In 2009, Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) became the First Woman to Lead the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
In 2009, Dianne Feinstein made history as the first woman to lead the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. This coincided with Barack Obama becoming the second president to oversee America’s expanded national security establishment after the 9/11 attacks. Both Feinstein and Obama criticized President George W. Bush’s approach to security matters, including his use of a global detention and interrogation program for suspected terrorists.
Feinstein’s Relentless Battle for Truth and Accountability
Feinstein’s concerns about the Bush administration’s interrogation methods fueled her determination to challenge the CIA and its allies. Despite facing opposition from Obama and the agency itself, she embarked on a years-long battle to expose U.S. misconduct and advocate for transparency and accountability. The enduring impact of her efforts is a testament to her legacy.
Feinstein’s Groundbreaking Report on Bush-Era Torture
Feinstein’s fight began when two members of her staff discovered evidence of extensive waterboarding, stress positions, threats, nudity, and slaps used by the CIA to interrogate detainees. Feinstein decided to investigate the entire CIA program, receiving bipartisan support from the Intelligence Committee. The committee conducted an exhaustive inquiry, scrutinizing a vast collection of operational cables, emails, and memos related to the detention program.
A Clash with the Obama Administration and the CIA
The Obama administration provided access to the CIA’s documents but required Senate personnel to work at a CIA office in Virginia instead of transferring the material to Capitol Hill. Despite some hindrances in accessing documents, the committee finished a comprehensive report by December 2012, debunking claims that torture prevented terror attacks and exposing new details about the CIA’s brutal methods.
Feinstein submitted the report to the Obama administration, which responded in the summer of 2013, admitting some mistakes but denying the report’s overall conclusions. The tension escalated when John Brennan, Obama’s CIA director and former deputy executive director during the rendition program’s abuses, berated Feinstein and her fellow committee member.
The Fallout and Feinstein’s Unyielding Determination
News broke that the CIA inspector general was investigating allegations of Brennan’s staff monitoring Feinstein’s team, violating the separation of powers between the executive branch and Congress. After attempting to resolve the dispute discreetly, Feinstein publicly addressed the issue on the Senate floor. She defended Senate staffers and questioned the CIA’s conflicting responses.
Feinstein’s struggle to publish her report further strained her relationship with President Obama. Eventually, on December 9, 2014, she released the report despite warnings of backlash and threats to national security. The executive summary revealed the extent of waterboarding, restraints, and the CIA’s efforts to conceal its activities. While praised by human rights groups, Feinstein faced criticism from hawks and former intelligence officials.
The Lasting Impact of Feinstein’s Report
Feinstein’s report had immediate consequences for acknowledging the U.S. government’s responsibility for torture. It enabled attorneys representing Guantanamo Bay detainees to discuss their clients’ experiences in court, contributing to a fuller understanding of the War on Terror era. In less than a year, Congress and Obama passed legislation reaffirming the ban on torture and limiting interrogation techniques used on detainees in U.S. custody.
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