CIA Director John Brennan Admits CIA Spied on Senate Staffers

By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Thu Jul 31, 2014 at 05:38:20 PM EST
Tags: CIA, John Brennan (all tags)

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With the declassified version of the Inspector General's report outlining the CIA's unauthorized intrusion into U.S. Senate staffers' computers on the horizon, CIA director John Brennan admitted today the agency spied on Senate members. He also apologized. [More...]

This all comes about as a result of Sen. Diane Feinstein's charge months ago:

Feinstein, in her dramatic speech on the Senate floor in March, said the agency breached the firewall to obstruct the committee’s investigation of the agency’s torture of post-9/11 terrorism detainees, a years-long effort expected to be partially declassified in the coming days or weeks. That investigation was itself prompted by a different coverup: the destruction of videotapes of brutal interrogations by a senior official, Jose Rodriguez.

Brennan's initial response to Feinstein's allegation was:

As far as the allegations of, you know, CIA hacking into, you know, Senate computers, nothing could be further from the truth. I mean we wouldn’t do that. I mean, that’s just beyond the – you know, the scope of reason in terms of what we would do,” Brennan said on the day of Feinstein’s accusation.

Colorado Senator Mark Udall is calling for Brennan to resign.

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CIA Director John Brennan Admits CIA Spied on Senate Staffers | 19 comments (19 topical)

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Of course Di-Fi is offended (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by Dadler on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 10:18:44 AM EST

Di-Fi is on top of this, as long as it doesn't involve exposing the kind of war profiteering that allowed her and her scumbag husband to buy a mansion on SF's Gold Coast. Please just exit stage right or left, Di. Please.

: A trap door directly under her feet (5.00 / 2) (#15)
by Anne on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 03:26:28 PM EST

would be more appropriate and would send her in the direction she needs to go.

It's OK. nothing to see here, (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by KeysDan on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 02:25:05 PM EST

keep moving. "White House press secretary Josh Earnest said President Obama supports Brennan and disputed the idea that the CIA director's reversal on the clash with Congress had damaged his credibility." "Not at all," Earnest said, noting that Brennan had initiated the I.G.'s review. And, Brennan not only apologized but formed an internal personnel board to consider potential disciplinary action by those CIA rogues, headed by former Senator Evan Bayh (D. IN).

The senators feel vindicated in their charges which appears to satisfy them as to this "clash."(they were not making it all up, after all, you do see). Senator Feinstein feels that that apology is a good first step (so good that it probably will negate the need for any next steps). If there is any accountability ever to happen, I would urge all clerks I to be careful.) Otherwise, let's just have a hearty handshake and call it a day.

From (none / 0) (#12)
by KeysDan on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 02:26:05 PM EST

the Washington Post.


Just add it to the list (none / 0) (#13)
by Slado on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 02:29:21 PM EST

The executive branch is out of control when it comes to domestic spying.

Be it citizens, reporters and now congress.

Oh well. It's not a republican doing it so no need to get too worked up about it.

Move along.


: Yes, but (none / 0) (#14)
by KeysDan on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 02:33:17 PM EST

you are forgetting that "hearty handclasp" That counts.

Wondering..... (5.00 / 4) (#16)
by squeaky on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 03:42:50 PM EST

What would be the penalty if a Senator were in the same position as Brennan, and was accused of hacking a CIA computer?

And the Senator adamantly denied the possibly only later to find out that someone in her or his office (let's say 5 people) did in fact hack the CIA's computer in order to provide much needed information for the welfare and safety of the said Senator's constituents.

Oh... we know what would happen. They would all have to secretly fly out of the US and hide in Russia forever.

What would happen to (5.00 / 3) (#19)
by KeysDan on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 04:58:16 PM EST

this feckless senator and his five people? Well, if on the run, he/she would be encouraged by the serious people in Washington to return and face indictments under the Espionage Act of 1917. The senator and staff would be assured a really fair trial even though no proof is required that the accused intended to commit espionage under this Act. This latter point is just a technicality called strict liability and probably would not be applied so not to worry. Due process could be "filibustered" to make an extra point. But, there would be a fair and balanced debate on the Senator's actions as being a patriot or a traitor in the media.


Maybe not forever (none / 0) (#17)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 03:54:42 PM EST

MOSCOW (AP) -- Edward Snowden's temporary asylum status in Russia expired at midnight Thursday, but the former U.S. National Security Agency systems administrator appears set to stay on until authorities decide on his application for an extension.
Snowden was stranded in a Moscow airport last year en route from Hong Kong to Cuba, shortly after he revealed the NSA's sprawling program of tapping phones. He received temporary asylum in Russia, attracting Washington's ire.
Under Russian law, that status must be renewed annually. Snowden's lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, was quoted by the state news agency RIA Novosti on Thursday as saying he expected a decision soon on the application and that Snowden could stay at least until the decision is made.

: Yes Good Point (5.00 / 1) (#18)
by squeaky on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 04:05:20 PM EST

Should read:

Oh... we know what would happen. They would all have to secretly fly out of the US and hide forever.

Am I the only one who to see (none / 0) (#1)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 31, 2014 at 08:27:37 PM EST

A little humor in the congress being all upset about finding out they are being spied on like the rest of us?

Welcome to the party Diane.

The CIA is expressly prohibited ... (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Jul 31, 2014 at 09:27:34 PM EST

... by federal law from engaging in any sort of domestic surveillance on U.S. citizens. After all, that's what the FBI is for. :-(

But seriously, CIA Director John Brennan should tender his resignation, and President Obama should accept it. And whoever it was that authorized surveillance on the Senate committee responsible for oversight of the CIA should be brought up on charges, because by its own admission today, the agency committed a crime.

Aloha.


Not holding my breath awaiting (none / 0) (#4)
by oculus on Thu Jul 31, 2014 at 09:39:02 PM EST

indictments.


Charges? What, are you kidding? (none / 0) (#5)
by Anne on Thu Jul 31, 2014 at 09:46:38 PM EST

No, see, the way this works is that Brennan and his cronies/henchmen will - if anyone would ever ask for resignations - just go out into the private sector security-contracting world like Keith Alexander did, and make hundreds of thousands of dollars a month "advising" on all these things they know so much about...shoot, Brennan's probably champing at the bit for a reason to leave "public service."


: Well, a boy can dream, can he? (none / 0) (#9)
by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 12:42:03 PM EST

And that's exactly what you just told me -- dream on.

They aso weren't supposed (none / 0) (#8)
by jondee on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 11:15:04 AM EST

Onto target foreign leaders for assassination and dose Amerian citizens with drugs..

Whats the title of that history of the CIA? Legacy of Ashes..

A national security state with a "robust foreign policy" means, in actual practice, enduring a faustian bargin one of the results of which is this kind of soft totalitarianism.


It's called (none / 0) (#2)
by Zorba on Thu Jul 31, 2014 at 09:04:13 PM EST

Schadenfreude. ;-)


CIA = outta control (none / 0) (#6)
by desertswine on Thu Jul 31, 2014 at 09:50:09 PM EST

Obama should be a GD president (none / 0) (#10)
by leap on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 02:03:13 PM EST

and FIRE Brennan. And then Brennan should be charged, and put on trial, for LYING to Congreff.

Oh wait. That's all for little people. Sorry. I mis-thought and then mis-spoke. Forgot my place.