Of Course, If They Had Leaked It To The Times...
Republicans leak vague generalities about a classified briefing on the efficacy of the enhanced interrogation program and Dems burst into tears.
Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), a member of the subcommittee who attended the hearing, concurred with Hoekstra.
"The hearing did address the enhanced interrogation techniques that have been much in the news lately," Kline said, noting that he was intentionally choosing his words carefully in observance of the committee rules and the nature of the information presented.
"Based on what I heard and the documents I have seen, I came away with a very clear impression that we did gather information that did disrupt terrorist plots," Kline said.
Neither Hoekstra nor Kline revealed details about the specifics of what they were told Thursday or the identity of the briefers.
Democrats lambasted their Republican counterparts for discussing the information that was provided behind locked doors.
"I am absolutely shocked that members of the Intelligence committee who attended a closed-door hearing … then walked out that hearing — early, by the way — and characterized anything that happened in that hearing," said Intelligence Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairwoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). "My understanding is that's a violation of the rules. It may be more than that."
I understand the political importance to the Dems of keeping the results of the 2002/2003 era enhanced interrogations secret; the actual national security significance eludes me, since the techniques have been well publicized by Obama.
Continuing:
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) said, "Members on both sides need to watch what they say."
Both Schakowsky and Reyes accused GOP members of playing politics with national security.
"I think they are playing a very dangerous game when it comes to the discussion of matters that were sensitive enough to be part of a closed hearing," Schakowsky said.
Asked about the validity of Republican contentions that information shared in Thursday's hearing showed the effectiveness of enhanced interrogation techniques, Schakowsky said she could not comment on what was discussed at a closed hearing.
"Playing politics with national security"? What have the Dems been doing?
JustOneMinute: Of Course, If They Had Leaked It To The Times... (6 June 2009)
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