December 7, 2007
Posted: 12:29 PM ET

Rockefeller told reporters he will likely hold hearings about the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller told reporters Friday that he is “inclined” to hold hearings as soon as next week on news of the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes.

The revelation this week that the intelligence agency had destroyed 2002 video recordings of the interrogation of Al Qaeda suspects that may have involved the controversial “waterboarding” technique of terror suspects drew criticism from both sides of the aisle.

Rockefeller, who was ranking Democrat at the time, did not attend initial briefing on the tapes, held shortly after they were made, but said he learned about the tapes’ existence shortly afterwards. “[The CIA] destroyed it without letting us know, without asking our permission, without consulting, without informing us in any way,” he added. “They just did what the CIA likes to do.”

Said Rockefeller, “I’ll tell you I’m really sick of this. I’m really angry about it. It’s the manipulation of the Congress.

“The use of two people out of the Senate, two people out of the House, because nobody else can be told and they say… ‘oh! They’re briefed.”

The West Virginia Democrat said that the announcement awaited his consultation with the committee’s ranking Republican, Sen. Kit Bond of Missouri, and the timing of a deal on the next FISA renewal.

Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate’s number two Democrat, told reporters he is writing a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey requesting a Justice Department investigation into the tapes. “To think that this agency would destroy evidence, evidence that might have been used against them really is something we cannot leave alone,” said the Illinois Democrat.

Reacting to agency claims that tapes were destroyed for security reasons, including the protection of interrogators, Durbin said, “I reject that completely. We know that there are ways to protect the identity of people involved in videotapes, you can block out their faces, protect their identities. I just don’t accept that at all.

“I think on its face, that is just an incredible statement… Obviously there is fear among some that some of the information contained is going to be troublesome if not incriminating.”

– CNN Radio’s Lisa Desjardins contributed to this report

Filed under: Senate


Travis Washington State   December 9th, 2007 6:42 pm ET

Rockefeller is out and out lying. He was one of a few known Senators who were briefed about the CIA's waterboarding back in 2002, more than 5 YEARS AGO. He raised no objections about the process then, he is now lying to cover his ass. The evidence can be found here:

http://www.rightwinglunatic.com/2007/12/senate-likely-to-hold-hearings-on.html

Cammie, Baltimore, MD   December 9th, 2007 1:58 pm ET

JFK in Phoenix:

Good morning. I am not talking about the war. I am talking about CIA interrogation techniques, the taping of interrogations, and destroying the tapes.

Members of Congress knew about the interrogation techniques being employed. According to the WashPost article, the CIA provided 30 briefings over 5 years to Congress about the techniques used and the results (i.e., what was learned). The briefings were to a very small group of people (if you want to keep a secret in Washington, you'd better not tell too many people or it will be on the front page of tomorrow's newspaper!!). A lot of people are thinking this was some sort of Bush Administration secret. It was not.

It was also known that there were tapes of interrogations and that the CIA was considering destroying the tapes. Both the Justice Department and the White House advised the CIA to not destroy the tapes. According to things said by John McCain, members of Congress advised the CIA to not destroy the tapes.

The CIA decided to destroy the tapes. Before I jump all over them, I need to look at the timing and the reasons for that action. I need to know what was on the tapes. As some here have said, you can blot out faces, but what about the audio? What is being said? I cannot make a judgement without getting facts.

That's what ticks me off about ALL of Congress. Republican, Democrat, Independent. A story hits the news and they immediately get their "sound bytes" out there before they know the facts. And they say things that are not correct because they don't get the facts first. I've gotten to where I can't believe what any of them say. Both sides.

JFK, Phx, AZ   December 9th, 2007 11:37 am ET

Cammie in Baltimore, if you paid attention to the last seven years you would see we were all led into this war on false pretenses. Your right, maybe Congress did not pay close enough attention at that time to the goings on with the CIA. But that makes them guilty of not asking for more information and demanding better answers. Far as I can tell, whether they went along with it during a time we believed we were right or what we all thought was a true war of 'us versus them', its time we get straight answers. The current answer of, "I have no recollection" of this or that is not sufficient. Thats all we ever get from the administration on everything. The Congress is not totally without some blame but many voted on this war with the understanding the intelligence reports were reliable. Our intelligence was not reliable as we all know. WHY? So why should continue to look the other way on this too? If we continue to blame each other which is what this administration wants, then we never get answers. While you can be fed up with Congress, I am far more fed up with this administration!

