David Obey: CIA Botched Another Fact In Torture Briefing Records
Dem Rep David Obey writes a letter to CIA director Leon Panetta, saying that the agency’s recently-released documents detailing torture briefings botched another fact, raising more doubts about the accuracy of the CIA’s claims:
Dear Director Panetta:
In light of current controversy about CIA briefing practices, I was surprised to learn that the agency erroneously listed an appropriations staffer as being in a key briefing on September 19, 2006, when in fact he was not. The list the agency released entitled “Member Briefings on Enhanced Interrogation Techniques (EITs)”, shows that House Appropriations Committee defense appropriations staffer Paul Juola was in that briefing on that date. In fact, Mr. Juola recollects that he walked members to the briefing room, met General Hayden and Mr.Walker, who were the briefers, and was told that he could not attend the briefing. We request that you immediately correct this record.
Sincerely,
David R. Obey
This, obviously, is not the biggest foul-up in the world. But it’s another suggestion that the CIA’s claims, in addition to Nancy Pelosi’s, are perhaps worthy of some serious scrutiny, too.
The homepage of this blog is here. RSS feed here. Twitter feed here. Email me here.
Very much in line with Bob Graham’s statement that he was not at three of the four briefings that the CIA said he was. (A point you and Rachel discussed last night.)
.
I’m surprised that hasn’t gotten more traction. Perhaps just a bit more hammering on the fact that the CIA’s records are wrong might help. If the discussion turns to the reliability of those records, it can only help Nancy Pelosi and defang (somewhat) her GOOPer attackers.
“This, obviously, is not the biggest foul-up in the world. But it’s another suggestion that the CIA’s claims, in addition to Nancy Pelosi’s, are perhaps worthy of some serious scrutiny, too.”
I totally agree with you…
But the MSM has already made up in their minds that they will only report one side of this non-story, and continue to fill up air time with Right-Wing talking heads, and fudge the facts to divert attention away from the main issue which is that the Bush admin TOURTURED and are CRIMINALS!
Greg
.
This goes back to something I said before and something I know Bob Graham brought up. Graham said when it is a sensitive briefing staffers are not allowed in. When I saw all of those staffers listed I was wondering if they just escorted the people or if they were actually in the room. The thing about it is if the staffers WERE in the room then its not likely that actual details about EITs were discussed because of their sensitive nature. And thus the CIA report itself would be hugely off base. So actually this story may be bigger than you think.
in law and life it’s the little things that kill you. here it’s yet
another CIA mistake. no wonder panetta wouldn’t vouch for it
and hoekstra concedes the briefing notes aren’t dispositive
at all.
It’s definitely bigger than the attention it’s getting. Surprisingly we’re not debating that we tortured but who knew about it. What a mess.
By rights, this ought to be a bigger story because while the error seems trivial, it does point to a pattern of errors, if not lies. It really does damage the credibility of the CIA’s accounts of things. And that’s especially true in that Panetta still hasn’t really said “yay” or “nay” about what was said at the briefing Pelosi attended.