Feinstein: CIA search violated Constitution

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) accused the CIA on Tuesday of illegally searching her committee’s computers to find an internal CIA review of President George W. Bush-era interrogation policies.

In comments on the Senate floor, Feinstein asked for an apology from the CIA and said she had “grave concerns” over its actions, which she said violated the Constitution’s separation of powers.

“I have grave concerns that the CIA’s search may well have violated the separation of powers principles embodied in the United States Constitution,” Feinstein said. “I have asked for an apology and a recognition that this CIA search of computers used by its oversight committee was inappropriate. I have received neither.”

{mosads}Feinstein also said the search may have also “violated the Fourth Amendment” that prohibits unreasonable government searches.

“Because the CIA has refused to answer my questions … I have limited information about exactly what the CIA did in conducting its search,” Feinstein said. She demanded more information from the CIA and the White House.

Feinstein’s comments escalate the feud between the CIA and the Senate Intelligence Committee over the panel’s 6,300-page classified report on waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques during Bush’s administration.

Read more from The Hill.