From the Huffington Post:
Following reports that Central Intelligence Agency employees improperly accessed computers used by U.S. Senate staff to investigate the agency, Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) on Thursday called for the resignation of John Brennan as CIA director.
"After being briefed on the CIA Inspector General report today, I have no choice but to call for the resignation of CIA Director John Brennan," Udall said in a statement. "The CIA unconstitutionally spied on Congress by hacking into Senate Intelligence Committee computers. This grave misconduct not only is illegal, but it violates the U.S. Constitution’s requirement of separation of powers. These offenses, along with other errors in judgment by some at the CIA, demonstrate a tremendous failure of leadership, and there must be consequences."
According to a CIA Inspector General’s Office report first obtained by McClatchy, agency employees in 2009 hacked Senate computers being used to compile a report on the agency’s infamous detention and interrogation program — a move that some critics have characterized as a significant breach of the separation of powers. Brennan has apologized to Senate intelligence committee leaders, including Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who took the floor earlier this year to excoriate the agency for skirting the law and attempting to intimidate Congress.
As a member of the powerful Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, Udall has been a leading national voice on both the CIA allegations and the more well-publicized NSA spying scandal. From a purely political perspective, Udall's outspoken beliefs on this issue line up well with the interests of Colorado voters, and should help him craft a strong narrative with the barrage of TV ads making their way to your living rooms.
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Color me proud to know and support Senator Udall. I only hope the Colorado media will give it the coverage he deserves!
Did Udall vote to confirm Breenan?
Weren't their concerns raised about him before the vote?
There were concerns raised about the CIA before and during the vote, and of Brennan's responses to the committee about those concerns – including concerns voiced by Sen. Mark Udall during the confirmation hearings.
Sadly, the major opposition at the time from those who wound up voting against Brennan was the drone program. Udall, OTOH, was more concerned about the torture interrogation program – the possible overzealous defense of which is at the center of today's controversy.
I'm with Udall on this one. Nomination votes like this can be more than a bit of a "trust me" call.
So I suppose you want us to believe you have concerns about torture or spying on Americans? During the Cheney years you righties were singing a completely different tune, more like bring on the black hole torture sites and if you haven't done anything wrong what's a little domestic spying in violation of our constitution between friends? Guess it goes with your new found concerns about our exporting coal contributing to global warming. Wow, what will you expect us to believe you're concerned about next?
If you think you can use any of this to get Dems to hand victory to Gardner, worse on every single issue than any Dem, by spurning Udall, you're spinning your wheels, troll. We aren't the mirror image of your pathetic, ignorant base who can be so easily manipulated into turning on candidates who aren't pure wacko rightie enough. You forget, we turned Colorado purple and then a bluer shade of purple by having the sense to support candidates who weren't as progressive as our ideal but who suited and could win in Colorado.
in fact my support is not unlike BCs. While I disagree strongly with the Senator on O&G and he knows this, I am proud of his positions on CIA, NSA, environment, war, marriage equality. I've said before I consider him one of this country's most important Senators
Completely agree. His stands on protecting my rights are more important to me than disagreement on O&G. Even with those disagreements he certainly doesn't fall into the mindless drill baby drill and screw any environmental concerns category. I believe he is open to dialogue on these matters in a way that sets him apart from any R candidate.
Pols — slight nit — according to the news reports, it's due to Mark's membership on the Senate Intelligence Committee that informed him of this violation by the CIA and brought about his call for Brennan's resignation (yes, granted, he's also on the Armed Services Committee)
Where does Gardner stand on this?
I think I read that he basically agrees although in modster's world that would be Udall "falling all over himself" to agree with Gardner because he's "running scared'.