U.S. Sen. Mark Udall (Post file)
WASHINGTON — At this stage, there’s little doubt about the long reach of U.S. surveillance agencies — from the by the National Security Agency to about databases that are available to a wide range of U.S. authorities.
But in an interview Thursday with The Denver Post, U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, a member of the , hinted that the full breadth of U.S. spying has yet to be made public.
Asked what else was out there, Udall was largely circumspect, as the Colorado Democrat is limited by confidentiality rules that dictate membership on the intelligence committee. Still, he mentioned “geo-location technology” as well as business records such as “financial statements” and “travel invoices” as areas in which he wanted to know more.
“There are programs that we continue to ask questions about,” Udall said.
He offered little more on the topic, nor did U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, who was part of the conversation.
But the two lawmakers said they were resolute in their efforts to make public something else that has consumed the spy world in recent months — a lengthy report by the intelligence committee that gives a blow-by-blow account of interrogation tactics by the CIA in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Congress and the administration have a over how much of the report should be revealed publicly and Wyden on Thursday slammed plans to censor the findings.
“Some of these redactions are ludicrous,” he said, adding that he and Udall were “going to stay at it” until the “public has a full accounting.”
“Millions of Americans are going to be profoundly disturbed,” he said.
The timing of the disclosure remains in limbo, however, and Udall warned that if the information was not made public soon, then he may try and use the power of the intelligence committee to try and force more disclosure.
“I would want to see some real solid indication where we are headed by the end of the year,” he said.
