July 12, 2009
Posted: July 12th, 2009 04:11 PM ET

From

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Congressman Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said Sunday that “it’s disturbing” that former Vice President Dick Cheney may have ordered the CIA to withhold information from Congress.

Related: Cheney and alleged secret CIA program 'a problem.' Senator says

The refusal to disclose a top-secret program to the few members of Congress authorized to review the sensitive material was “absolutely not” appropriate, Murphy told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Sunday’s State of the Union.

Though he has recently been briefed by CIA chief Leon Panetta on the nature of the secret program, he said that because the information is top secret he would not talk about it on TV or in private.

On the issue of gays in the military, Murphy said that now is the “best time to move” on repealing the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. Thirteen thousand servicemen and women have been discharged under the highly controversial policy, he noted.

Though he believes President Obama supports repealing the policy, he said he understands it’s up to Congress to change it.

“It was an act of Congress that put this discriminatory law in place. It will take an act of Congress to repeal it.”

Filed under: CIA • Dick Cheney • State of the Union


GI Joe   July 12th, 2009 5:48 pm ET

A lot of us have been calling for AT LEAST an investigation for years. This will be swept under the carpet too. It's the Republican way.

Peter (CA)   July 12th, 2009 5:47 pm ET

Obama is right again. An investigation will just further polarize the country and lead to more gridlock. The Democrats need to step wisely here. I would love to see a sociopath like Cheney get what he deserves but our problems are bigger than him right now.

Whine all you want right wingers: Obama is on the right path. I love how Bush handed him a lump of coal and you are SHOCKED that he hasn't turned it into a diamond in 6 months. Intellectually bankrupt is what you are.

GOP   July 12th, 2009 5:45 pm ET

I don’t have any problem of the CIA keeping anything from Congress based on the fact these people could not put a sock in their mouths to save one American life if they had too.

These people in Congress enjoy going to their buddies in the paper and giving up any information they know will hurt the security of this country.

I do enjoy the liberal left telling the rest of us keeping our country safe is not as important as making sure terrorist are given constitutional rights when they were never born here!

Tony in Largo   July 12th, 2009 5:39 pm ET

I don't necessarily agree with Cheney's or Bush's perspective on interrogations, but we shouldn't try to press charges against them. Therefore, any inquiries should either be classified or not be conducted at all.

C.C. Independent   July 12th, 2009 5:21 pm ET

I want to see Cheney jailed for good! He and the crone Bush have destroyed America with fear, hatred against us, and not caring for the poor and middle workers! A petition to get the Bush Cronies to trial would start off well!

Larry   July 12th, 2009 5:19 pm ET

As disturbing as it might be ...

We all expected this from a scumbag like Cheney

As well Bush ... As well Rove

Though I'm confident these criminals will never see jail as they should

There is no real justice in this country

It's only the honest people in this country that truly suffer

MK   July 12th, 2009 5:16 pm ET

Everything about slick Dick Cheney is disturbing.

ib   July 12th, 2009 4:51 pm ET

This is just a new way for Obamacrats to cover up for Peloski and keep people's minds off the fact that unemployment rates are still going up and the economy is getting worse under Obama.

howie   July 12th, 2009 4:51 pm ET

Anything to get the focus away from Obama. People the country is falling apart!

robert   July 12th, 2009 4:49 pm ET

Cheney was behind everything thats happened to US FROM WARS TO BAD ECONOMY

John, Brooklyn, New York   July 12th, 2009 4:45 pm ET

If Murphy is serious about getting to the bottom of the Cheney-authorized withholding of vital information to Congress, then he needs to call on President Obama to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate whether federal laws were broken....and by whom!

T Mckinley   July 12th, 2009 4:38 pm ET

Dick Cheney is disturbing.

Palin 2012 - 2014 1/2   July 12th, 2009 4:37 pm ET

V.P. Cheney was 8 years of "disturbing"!

VON BISMARK,Vienna.   July 12th, 2009 4:16 pm ET

Does american democracy include totalitarian dictatorship? Cheney has a case to answer.

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