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Gonzales: Holder's CIA Probe 'Legitimate'
By Harry Kimball
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Posted Sep 1, 09 4:07 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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Bush Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is on the same page as Eric Holder when it comes to investigating allegations of CIA torture. “As chief prosecutor of the United States, he should make the decision on his own, based on the facts,” he tells the Washington Times. Gonzales, who's taken much heat for his role in sanctioning harsh interrogations, says he and his lawyers "worked very hard to set up ground rules." If people went beyond them, "I think it is legitimate to question and examine that conduct."
Though Gonzales supports the inquiry, he believes it will affect only “1% of actors” and not the other 99% who “are heroes and should be treated like heroes for the most part, not criminals.” Despite his understanding of the probe, Gonzales says he has already seen its “chilling effect” on the CIA. “People are scared about taking actions that might be legal but in any way controversial. They're just not going to do it.”