Kristy Sanborn, Buckhorn, Mo.   December 9th, 2007 11:07 am ET

to Steve from 'lyons CO', ok, we'll play that game. Ben seems by your words "buffuddled by all of the illegality we've 'seen' out of these 'criminals'"
you are actually calling the CIA "criminals"…
Hope they didn't miss that one!
As Robert said from 'morgantown' in 1947, "another form of", says it all. another form from what CIA was using in this issue.
And yes, I did hear the latest this morning, congress was briefed back then and even "encouraged" by report of cnn today, the waterboarding technique.
How do we know what the CIA knows? or the FBI, etc? How do we know that something that these terrorists they were interigating didn't say something that has given them the leads they need to keep another 9/11 from occuring since?
Its not our place, or Congress's place to know every little secret intelligence piece of information these agencies recieve.
And it isn't the place of Americans to call the CIA "criminals", or to almost cross that line, like Steve from 'lyons' CO did.
That is one thing that is wrong with our country, our secret intelligence agencies do their jobs, and then get attacked for it.

Cammie, Baltimore, MD   December 9th, 2007 10:27 am ET

JFK in Phoenix:

Please read today's Washington Post front page (www.washingtonpost.com).

Members of Congress (including Nancy Pelosi) were briefed by the CIA in 2002 about interrogration techniques (including waterboarding) and did NOT object. They were also told that the CIA was considering destroying the tapes.

Congress had all this information. There is no "coverup" by the CIA or the Administration. There is no disregard for the Constitution.

Members of Congress today who say that Congress did not know are LYING. And their "indignation" is political gamesmanship.

Congress just appears to be a shameful bunch of fools that spend most of their time planning schemes (scams?)to advance thier political agenda.

I am SO fed up with them!!!

David Linkenheimer   December 9th, 2007 9:46 am ET

The so called "War On Terror" is a fraud perpetrated to gain control of the new gold a.k.a. OIL…
The so called "Terrorists" just may be freedom fighters resisting an armed takeover by those multi-national corporations who enjoy the U.S. Military's contribution towards subduing the local population.
To the locals it may seem that we, America, is another colonial power bent on plundering their reasourses under the guise of spreading Democracy.
The first order of business seems to be kill or imprison all of those individuals who do not want to be democrats; or other wise resist the invasion and agressive war.
It does not suprise me that the CIA resorts to torture or worse and seeks to hide the evidence of their crimes; the administration makes a mockery of the so called "Rule of Law" as a matter of policy.
"Opperation Iraqi Freedom" ha… what is it that they (the Iraqis)will be free to do… We here in this so called "free country" need the express written consent of the government in the form of license and permit for every thing.
The system of License and Priviledge is the way of the Mother Country; (our ally) we had a revolution to free ourselve but the Torries by guile and deciet have reestablished their control.
Saddam was planning to dump the good old "fiat dollar" and demand "euros" and this was the thing that sealed his fait.
No amount of propaganda is going to subvert the truth. Viva the Internet…

JFK, Phx, AZ   December 9th, 2007 9:39 am ET

Here we go again, more lies and deceit! If it were the only story coming out of this administration I guess I would not be so worried. But everything they do is clouded by lies, deceit, cover-ups. We defend torture methods when we used to claim humane treatment. We used to have wars (Iraq) with a clear objective. Everything Bush does is unclear and frankly suspicious. This administration has overreached its power many times and no one does anything. This just goes to show that we are living with a President that operates on his own without any regard our Constitution and the American people. That is just as dangerous to Americans as any outside forces…

Cammie, Baltimore, MD   December 9th, 2007 8:28 am ET

Read today's (December 9, 2007) Washington Post - front page.

Members of Congress (including Nancy Pelosi) were briefed in 2002 by the CIA on interrogation techniques, including waterboarding. They did not object. Members of Congress also knew about the tapes AND the intention to destroy the tapes.

