The AGENCY has a Watchdog, but the AGENCY doesn’t like what the Watchdog says, so what does the AGENCY do? They investigate the very Watchdog that was appointed to investigate them. CIA checking into its own. CIA Director Michael Hayden is investigating CIA Inspector General John Helgerson. The internal probe was launched in October 2007.
Straight from SourceWatch:
John L. Helgerson has served as Inspector General, Office of Inspector General, for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) since February 2002. Helgerson “has investigated some of the Bush administration’s most controversial programs, including its detainee torture policies. In 2004, IG John L. Helgerson issued a report warning ‘that some C.I.A.-approved interrogation procedures appeared to constitute cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, as defined by the international Convention Against Torture.’”
Helgerson’s “recent inquiries into the CIA’s handling of pre-9/11 intelligence and the detention and interrogation of terrorism suspects, which have produced some damning results, have ruffled more than a few feathers within the spy community.
CIA Director Michael Hayden, in particular, has not tried to hide his frustration with some of Helgerson’s work.”
According to CourtHouseNews:
Helgerson has been CIA inspector general since April 26, 2002. “Mr. Helgerson has led numerous internal investigations into controversial programs that began in the aftermath and as a result of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, including such high-profile programs as the CIA’s detention and interrogation of terrorist suspects. Mr. Helgerson also conducted an investigation in the CIA’s actions prior to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, resulting in a report which recommended ‘accountability boards’ to consider disciplinary action against a handful of senior officials,” the federal complaint states. This led to “bitter resentment on the part of certain CIA operatives and officials towards the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in general and Mr. Helgerson in particular,” it states.
New York Times reports:
Gen. Michael V. Hayden, has ordered an unusual internal inquiry into the work of the agency’s inspector general, whose aggressive investigations of the C.I.A.’s detention and interrogation programs and other matters have created resentment among agency operatives.
A small team working for General Hayden is looking into the conduct of the agency’s watchdog office, which is led by Inspector General John L. Helgerson. Current and former government officials said the review had caused anxiety and anger in Mr. Helgerson’s office and aroused concern on Capitol Hill that it posed a conflict of interest.
The review is particularly focused on complaints that Mr. Helgerson’s office has not acted as a fair and impartial judge of agency operations but instead has begun a crusade against those who have participated in controversial detention programs.
Controversial detention programs? What Controversial detention programs? It wouldn’t have anything to do with EXTRAORDINARY RENDITON would it?
The James Madison Project submitted a FOIA request to the AGENCY and obviously unhappy with the response or no response at all has filed suit to obtain records pertaining to the matter.
JAMES MADISON PROJECT – Mark S. Zaid is the Executive Director of JMP. Mark S. Said is also the Principal in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Mark S. Zaid, P.C. and “specializes in litigation and lobbying on matters relating to international transactions, torts and crimes, national security, foreign sovereign and diplomatic immunity, defamation (plaintiff) and the Freedom of Information/Privacy Acts (FOI/PA).”
Mark Zaid background.
Mark Zaid’s testimony on Polygraphs.
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