The Rizzo Nomination

So, there's a story simmering on the backburner that may start to boil over relatively soon. Both the Post and the Times have stories on the confirmation hearing today for John A. Rizzo to become the official CIA general counsel. He currently serves as acting general counsel.The ACLU urged the Senate Intelligence Committee to press Rizzo on his participation in the administration's torture policies. From the ACLU press release:

The ACLU urged the Intelligence Committee to take the following four steps before moving forward on the Rizzo nomination: 1. Publicly release an August 2002 memorandum from the Justice Department to the CIA that authorizes specific interrogation techniques, including waterboarding; 2. Make clear that none of the techniques specified in the August 2002 memorandum are authorized or will be authorized for use by any government employee or contractor; 3. Publicly release a presidential directive for the CIA to detain and interrogate persons outside the United States; and 4. Have the Attorney General or his designee appoint an outside special counsel for the investigation and prosecution of criminal violations of federal laws against the torture or abuse of detainees.

I'll have more on this tomorrow. The Rizzo thing is complicated, and kind of related to the whole Seymour Hersh broohaha. Will do something longish and op-ed-ish.