I am tired of these politicians who, when the going gets tough, either LIE to the American public or claim to be "outraged" at what the CIA is doing. These are members of CONGRESS who are LYING. Dick Durbin says Congress was not informed? He is lying to advance his own political agenda. Carl Levin is just as bad.

We ask people in the CIA to do some jobs that are not pleasant. They absolutely deserve to be protected for doing their job to keep us safe.

AMERICA,LA.   December 8th, 2007 7:55 pm ET

HEY IT'S HUCKABEE NOW, LONG LIVE AMERICA!!!!!

Kristy Sanborn, Buckhorn, Mo.   December 8th, 2007 7:53 pm ET

James Bond, I like that…cute. The CIA did what they should do, and now we have show number what? I can't keep track of all of Congress's bull….I think their only problem is they don't know the things the CIA does, and they can't stand it. the CIA is one agency that works to protect America and the people in it, and what they do to get that information, should be whatever their little hearts desire. CIA did do a great job, didn't they?
Someone said that Congress is bought and paid for, makes a person wonder whos footing that bill!!

K Mansfield, Richardson, TX   December 8th, 2007 7:19 pm ET

CT from Fairfax, 911 was Clintons fault?
Is this you Carl-the turd blossom - Rove? You also said it was the Democrats that were in a hurry to get to war in Iraq so they pushed the vote through much earlier - or we would've waited for the IRAQ weapens inspectors to finish and maybe we wouldn't have gone.. You're so funny..

Christopher, waterboard Bush, Madison, WI   December 8th, 2007 3:45 pm ET

Maybe I am wrong, but why would this be considered evidence? As far as I know, waterboarding has never been classified as 'torture'. I'm sure it could be included, but so far has not been included in any definition of torture that exists as law today. So what's the big deal? The CIA routinely destroys documents, tapes, etc.

I'm afraid I can't jump on the conspiracy bandwagon that the media likes to trump up on a regular basis.
Posted By Ben, St. Louis : December 7, 2007 1:23 pm

But then again you're from Missouri so enough said.

EB Tennessee   December 8th, 2007 3:18 pm ET

Are we really to believe that Bush and Cheney just learned not only that these tapes were destroyed but that they even exsited this past week! The cover ups will get them one of these times.

Ray Spix   December 8th, 2007 1:45 pm ET

THINK NOW..WHO DID YOU VOTE FOR IN 2004

FOR ALL THAT VOTED FOR THE BUSH, NOW IT'S COMING BACK TO BITE YOU

Brian, Orlando, Florida   December 8th, 2007 1:42 pm ET

Fight terrorists by becoming terrorists ourselves. We'll show the world!

Mac, Severn, Md   December 8th, 2007 9:44 am ET

WTOP radio in Washington, DC quotes Dick Durbin:

CIA officials "withheld information about their (tapes) existence from official proceedings".

In the same article, Jay Rockefeller says that the Senate Intelligence Commitee knew about the tapes in 2005.

Dick Durbin is a liar.

CT, Fairfax, VA   December 8th, 2007 9:27 am ET

Here we go again…Clinton basically pulls the rug out from under the CIA, perhaps being responsible for the poor intelligence leading to 9/11. Post 9/11, the CIA is given its teeth back, but the Democrats insist on keeping the operations of the CIA in public scrutiny with open debates about water boarding, torture, secret camps, and now destroyed evidence. I see a need for oversignt, but why can't the Congressional investigations be conducted behind closed doors? They're open because the Democrats are grandstanding again…using every means to make the opposition look bad. Meanwhile, our intelligence community is "walking on eggs" again, weakened and demoralized. They are also giving the impression to the American public that the "misbehavior" of the CIA is only a recent phenonema and a reflection of a corrupt Administration….which is a lie in itself.

Lee Columbus Ohio   December 8th, 2007 4:07 am ET

I think this one big head game, If stop and think about it, This story is being used for a reason? I mean all this was out years ago.We done knew about this stuff. So could the reason be?

KEITH JAMES LOUTTIT   December 8th, 2007 12:26 am ET

Let's see… If you can't come up with a way to fix things, find a way to blame someone.

Kudos to the 110th Congress!!! Enjoy your wonderful Health Care, at our expense, and your wonderful Pension Plans, at our expense.

