all the same as part asian.

partisan
a member of an armed group formed to fight secretly against an occupying force, in particular one operating in enemy-occupied Yugoslavia, Italy, and parts of eastern Europe in World War II.

“He was part asian and all slav. He was bearded, yes indeed bearded, as all the other partisans were bearded. But his black beard was the beard of the great khans: Genghis and Kublai. Naturally, he was ferocious. He was their leader, the partisan commander.”

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David, 31 Oct 2014 @ 1:24pm

Re:
Perhaps he should concentrate on making sure that US agencies do not act in a way that causes people to want to kill Americans.

Or make Americans want to kill themselves.

I am pretty sure that by now more Americans kill themselves with shame over what their country has become being the final straw than what terrorists manage.

Being proud to be a member of a freedom-loving country may be what it takes for some to stay in the game and teach others to take pride.

And a whole lot more are taken down by depression than by terrorists. So if you want to save American lives, stop cowing to terrorists.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 1:50pm

Let me see if I have this right
The Democraps could have release info on torture for the last 6 years but have failed to do so. There is really little sign that they would even if they keep the senate. Yet this little FUD article should convince us all that the Democraps should keep up the senate, you know, because they have done so well under Obama? No thanks.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 1:56pm

Re: Re: Re: Disappearing spellcheck [was Re: Re: Disappearing report...]
doh, I missed your intentional misspelling.

ha ha
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 1:58pm

I'm a Democratic supporter but I have absolutely ZERO interest in voting for any Democrat. I've been voting Republican since 2009 because I've had it with with Democrats constantly screwing with my constitutional rights and the Democrats full fledged support for continuing to renew The Patriot Act and not allowing it to "sunset" like it was supposed to back in 2005.

Democrats need to realize that THEY are responsible for the lack of faith that American voters have for the party.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 2:01pm

he is on their side until he finds out they have been spying on him and his staff despite promises they never would
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Pixelation, 31 Oct 2014 @ 2:02pm

I'm ashamed that torture supporters like Senator Richard Burr are elected to our government. Sickening.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 2:07pm

Re: Re: Re:
Anyone that is pro-torture doesn't deserve to lead, IMHO.

Yeah. That includes the current President and Senator Burr, apparently. And some people are anti-torture, like Senators Wyden and McCain, and they deserve support for that position.

Don't be Republican or Democrat when you vote. Be anti-torture. This may involve voting for people from different parties.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 2:18pm

If you're anti torture, then you're not voting Democrat or Republican because both parties support torture, even when they claim they're not.
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John Fenderson (profile), 31 Oct 2014 @ 2:56pm

Re: Disappearing spellcheck [was Re: Re: Disappearing report...]
Wow. I though that I was the king of pedantry around here, but I bow to your superior skills!
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John Fenderson (profile), 31 Oct 2014 @ 2:57pm

Re: Re: Disappearing spellcheck [was Re: Re: Disappearing report...]
Replied to the wrong comment. This was meant for the AC at 11:59am
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Zonker, 31 Oct 2014 @ 3:03pm

Re:
"My concern is that the release of information could potentially cause the losses of life to Americans. That to me, is a threshold that should be addressed."

I think he was making a death threat against any Americans that would leak the report to the public as per standard government procedure.
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RD, 31 Oct 2014 @ 3:57pm

Re: Disappearing spellcheck [was Re: Re: Disappearing report...]
It means a partially bi-sexual asian romantic. Pretty sure.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Oct 2014 @ 5:34pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
McCain may be "anti-torture" but he sure isn't anti-war. He has no problem sending troops overseas to fight and die.

Those of you think it is better to be "anti-torture" vs anti-war, raise your arms. See, even McCain agrees.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 5:25am

Re:
That's the first thing I thought when I read the TD article about potentially losing him. The second thing I thought was "hell, he should've done it a month ago."
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 5:39am

Re:
Congratulations on getting sick of the Democrats, and then doing the only thing that has no chance of changing anything.
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art guerrilla (profile), 1 Nov 2014 @ 6:17am

Re:
@ a non cow 10:45-

dem'rats, rethugs, two faces of the same korporate money party...
if you think saint obama and the dem'rats REALLY WANT to have that report come out, you are smoking much better shit than i am to be so purblind...

he/they have been running cover for ALL previous war krimes etc, since day one: 'look forward...' blah blah blah...

sorry, The System (tm) is borked, and until it is rebooted to destroy the korporate money party stranglehold on both status quo parties, NOTHING WILL CHANGE...
oh, wait, it *will* change: to the most 1984 state we can be ! ! !
change you can bewieve in, dem'rat koolaid drinkers ! ! !
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 7:43am

Re: Re: Chair
And they wonder why government is the problem
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 8:11am

Re: Re:
If both parties are the same and it really makes no difference who is in office .....

Then why are some people spending record amounts ($4 Billion) trying to get their own personal rubber stamp mouthpiece in office?

Seems to be evidence to the contrary. The old rational about simply trying to convince the plebes they really do have a voice does not ring true in light of these numbers.

On a side note, think what good that money could be doing rather than flooding the airwaves with bullshit. It is a disgrace.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 8:14am

Re: the party of limited government and strict adherence to the constitution*
Yes, they are the party of limited government - small enough to fit in your vagina.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 8:21am

Re: Let me see if I have this right
Very convincing argument - not.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 8:24am

Re:
Hello paid for GOP spokesperson,

Do you really think so little of those around you? That tactic may work at your local Walmart, but most people are not fooled by such blather.
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John Fenderson (profile), 1 Nov 2014 @ 12:11pm

Re: Re: Re:
It's not true that both parties are identical. There are many differences between the two. But, on most of the biggest issues we stuggle with with, it's true that there isn't much difference at all.

"Then why are some people spending record amounts ($4 Billion) trying to get their own personal rubber stamp mouthpiece in office?"

Because they want their own rubber stamp.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 3:22pm

Re: Re: Re:
I'm pretty pissed that a 40 million dollar report is inaccurate at all, for that kind of money it should be free of any mistakes.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 3:26pm

Re: Disappearing spellcheck [was Re: Re: Disappearing report...]
Bip - Art -Asians-hip?
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 3:33pm

Re:
"I'm a democratic supporter "
"I've been voting republican since 2009"
help me understand you, because frankly ,you're confusing me as much as you're confused, I'm being serious.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 3:35pm

torture = bullying = abuse/
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Nov 2014 @ 5:22pm

Re: Re: Re:
"Then why are some people spending record amounts ($4 Billion) trying to get their own personal rubber stamp mouthpiece in office?"

To drown out everyone else.
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tomczerniawski, 2 Nov 2014 @ 1:30pm

So the bad guys win again.

Par for the course in this cursed world.
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That One Guy (profile), 2 Nov 2014 @ 2:11pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
You misunderstand him, when he said it's got mistakes and inaccuracies, he's referring to it being created at all. After all, if you believe, like he does, that nothing the spy agencies do should be made public, then clearly it's a massive 'mistake' for their actions to be reviewed.

Likewise, if you don't believe that the people have a right to know what the government is doing, than any data made public is going to be 'inaccurate', and should be dismissed because of it, though he can't tell you just what is incorrect, it being classified you know.
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Ralph E. Stone, 8 Nov 2014 @ 7:21am

Senate Torture Report
I have e-mailed Senator Feinstein and urged her to expedite the release of the Senate Torture Report before she loses her position as Chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence. Once the Republicans take over the Committee, I fear the Torture Report will never see the light of day or if it does, it will be so heavily redacted by the CIA as to render it meaningless.
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