Democrats say Cheney not above law on CIA secrecy
WASHINGTON, July 12 (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. senators said on Sunday former Vice President Dick Cheney should not be above the law after reports he ordered the CIA to withhold information from Congress about a secret counter-terrorism program.
"Well, I think it's impossible to just leave it lay when you have something like this. It's either true or it's not true," said Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, told CBS' "Face the Nation." "I'd like to know if it's true or not. I mean, nobody in this country is above the law."
A story in Sunday's New York Times said the CIA withheld information about the secret program from Congress for eight years on orders from Cheney.
Citing two unidentified sources, the newspaper said Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon Panetta disclosed Cheney's involvement in closed briefings to congressional intelligence committees late last month.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Congress "should have been told" about the secret program and that the vice president shouldn't be above the law.
"This is a big problem, because the law is very clear. And I understand the need of the day, which was when America was in shock" after Sept. 11, she said on "Fox News Sunday." "But ... I think you weaken your case when you go outside of the law."
Intelligence and congressional officials told the Times the agency began the program after the Sept. 11 attacks and said it never became operational and did not involve CIA interrogation programs or domestic intelligence activities.
Cheney was a key advocate in the Bush administration of using controversial interrogation methods such as waterboarding on terrorism suspects and has emerged as a leading Republican critic of Obama's national security policies.
(Reporting by Philip Barbara; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
"Well, I think it's impossible to just leave it lay when you have something like this. It's either true or it's not true," said Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, told CBS' "Face the Nation." "I'd like to know if it's true or not. I mean, nobody in this country is above the law."
A story in Sunday's New York Times said the CIA withheld information about the secret program from Congress for eight years on orders from Cheney.
Citing two unidentified sources, the newspaper said Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon Panetta disclosed Cheney's involvement in closed briefings to congressional intelligence committees late last month.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Congress "should have been told" about the secret program and that the vice president shouldn't be above the law.
"This is a big problem, because the law is very clear. And I understand the need of the day, which was when America was in shock" after Sept. 11, she said on "Fox News Sunday." "But ... I think you weaken your case when you go outside of the law."
Intelligence and congressional officials told the Times the agency began the program after the Sept. 11 attacks and said it never became operational and did not involve CIA interrogation programs or domestic intelligence activities.
Cheney was a key advocate in the Bush administration of using controversial interrogation methods such as waterboarding on terrorism suspects and has emerged as a leading Republican critic of Obama's national security policies.
(Reporting by Philip Barbara; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
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