BIDEN Calls on Mukasey to Appoint Special Counsel to Investigate CIA's Destruction of Interrogation Tapes

Statement

BIDEN Calls on Mukasey to Appoint Special Counsel to Investigate CIA's Destruction of Interrogation Tapes

Former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and current Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) called on Attorney General Michael Mukasey today to appoint a Special Counsel to investigate the CIA's destruction of interrogation tapes:

"Under federal law, the Attorney General may appoint a Special Counsel to prosecute matters when he or she determines that an investigation by the Department itself would present a conflict of interest, or there are other extraordinary circumstances and it would be in the public interest to do so. I believe these conditions are met.

"This is a White House that has sanctioned and pushed for the kind of interrogation techniques captured on those video tapes. This is a White House that was informed of the CIA's desire to destroy those tapes. Thus, it is possible this investigation could lead to the White House. For these reasons, I believe the CIA's destruction of these interrogation tapes meets the extraordinary circumstances criterion and it would be in the public's interest for Attorney General Michael Mukasey to appoint a Special Counsel to do an independent investigation."

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