Rick, Chicago Illinois   December 8th, 2007 12:04 am ET

S. Wright,

"Who is your source stating that the CIA destroyed evidence? Another "unidentified" source?"

You obviously don't read much, or at all … do you?

Try CIA Director Michael Hayden … who confirmed both the existence and the destruction of the tapes in question.

"I've got one for you: come November 2008, your party is going to find itself out of power again."

Right … just like you said before the November '06 elections, that the Dems would get slaughtered right?

Here's some free advice: stay of of the prediction business … you suck at it!

Rick, Chicago Illinois   December 7th, 2007 11:50 pm ET

Michael Arnaud-Glen Burnie,

"So the CIA cleans out a file cabinet and now Congress wants to have hearings."

So? Um … it's called destroying evidence - kinda like those millions of "lost" emails on those attorney firings. Or like those secret prisons they repeatedly denied the existence of before admitting they DID, in fact, exist.

"I'm sorry, the peopele questioned in the tapes are terrorists."

No, the people questioned in the tape are SUSPECTED terrorists. And maybe not even suspected terrorists at all, as far as we know.

And it looks like we probably never will.

Oh … and thanks for being a MORON and showing it on this public forum.

Brenda, Boston, MA   December 7th, 2007 11:01 pm ET

Everyone's show shocked the CIA could engage in a shady activities…like it's a new phenonema scripted by Bush and Co. Hellooooooooo? That's the nature of the best…what did you expect, Boy Scouts?

mike, Coarsegold, cal   December 7th, 2007 10:54 pm ET

I would like to see a hearing on what Sandy Berger stole and destroyed.

Mike, College Park, MD   December 7th, 2007 10:26 pm ET

Why isn't anyone more outraged that no one is calling the CIA on its ridiculous rationale for actually dumping the tapes. "Protecting the interrogators"??? Being in the CIA does not exempt you from committing crimes against humanity but we seem to be hypocrites on this. As long as it's OUR SOLDIERS or OUR GOVERNMENT it must always be justified. This is just demeaning to the CIA men who out of good conscious refuse to engage in such behavior.

Brian, Philadelphia PA   December 7th, 2007 10:14 pm ET

If we are to hold ourselves as the moral standard for the world, why on Earth would we treat people much more heinously than we do our own citizens?

This "eye for an eye" act is stupidity at its worst. It's ignorance at its best.

Be bigger than that people. If our soldiers were to be waterboarded, we'd be up in arms. For some reason though, it's perfectly fine for us to do it.

Give me a break people…

Chris, Middletown, CT   December 7th, 2007 10:12 pm ET

I'm alittle unclear…I thought the congress makes drawn out speeches about nothing and overspends our tax dollars on ear marks for their states - I didn't think the CIA (nor the FBI) has any responsibility to share sensitive material with the bureaucrats ….do they?? Its not like they worked at the Rose law firm..and were under investigation and midnight shredded files less than 6 months old…wait..that was Hillary

Wilson, Ft Payne, AL   December 7th, 2007 9:19 pm ET

I will consider that the "War on Terror" is actually being fought, when our troops are pulled out of Iraq and redeployed in Afghanistan where they can actually do the world a lot of good :anti Taliban, anti drugs, oh! and hunting for someone named Bin Laden!?
That would just be a first step in recovering from too many lies…

JAMES BOND,LA.   December 7th, 2007 8:37 pm ET

THANKS CIA, THEY HAVE A JOB TO DO AND DO IT WELL!!

Cammie, Baltimore, MD   December 7th, 2007 7:52 pm ET

Note what John McCain says in the ticker item above:

"I wish they had listened to members of Congress who said they should not do so (destroy the tapes)."

And Rockefeller confirms in this story that members of Congress KNEW about the tapes. Democrat and Republican. They also KNEW that the CIA was considering destroying the tapes (per the McCain quote). This indicates that members of Congress, Democrat and Republican, were briefed on this matter and did not ORDER the CIA to preserve the tapes.

