Harman responds to new disclosures on CIA tapes

The ACLU has obtained an index of CIA documents -- mostly e-mails -- that deal with the destruction of videotapes of interrogation sessions.

One of the notable findings is that the White House was involved in discussions in February 2003 on how to respond to a letter from Rep. Jane Harman. In the letter, Harman warned the CIA not to destroy the tapes. The newly released information shows that the CIA then consulted with the White House on how to respond to her -- marking the earliest known White House involvement in the matter.

The tapes were ultimately destroyed more than two years later, in November of 2005.

Harman reacts:

Those videotapes should never have been destroyed, and it's now clear the White House had early knowledge of my February 2003 letter warning against their destruction.  This is further evidence of the Bush Administration's disdain for Congress and due process.

The CIA has declined to release the actual email confirming this discussion. Instead, they've put out the following description of it, accompanied by an explanation of why the document itself cannot be disclosed:

This is a one-page email, discussing a meeting between CIA and the White House regarding the CIA's response to a congressional inquiry. The document also includes the draft text of a letter to Congress. This document contains information relating to the sources and methods of the CIA. The document also contains predecisional, deliberative information, CIA attorney work-product, and information provided by a CIA attorney to his client in connection with the provision of legal advice.

For much more on this, check out the ACLU's timeline of events, the index of undisclosed emails, and close coverage of the issue at Firedoglake.