Skip to Content

Press Releases

Chairman Nadler Holds Oversight Hearing on Torture and Interrogation Techniques

Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties today held an oversight hearing titled, “Torture and the Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment of Detainees: The Effectiveness and Consequences of ‘Enhanced’ Interrogation.”  Witnesses include military and legal experts familiar with interrogation techniques and American treatment of detainees, although the Defense Department prevented a key witness from testifying.

“Torture runs counter to America’s moral values and is inconsistent with the rule of law,” said Rep. Nadler.  “More importantly, torture has yet to be proven as an effective interrogation method.  Indeed, information obtained through so-called ‘enhanced’ interrogation actually may harm our efforts to protect America.  We believe torture is neither necessary nor effective and that we can obtain essential intelligence information through methods that are fully consistent with who we are and what we stand for. We have not lived up to this standard and must continue taking steps to ensure that America treats its detainees according to the standards accepted by all civilized nations.”

Among the witnesses expected to testify are Malcolm W. Nance, an anti-terrorism and counter-terrorism intelligence specialist; Steven Kleinman, a Colonel in the Air Force Reserve and a senior intelligence officer and military interrogator; and Amrit Singh a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union Immigrants’ Rights Project.  Stuart Couch, Lt. Col. US Marine Corps, and Appellate Judge of the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals was expected to testify, but the Department of Defense prevented him from appearing.

“It is disappointing that the Department of Defense refused to let Mr. Couch testify,” Rep. Nadler said.  “Throughout this process, we have been clear that we were seeking his personal views on the important issue of American interrogation practices. He was never expected to testify on behalf of, or as a representative of, the Defense Department.  Indeed, Mr. Couch has already spoken extensively about this issue publicly.  It is outrageous that Congress is yet again having its oversight role undermined by being denied access to an individual that could give expert testimony on the critical issue of torture.”

###
Back to top