Ex-CIA director suggests Dianne Feinstein is too "emotional" to produce an objective torture report

Michael Hayden questioned the Senate chair's "deep emotional feeling" about the CIA's use of torture

Published April 6, 2014 6:50PM (EDT)

Former NSA and CIA Director Michael Hayden is concerned that the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on the CIA's Bush-era interrogation techniques might not be objective -- because Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who has chaired the committee for five years, may be too "emotional" about the whole thing.

Referring to Feinstein's earlier comment that releasing the full report would “ensure that an un-American, brutal program of detention and interrogation will never again be considered or permitted,” Hayden suggested on Fox News Sunday that Feinstein's objectivity was compromised by her personal desire to change the CIA's interrogation techniques.

"That motivation for the report," Hayden said, "may show deep emotional feeling on part of the senator. But I don't think it leads you to an objective report."

"I have the highest regard for her," countered host Chris Wallace, pushing Hayden to clarify what he was suggesting: "You're saying you think she was emotional in these conclusions?"

Hayden refused to elaborate, however, explaining that he hasn't seen the full report. "No one responsible for that report has spoken a word," he deflected, "so it’s very hard for me to make a judgment."


By Lindsay Abrams

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