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ProSense

(116,464 posts)
Tue Mar 11, 2014, 07:40 PM Mar 2014

Cruz On CIA Hacking Claims: This Is Totally Something Obama Would Do

Cruz On CIA Hacking Claims: This Is Totally Something Obama Would Do

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Tuesday chimed in on Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) claim that the CIA hacked into a Senate committee computer network, linking the allegations to what he says is President Obama's abuse of power.

"If it is correct that the CIA breached the security of Senate computers, that is a very serious allegation," Cruz told reporters, according to Slate. "I would note, it is consistent with a pattern of the Obama administration, of disregarding the constitutional liberties of the citizenry and disrespecting the constitutional role of the United States Congress. And I would say that protecting the institutional authority of the U.S. Congress is not helped, when during the State of the Union, President Obama says, 'If Congress won't act, I will,' and virtually every Democrat in Congress stands and cheers."

Feinstein accused the CIA of spying on Senate Intelligence committee computers while staffers were investigating the agency's interrogation practices under the Bush administration. In a floor speech Tuesday, Feinstein said she had "grave concerns that the CIA's search may well have violated the separation of powers principles embodied in the U.S. Constitution."

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) backed Feinstein in her allegations.

- more -

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/cruz-obama-cia-hacking

Feinstein: CIA spied on Senate
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024645057


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struggle4progress

(118,295 posts)
3. Transcript: Sen. Dianne Feinstein says CIA searched Intelligence Committee computers
Tue Mar 11, 2014, 07:42 PM
Mar 2014

Tuesday, March 11, 10:32 AM

... The origin of this study, the CIA’s detention and interrogation program, began operations in 2002, though it was not until September, 2006 that members of the intelligence committee, other than the chairman and the vice chairman were briefed. In fact, we were briefed by then-CIA Director Hayden only hours before President Bush disclosed the program to the public ...

As a result of the staff initial report, I proposed and then-Vice Chairman Bond agreed and the committee overwhelmingly approved that the committee conduct an expansive and full review of the CIA’s detention and interrogation program ...

After a series of meetings, I learned that on two occasions CIA personnel electronically removed committee access to CIA documents after providing them to the committee. This included roughly 870 documents or page of documents that were removed in February 2010; and secondly, roughly another 50 that were removed in mid-May 2010. This was done without the knowledge or approval of committee members or staff, and in violation of our written agreements. Further, this type of behavior would not have been possible had the CIA allowed the committee to conduct the review of documents here in the Senate. In short, this was the exact sort of CIA interference in our investigation that we sought to avoid at the outset ...

At some point in 2010, committee staff searching the documents that had been made available found draft versions of what is now called the internal Panetta review. We believe these documents were written by CIA personnel to summarize and analyze the materials that had been provided to the committee for its review. The Panetta review documents were no more highly classified than other information we had received for our investigation. In fact, the documents appeared based on the same information already provided to the committee. What was unique and interesting about the internal documents was not their classification level but rather their analysis and acknowledgement of significant CIA wrongdoing ...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/transcript-sen-dianne-feinstein-says-cia-searched-intelligence-committee-computers/2014/03/11/200dc9ac-a928-11e3-8599-ce7295b6851c_story.html

struggle4progress

(118,295 posts)
12. It's well worth the read IMO, because it stays mostly focussed on the torture report
Tue Mar 11, 2014, 09:12 PM
Mar 2014

but does give some indication of internal issues in the CIA related to attempts to suppress the report

 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
8. "This included roughly 870 documents or page of documents that were removed in February 2010; and
Tue Mar 11, 2014, 07:50 PM
Mar 2014

secondly, roughly another 50 that were removed in mid-May 2010."

I doubt Obama had any knowledge of this, though. The CIA seems to be answerable no one - presidents come and presidents go, they are there, always.

Response to ProSense (Original post)

Thinkingabout

(30,058 posts)
7. Perhaps Ted should get Issa and his committee to investigate the Bush administration hacking.
Tue Mar 11, 2014, 07:50 PM
Mar 2014

It makes one wonder if Ted read or listened to the information before he made the accusation or did he jump in and make a statement about something Obama would do.

Bluzmann57

(12,336 posts)
9. Predictable
Tue Mar 11, 2014, 07:51 PM
Mar 2014

And tiresome. Everybody knows that everything is Obama's fault. The cold winter. Any flooding that may occur. The Iowa basketball team's free fall. The fact that it was cloudy today. Some guy getting mugged. Me feeling ill the last couple of days. Everything. I wish cruz and the like would just go the fuck away.

11 Bravo

(23,926 posts)
10. I have GOT to figure out what Cruz's DU handle is! There are a few obvious choices, but ...
Tue Mar 11, 2014, 07:53 PM
Mar 2014

rather than guess, I'll just keep hoping for a public flame-out.

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