I don't trust any of these people - what did Rockefeller and Durbin know and when did they know it? I think they are ALL protecting their own butts!!

pam Eugene, OR   December 7th, 2007 7:06 pm ET

I am a Democrat but for God sakes quit with all the hearing and get some work done. Stop all the partisan crap and accomplish something will you? You have a years worth of work to do and 2 weeks to do it. We have not gained anything by having the majority back! So what if you can find the tapes will you have two more years of hearing about it. Let's see some results for a change.

ThisIsJustCrazy   December 7th, 2007 6:45 pm ET

the cia destroys imformation ,tapes of audio/video paperwork as a standard of practice. this keeps field and house operatives alive and there identities safe. they imformed congress on this matter, whats the problem ?????Not everything that goes on in the cia is consperacy or orders from Bush's mouth directly, they have an important job to do, how could they possibly perform there work with out an air of secrecy ???

Well that's one of the dumbest things I've heard in a while. When an organisation is completely opaque how can you believe anything they say or trust that they have the American people's best interests at heart? Given the CIA's track record I think you would have to be insane to think the destruction of evidence is a good thing. Withholding evidence under the blanket of "National Security" is bad enough but to actually destroy it??!! Insane!

Aaron Smithsburg, Maryland   December 7th, 2007 6:26 pm ET

If these prisoners are tried by military tribunals, like they should be, and found guilty, the CIA can do whatever they want to with them. But as it is, they are being held as enemy combatants in a war that could last a generation, we need to extract the intelligence we can get, then get them tried and get them executed for their crimes. No clerics or psychologists, just a double tap to the sternum and one to the head, nothing more, nothing less. If there isn't the evidence to convict them, force the countries they came from to acknowledge them and accept responsibility for them, and wash our hands of it. Done and done.

Ray Lindell, Phoenix,AZ   December 7th, 2007 6:03 pm ET

Comments on US President knew nothing about interrogation tapes being destroyed.

1. Why didn't he know? He should know.
2. At one time "The Buck" stopped at the President's desk. I believe there is a big "U-TURN" sign there now. I feel the U-TURN on issues is getting old as well as unbielevable.

Dale Lissner Portland Or   December 7th, 2007 5:59 pm ET

FACT: The present administration approves of waterboarding as a legal means to acquire the truth.

So…..lets have Congress have the technique publicly demonstrated… using just 3 hi profile subjects to gain the truth on dozens and dozens of nationally critical "coverups". Three names would suffice….George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove.

Bet the freaked out half drowned rats would spill their guts out.

Then impeachment would be a cinch !!!

Robert, Morgantown WV   December 7th, 2007 5:53 pm ET

"….in 1947, the United States charged a Japanese officer, Yukio Asano, with war crimes for carrying out another form of waterboarding on a U.S. civilian. The subject was strapped on a stretcher that was tilted so that his feet were in the air and head near the floor, and small amounts of water were poured over his face, leaving him gasping for air until he agreed to talk.

Asano was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor."

No, it's not legal.

Oscar, Rio Vista CA   December 7th, 2007 5:51 pm ET

Al from Alabama. You scare me. You may be telling the truth when you say you served in the military for 20yrs but you don't speak like the soldiers that we honor. It seems to me that you don't believe in justice. Perhaps you should go and join Blackwater where you can kill innocent civilians just for the fun of it.

Kristy Sanborn, Buckhorn, Mo.   December 7th, 2007 5:37 pm ET

Jeannie,
Let me say this, since I did not say they were protecting CIA interrogators engaging in torture, you did, that if it were up to me, all the terrorists they could get their hands on, get them and take them all waterboarding. Look what they have done to our Americans, and the ones that have lost their lives, none were tortured? But we are not that kind of a country, when I said "waterboarding" I was not referring to it as torture. As it has not been, even Mr. McCain did say there is no law against it that even he knows of, verifing 'waterboarding' as torture. And he's pretty smart, so I think if there were a law against waterboarding, then Mr. McCain would know it.
However, just because Valerie Plame's husband may have said (I haven't heard that one yet) Pres. Bush lied about the war, doesn't mean that Pres. Bush did.
And I also think that Mr. Mukasey place is to stand behind his dept. And then people are going to chastise him the way they did Mr. Gonzales. What else is new besides a few players?
I can't wait for the next election of Congress. All they have done is moan and groan and cry to the media, to anyone who would listen.
Now its just going to be CIA's turn, to go around with Congress, Congress has tried to run every other department and its officials.
When is America going to stand up to Congress, who's so afraid of them?

