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Robert P Casey, Jr
Pennsylvania
United States Senate
Washington DC 20510-3805
October 20, 2009
Dear Mr Mitteldorf:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the Department of Justice's investigation into the alleged mistreatment of detainees. I appreciate hearing from all Pennsylvanians about the issues that matter most to them.
On August 24, 2009, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced that Assistant United States Attorney John Durham would lead the Department of Justice's investigation into the alleged mistreatment of detainees. Mr Durham's mandate is to conduct a preliminary review of enhanced interrogation techniques used on detainees to determine whether federal laws were violated. The purpose is to assess whether interrogators exceeded or violated guidelines established by the previous Administration for the conduct of interrogations. At this time, the Attorney General Holder has not opened a full investigation into this matter.
I take allegations of torture and abuse of U.S. Detainees seriously. The United States should adopt policies that will ensure that our nation upholds its laws and values while protecting the American people. I have welcomed hearing from Pennsylvanians on this important national security matter. Please be assured as the Senate continues to debate this issue that I will have your concerns in mind.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you.
If you have access to the Internet, I encourage you to visit my web site, http://casey.senate.gov. I invite you to use this online office as a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
United
States Senator
Printed on recycled paper
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23 November 2009
Sen
Robert Casey
202-228-0604fax
Dear Senator Casey,
In a democracy, no politician will tell you directly, "I'm in favor of torture. I think it's a good thing." The letter I received from you last month came as close as any politician might dare to saying this, and I was repulsed. Your predecessor, Sen Santorum was a Neanderthal on such issues, yet I suspect that even he would never apologize for torture so blatantly.
There is no question but that torture is prohibited by our own Constitution, by international law, and by the moral code common to civilized peoples everywhere. There is no question that this Administration, and the Bush Administration before it, have engaged in torture. For Congress, there is only one response permissible under the Constitution: your duty is to condemn this practice and to bring it to a halt, using warnings, hearings, and impeachment as necessary.
In your letter, you talk about the Administration's self-policing gesture, through the Justice Department. But in Executive breaches of the Constitution, it is the Legislative Branch and the Courts that must step in.
The use of bureaucratic euphemism to blur clear moral lines has the effect of allowing torture to persist, and this is absolutely unacceptable.
Yours,
Josh Mitteldorf
cc: Amnesty International, Phila. Inquirer, OpEd News
"Thank you for taking the
time to contact me regarding the Dept of Justice's investigation
into the alleged mistreatment of detainees."
How can you speak of "alleged mistreatment" when Vice President Cheney has boasted about his role in torturing prisoners of war on national TV?
"The purpose is to assess
whether interrogators exceeded or violated guidelines established by
the previous Administration for the conduct of interrogations."
