CNN The Situation Room - Transcript
CNN The Situation Room - Transcript
Tuesday, November 8, 2005
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BLITZER: Joining us now from Capitol Hill, Senator Saxby Chambliss, a Republican on the Intelligence Committee.
Senator, thanks very much for joining us.
What do you think what your Democratic colleague, Chuck Schumer, just said; the president should make a pledge, no pardons?
SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS (R), GEORGIA: Well, you know, Chuck is a lawyer, just like I am.
And what Chuck has done is convict Scooter Libby before he's ever been brought to trial. And, you know, I hope the president never has to consider this. We -- we have got to let the process work. We have got to let the man have his day in court. And then we will see where it goes from there.
BLITZER: What do you make of the call by Senator Frist, the majority leader, Speaker Hastert today, for a new investigation into this leak, this "Washington Post" story of a few days ago, reporting on these secret so-called black prisons the CIA is operating in Eastern Europe?
CHAMBLISS: Well, there's been a lot of discussion, obviously, lately about whether or not we have seen any torturing of prisoners out there. And we have repeatedly said that we do not torture prisoners. And, you know, there's an implication here that that may be the case with respect to these supposed prisons. And I emphasize supposed. So, I think it's a good idea for the leaders to request that. And, as a member of the Intelligence Committee, I look forward to letting that process work. And let's see really what the facts are relative to those supposed prisons out there.
BLITZER: And our national security correspondent, Senator, David Ensor, just reported moments ago, the CIA has now formally referred this matter to the Justice Department for a formal investigation, although our Ed Henry, our congressional correspondent, is quoting Senator Trent Lott as saying the information may have originated from a Republican meeting, a strategy meeting that you had with -- with Vice President Cheney, in which he talked about these secret prisons in Eastern Europe.
Could you talk us about what? Could you tell us what you know about that?
CHAMBLISS: Well, obviously, I can't talk about anything that occurred in a classified setting.
But one thing I can say is, this is what I would expect from Porter Goss. Under his leadership, we're seeing major transformations take place out at the CIA. And I think, if there were any questions raised about any issue, Porter -- the first thing Porter is going to do is make sure we get to the bottom of it. Here, what he has done is call in the Justice Department, ask them to take a look at it.
I think that's very appropriate, so, I'm pleased to see that.
BLITZER: Listen to what Harry Reid, the Democratic leader, said today on -- on this whole CIA leak investigation.
Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MINORITY LEADER: The manipulation of intelligence to sell the war in Iraq, Vice President Cheney's involved in that. Leaking classified information to discredit White House critics, the vice president's behind that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: You want to respond to Harry Reid?
CHAMBLISS: Well, you know, Wolf, here we are just passing the budget reconciliation in the Senate last week. We're working on a defense authorization bill this week.
We're talking about providing some long-term tax relief next week. We Republicans are trying to do positive things here in the Senate. The Democrats have nothing positive to talk about. They have seized on this issue and are trying to point the finger, relative to missteps on the part of certain individuals. And they're trying to implicate anybody they can in the administration, without having the facts behind them.
So, I'm a little disappointed that they're not out there trying to work with us to make sure that we -- we put more money in the pockets of taxpayers, we make sure that our men and women in the military are getting pay raises and weapons that they need, and that we make sure that we control this spending that's...
BLITZER: All right.
CHAMBLISS: ... that's gone crazy in Washington, instead of out there simply pointing the finger and being so negative.
BLITZER: Senator Chambliss, thanks very much for joining us.
CHAMBLISS: Sure, Wolf. Always good to be with you.
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