David Allen Linkenheimer, East Brady, Pa.   December 7th, 2007 5:22 pm ET

How much more evidence of high treason do we need before these traitors get their just deserts… A short rope and a tall tree…

Brian, Citrus Spring, Florida   December 7th, 2007 5:14 pm ET

Are we really going to trust somebody with the last name of Rockefeller to oversee this hearing? Why not just get Marvin Bush to investigate it?

Steve. Lyons, CO   December 7th, 2007 5:10 pm ET

"I'm afraid I can't jump on the conspiracy bandwagon that the media likes to trump up on a regular basis."

Really, Ben? So, whatever reason the CIA had to destroy those tapes must've been a good one, right Ben? Just trust them, right? There could be no reason, except maybe…er, the physical effects of waterboarding were too tough for anyone to watch?

You're an enabler, Ben. Someone who doesn't understand the Constitution, and who seems befuddled by all of the illegality we've seen out of these criminals.

You're part of the problem.

Helen, NY   December 7th, 2007 5:02 pm ET

Jay is another senator among democrats wants to show his anger and have hearings. He wants to show to american people that he is doing a great thing by wasting american taxpayers' money. Back off, senator. Do not try to show that you are doing something whiel you are doing nothing to help us. Just go away….

Sarah, Rocklin, CA   December 7th, 2007 4:46 pm ET

The numbness created by all the mistakes and dishonest dealings with the Bush administration is overwhelming. We can't even feel our toes because so much has happened that is absolutely frightening. I agree with Ken from Omaha, NB. Bush has forgotten about the needs of the next generation. So very, very sad indeed.

Mark, Shreveport, La   December 7th, 2007 4:30 pm ET

Great, congress is debating a billion-dollar tax payer give-a-way farm bill, an anti-free market energy bill, we have a presidential election coming up, we're at war in two foreign countries, 500 million dollars in Katrina relief fraud has been discovered, we may be heading for a recession, and congress is wasting time over two videotape interrogations of terrorists?
your tax dollars at work, america!

Angel, Los Angeles of Anaheim   December 7th, 2007 4:30 pm ET

Hey John Karsten,
Don't you think Blackwater has more than avenged their employees by about 40 innocent civilians to each one?

Don't you even dare bring up those disgusting mercenaries in this conversation.

Mike, Baltimore, Maryland   December 7th, 2007 4:28 pm ET

Ben, St. Louis said, "As far as I know, waterboarding has never been classified as 'torture'."

You might ask several Japanese soldiers from WW II if waterboarding is or is not torture.

Oh. Wait. I don't think you can ask them.

They were executed by the US after conviction in a War Crimes trial for torturing prisoners. Waterboarding was one of the methods used in the torture and the basis for their conviction and execution for torturing prisoners.

I think the old adage would fit: What's good for the goose is good for the gander. If it was torture then, it is still torture now.

Linda Chavez, Dallas, TX   December 7th, 2007 4:26 pm ET

With so many scandals popping up every month, it is no surprise that an another one like CIA will come and go. This administration is so shameless that another enquiry won't matter to them at all. And some people in this country are so dumb that they will elect the same idiots again as they did in 2000 and 2004. Unless there is a mass firing from top to the bottom, this will continue for ever. I am sick of these politicians!

Nick, Glendora CA   December 7th, 2007 3:52 pm ET

As a 26 year old man I find that this administration is a reflection of the "New America" we live in where there is no acountability or trust! But the future starts with people like myself who can see through the lies and who know what is right, "The Truth"! What kind of example do we set to the youth of this country when we see the people who represent us lying to our faces?

Sam Bloomfield, NJ   December 7th, 2007 3:50 pm ET

I think we will be like other countries just one man show BUSH show, every day there is something this Administration do wrong, look what happened after the Republican too office:
War, Home crisis, Economy is down, we owe other countries billions of dollars, the oil prices sky rockets, CIA leak, CIA Destroying evidence, we deal with China and every day there is a recall from China, the senators can't do anything to stop this Administration because they don't have enough votes.
We as American should stop those Republican next election, forget for one day that you are Democrats or Republican think as American see who could UNIT US ONE NATION.
and who know maybe BUSH will send us to war with Iran before he leaves office.

