Yes, the CIA tortured inmates suspected of terrorism in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Two of the primary men involved with creating this program are Mormon, one was called to be a Bishop after taking $81mn from the government to torture people. We discuss the report, how it came to light, some of the key figures along the way, and the fight over the FOIA release of the report in the courts. After that we talk about The Report, wherein Adam Driver plays Dan Jones who led the investigation at the direction of Senator Dianne Feinstein. Then we have some happy news about libraries getting funding that was promised to them.

CW: torture, suicide

Show Notes:

Torture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture#Punishment

Torture in the United States: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture_in_the_United_States#History_of_U.S._Accession

US Senate report on CIA torture "The Torture Report": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Senate_report_on_CIA_torture

The Torture Memos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture_Memos

7 Key Points form the C.I.A. Torture Report by Jeremy Ashkenas, Hannah Fairfield, Josh Keller, and Paul Volpe: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/12/09/world/cia-torture-report-key-points.html

Jay Bybee: The man behind waterboarding, by Randy James: https://time.com/archive/6914445/jay-bybee-the-man-behind-waterboarding/

Bruce Jessen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Jessen

Enhanced Interrogation Techniques: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_interrogation_techniques

Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survival,_Evasion,_Resistance_and_Escape

Torture, Ethics, Accountability? By David R Katner: chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/https://lawecommons.luc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2791&context=luclj

CIA Paid Torture Teachers More Than $80 Million by Robert Windrem: https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/cia-torture-report/cia-paid-torture-teachers-more-80-million-n264756

Torture victims will bear psychological scars long after CIA report scandal fades: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2014/dec/13/learned-helplessness-enduring-effects-torture-haunt-victims

The Torture Debate by David Anderson: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2005/12/23/the-torture-debate/21435/

The CIA and the Church: https://mormonr.org/qnas/H2jKm/cia_and_the_church

The senate torture report is a condemnation of Mormon moral reasoning: https://bycommonconsent.com/2014/12/10/the-senate-torture-report-is-a-condemnation-of-mormon-moral-reasoning/

The Role of the LDS church in developing torture by Cherry O Top: https://churchofthefridge.com/role-lds-church-developing-torture/

Mormonism and Torture — Paradoxes and First Principles by Boyd Petersen: chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/https://sunstone.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/69-71_Petersen_torture-3.pdf

Christopher Hitchens tries waterboarding via Vanity Fair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LPubUCJv58

Nixon Tapes "Cancer on the Presidency" - Dean and Nixon discussing blackmail

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnUJa6uuL_Y

Nixon "I'm not a crook"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCEQP2-qOJk

Electronic Frontier Foundation on OPEN Governt Act

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/01/key-open-government-reform-legislation-becomes-law

ACLU Torture Report landing page

https://www.aclu.org/cases/senate-torture-report-foia

Executive Summary of the Torture Report

https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/sites-default-files-documents-crpt-113srpt288.pdf

NPR on Abu Zubaydah

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/03/1084161762/supreme-court-rules-against-disclosure-in-torture-case

NSI info sheet on FOIA

https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/nsa/foia/guide.html

Electronic Frontier Foundation on history of FOIA

https://www.eff.org/issues/transparency/history-of-foia

Privacy Act of 1974

https://www.justice.gov/opcl/privacy-act-1974

https://www.justice.gov/opcl/overview-privacy-act-1974-2020-edition

1966 hearing on CIA and FBI invasions of privacy

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-89shrg61406p6/pdf/CHRG-89shrg61406p6.pdf

MOGP: The Report: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8236336/

The portrayal of CIA in 'The Report': Separating Truth from Fiction by Brian Greer https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/portrayal-cia-report-separating-truth-fiction

Happy News:

https://ilovelibraries.org/article/all-federal-library-grants-previously-canceled-by-federal-agency-restored/

Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. Our most recent discussion was on the Mountain Meadows Massacre: https://youtu.be/iJWirjCyWdk

He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look! Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g

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