by TChris

In another affront to open government and Congressional oversight, John Ashcroft refused to allow lawmakers to see a policy memo concerning interrogation techniques deemed legally permissible by the Justice Department. The memo was prepared by DOJ's office of legal policy for White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales.

Angry Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee called on Ashcroft to provide the document, saying leaked portions that have appeared in news reports suggest the Bush administration is reinterpreting U.S. law and the Geneva Conventions prohibiting torture.

Although Ashcroft "said he could not discuss whether there had been any order or directive from Bush regarding interrogations," he also said: "There is no presidential order immunizing torture." Ashcroft's willingness to deny that there was an order "immunizing" torture, coupled with his unwillingness to comment on the existence of any other order regarding interrogations, implies that Bush made some kind of order or directive regarding interrogations. Was there an order or directive that encouraged or excused torture? Ashcroft won't say.