Udall Decries Justice Department Decision to Drop Probe of CIA Searching Senate Intelligence Committee Computers

Statement

Mark Udall, who serves on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of Justice's decision not to pursue a criminal investigation following the CIA's unauthorized search of committee computers:

"The American people need to have the certainty that both Congress and the administration are vigorously overseeing our intelligence agencies. The Justice Department's decision is troubling and draws a false equivalency between congressional staff fulfilling their constitutional obligations and an executive branch agency potentially breaking the law.

"Independent oversight of our intelligence agencies is essential for the American people to trust what they're doing to protect our national security. That's why I strongly believe staff for the Senate Intelligence Committee broke no laws over the course of their study of the CIA's detention and interrogation program. The CIA's unauthorized search, however, may well have violated multiple provisions of the Constitution, federal criminal statutes and Executive Order 12333. While I am pleased that the Justice Department recognized the folly of the CIA's accusations against committee staff, I am deeply disappointed that Justice did not also recognize the gravity of the CIA's actions. I still want answers from the CIA about its unauthorized search of the committee's computers."

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