Danny C TN   December 7th, 2007 3:46 pm ET

How are we conspiracy theorist when we give factual reference to previous CIA sponsored false flag operations? E.I "Operation Northwoods" perfect example. That alone by itself is a horrible plan, by our own loving government but was never implemented by Kennedy and look what that got him? But be scared cuase the media tells you to be. you fools. Peace out folks

erika morgan black dimond wa   December 7th, 2007 3:39 pm ET

So there will be another inquisition. Unless there are some folks permanently in the pokey for torturing post haste, we are just the same as the third reich. THE BUSHIES DID NOT WISH THIS TAPE TO PLAY ON TV LIKE THE RODNEY KING VIDEO CAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC WOULD OVER RUN THEIR SECURITY AND EXECUTE A CITIZEN ARREST/LYNCHING ON THEM PERSONALLY. Please congress understand we now 70% of the American public require of Congress to get about our business.

Mark, B'hma., Al.   December 7th, 2007 3:38 pm ET

The democrats have their proiorties set right, the rights of terrorist over the life of American Citizens. When I did my 20 years in the service, one thing we were taught about the Geneva Convention was if we were caught while out of uniform we had no rights and could be executed, so get the firing squads warmed up. We need to bring back the black ops and just find suspected terrorist and make them dissappear from the face of the earth permenantly.

Jeannie, Sacramento, CA   December 7th, 2007 3:34 pm ET

Ahhh yes… one the one hand, destroy anything that might jeopardize the identification of CIA interrogators engaging in torture, except of course Valerie Plame's identity. That had to be exposed; after all, her husband was the first to point out that Bush lied about Iraq, among other things.

The selective morality of Bush-Cheney is astounding!

RB   December 7th, 2007 3:09 pm ET

Oh well there seems to be something everyday with this administration. I guess things weren't so bad under Bill Clinton! This president and his cronies surely take the cake. I can't understand how he continues to get away with this crap day after day!!!!!!!!!!!!

John Karsten, Virginia Beach, VA   December 7th, 2007 3:04 pm ET

Here is my view on what the CIA did. I don't care, they have a very hard job and do not want the public dictating their every move. I think there should be oversight as there is right now. We should let them do their job for this country. Pouring water on somebody…..have you all forgot the 4 Blackwater guys that were hung from a bridge and burned and then finally killed. Pouring water on them……oh no.
Poor terrorists….
We are at war people….and most of these radicals would do the same or more likely worse to you if they could.

mark wilkes barre pa   December 7th, 2007 2:53 pm ET

the cia destroys imformation ,tapes of audio/video paperwork as a standard of practice. this keeps field and house operatives alive and there identities safe. they imformed congress on this matter, whats the problem ?????Not everything that goes on in the cia is consperacy or orders from Bush's mouth directly, they have an important job to do, how could they possibly perform there work with out an air of secrecy ???

mark wilkes barre pa   December 7th, 2007 2:44 pm ET

kelly thompsan staten island,,,,,, OR HIM

S. Wright   December 7th, 2007 2:41 pm ET

That's ok, Senator Rockefeller. You keep doing what you, and your Democrat brethren have been doing since you got the majority: wasting taxpayer money with nothing to show for it.

Who is your source stating that the CIA destroyed evidence? Another "unidentified" source?

So, your "sick" of this, and "angry" too. What does anyone who isn't a Democrat expect you to be?

You may have your inclinations, Senator, but I've got one for you: come November 2008, your party is going to find itself out of power again.

M. Saunders, Higley, Arizona   December 7th, 2007 1:35 pm ET

I understand why Senator Rockefeller is angry; I can understand why he is upset. But to be surprised about the "manipulation" of Congress - really Jay ! Has not Congress been manipulated for all these seven plus years ? Is not rolling over and playing Bush's "private war" game being manipulated ? Is not ignoring how the White House has made a mockery of law and the rule of law - national and international - allowing Congress to be manipulated ?
It's been a sad trek and one for which we shall pay dearly for many many years

Mike USMC 95-99   December 7th, 2007 1:35 pm ET

any takers that Bush & cheney will becomes ex-pats in less than 2 years after leaving office?

