Former CIA CTC deputy general counsel Vicki Divoll in the NYT making a hugely important point that Marcy Wheeler has made for weeks!: it was illegal how only the Gang of Four was briefed and Congress was not properly briefed on torture:

It is unlawful for the executive branch to limit notification, as it did here, to the Gang of Four. There is no such entity recognized in the National Security Act. Federal law does provide, however, for notification of fewer lawmakers than the full intelligence committees, but only when “extraordinary circumstances affecting vital interests of the United States” are at stake. Under those very limited situations, the notification may be to the “Gang of Eight,” which includes the majority and minority leadership of the House and Senate, in addition to the intelligence committee leaders.

The whole piece is must read.

Posted by Laura at May 14, 2009 11:06 AM