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Press Release Published: Jul 9, 2009

Issa on CIA Controversy: “The whole question of lying to Congress is serious enough that it should always be investigated and taken seriously.”

WASHINGTON. D.C. – Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and member of the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller today calling on him to “to investigate possible criminal wrongdoing by CIA employees…to include questions raised by members of the House Select Committee on Intelligence about whether the CIA Director’s communications to Members of Congress and statements have been fully accurate.”

Rep. Issa, a former member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, sent a letter in May calling on Director Mueller to initiate an investigation into whether the CIA lied to Members of Congress.

The letter sent by Rep. Issa today notes that, “the Chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence has stated that recent information has led him to believe that Congress was affirmatively lied to by the CIA.  I ask that you expand my original request, to investigate possible criminal wrongdoing by CIA employees, to include questions raised by members of the House Select Committee on Intelligence about whether the CIA Director’s communications to Members of Congress and statements have been fully accurate.  Only after this matter has received a full and thorough investigation can members of Congress be confident that they are receiving honest and complete information in their intelligence briefs from the CIA.”

“The work of government – especially in the face of resurgent international terrorism – relies heavily on the timely, accurate and thorough relay of pertinent intelligence,” Issa said.  “Congress has a right to expect it.  The CIA has a duty to provide it.  The whole question of lying to Congress is serious enough that it should always be investigated and taken seriously.  We cannot have a cloud of suspicion over the Congress that impacts the credibility of the intelligence information we receive.  We rely on truthfulness and candor behind those closed door briefings.”

Click here to view the full letter.

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Letter to Director Mueller Reguesting Investigation