I bet they leave this country in short order…

NeverTrustARockefeller   December 7th, 2007 1:27 pm ET

Never trust a Rockefeller. Who do you think owns the private Federal Reserve banks?

Kristy Sanborn, Buckhorn, Mo.   December 7th, 2007 1:26 pm ET

I think the CIA did the right thing, they may be able to block out faces, distort voice, etc. of the interrogators, but there is always something someone could put together. Body size, height, etc from these videos.
If CIA protected just one interrogator's identity from becoming known by destroying these videos, then that alone could save one life. Or keep someone in the CIA agency, keep their identity from becoming public knowledge, as in the case of Valerie Plume.
A person just has to wonder, or at least I do, why does Congress want these videos so bad?
I would think that Mr Mukasey, as being the new Attorney General, would understand how confidential the CIA's identities are. If their own agency doesn't protect their employees identities, who is going to? Congress? I don't believe that in a million years.

Michael Arnaud-Glen Burnie, MD.   December 7th, 2007 1:25 pm ET

So the CIA cleans out a file cabinet and now Cogress wants to have hearings.

I'm sorry, the peopele questioned in the tapes are terrorists. People who want to kill Americans. OUR CONGRESS is worried about the techniques used to question them?

Try this, if you want to kill Americans, when you are captured plan on being tortured or killed the way you want to do to us.

The naieve members of Congress need to wake up and grow up. Teorrists love to hear about our hands being tied fighting them. The only concept terrorists understand is force. Blunt and brutal. Until OUR CONGRESS grows a backbone for the women and a set of b***s for the men, the CIA and the DOD is going to hamstrung by all the bureaucratic BS that comes out of Congress.

If this is a War on Terrorism, then it should be a total war. No mercy, no prisoners. That's what our opponets want to do to us, that's EXACTLY what we should do to them.

PS, KC, MO   December 7th, 2007 1:24 pm ET

Sic 'em, Jay! Just be sure to hold Kit's feet to the fire and don't let him weasel out.
It's about time the CIA were held accountable for something.

Ben, St. Louis   December 7th, 2007 1:23 pm ET

Maybe I am wrong, but why would this be considered evidence? As far as I know, waterboarding has never been classified as 'torture'. I'm sure it could be included, but so far has not been included in any definition of torture that exists as law today. So what's the big deal? The CIA routinely destroys documents, tapes, etc.

I'm afraid I can't jump on the conspiracy bandwagon that the media likes to trump up on a regular basis.

kelly thompson, staten island, ny   December 7th, 2007 1:14 pm ET

It may take years and years to dig through all the criminality of this present administration. the next president will be spending most of her time uncovering the dead bodies. I would also like to know what the FBI did with the video tapes taken from the Sheraton Hotel and a gas station across from the Pentagon on 9/11. The FBI confiscated those videos that would have showed the plane slamming into the pentagon on 9/11 and have never let anyone see them. They released only 5 still frames after the plane had hit the pentagon, what are they hiding??? why is everything such a secret??? even 6 yrs later??? i dont trust this government for one second and i blame bush 100% for decline of his office and the fact that no one trusts them anymore. remember when he was running for president? and he was going to bring back honor and respect to the oval office?? has he ever kept any of his lame promises??? where are the tapes????

W. Artis, Goldsboro, NC   December 7th, 2007 1:13 pm ET

This is a shame. The CIA can't even be trusted. As the first post indicated, what is one more criminal coverup? Even sadder is the fact, no one in authority can do anything about it.

It was a blatant act of obstruction of justice - you don't need an investigate to tell you that, it's obvious.

David, Dallas Tx   December 7th, 2007 12:54 pm ET

Psst! Four paragraphs of the robo-call story are buried in the middle of the CIA tape story above.

There are these things out there called "Copy Editors". You might consider hiring a few.

I am not as critical as some about typos and incorrect homonyms, but come on. Any copy-editing at all would have caught THIS error.

Frank, San Diego   December 7th, 2007 12:42 pm ET

I don't see what everybody is getting so excited about. What's one more criminal cover-up after all these years?

Can we just have the election TODAY, please?!!

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