Brennan seeks 'way forward' in CIA-Senate fight

[steve2470]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2014/03/brennan-seeks-way-forward-in-ciasenate-fight-185550.html

Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan told the spy agency's employees Friday that he's committed to resolving the unusual public dispute that broke out recently between the CIA and its overseers in the U.S. Senate.

"You can be sure that we and the Committee are committed to finding a way forward that allows CIA to continue with its important intelligence mission and that promotes effective and independent Congressional oversight of our Nation’s classified intelligence activities," Brennan said in an unclassified, agency-wide message obtained by POLITICO.

"As we all well know, the intelligence profession is frequently a difficult and challenging one, and it should come as no surprise that many of the things CIA is asked to do are subjected to close scrutiny. Moreover, it is appropriate for the Intelligence Committees in the Senate and the House to carry out their oversight responsibilities thoroughly and comprehensively, and CIA needs to do all it can to assist the Committees in that regard," Brennan added

Last week, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) delivered a floor speech excoriating the agency for searching computers Senate staffers used as part of their investigation into the CIA's Bush-era interrogation practices. However, she also disclosed that committee staffers removed copies of internal CIA documents from the review facility and took them to secure spaces on Capitol Hill, without permission from the CIA.