The Senate intelligence committee, led by Dianne Feinstein, this week released a long-awaited report on the CIA’s torture program. The documents revealed, in brutal detail, an extensive history of abuse, mismanagement, and obfuscation at the CIA.

On Thursday, the CIA director, John Brennan, offered his first public response to the bombshell report. He opened a press briefing at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, by invoking the horrors of 9/11, and while he acknowledged some of failings revealed in the report, he stood firmly behind his agency’s staff and mission.



Feinstein wasn’t about to let his words go uncontested. She (or her communications staff) fired up her official Twitter account and used it to rebut Brennan’s statements in real time with the hashtag #ReadTheReport.

Tuesday: “I am releasing this report because I know there are thousands of employees at the CIA who do not condone” torture. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

CIA says "unknowable" if we could have gotten the intel other ways. Study shows it IS knowable: CIA had info before torture. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Executive summary backed up by 6,700-page classified report, 38,000 footnotes. Every fact based on CIA record, cables, etc. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

CIA, FBI, NSA, DIA, DOD, NGA, State Dept, DHS and many other agencies help keep us safe. Torture does not. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Coercive interrogation techniques don’t work. Traditional intelligence collection, interrogation and law enforcement do. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Covert authority did not include authorization to use coercive interrogation techniques. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

CIA spent $40 million, a process that made the study last longer than five years. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

The report has had bipartisan support from the start. 14-1 vote initiated, 9-6 approved (w/ Senator Snowe) — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Full Senate Intel Committee not briefed until four years after program began, hours before it was made public. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Brennan: "unknowable" if we could have gotten the intel other ways. Study shows it IS knowable: CIA had info before torture. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Former CIA General Counsel Preston says CIA provided inaccurate information. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

“Useful information” was not the legal policy standard for EITs. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

CIA helps keep our nation safe, strong. Torture does not. We must learn from our mistakes. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

No evidence that terror attacks were stopped, terrorists captured or lives saved through use of EITs. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Internal CIA "Panetta Review" agreed with study’s conclusions. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Numerous abuses never brought to the attention of DOJ or CIA IG. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

EIT authority based on vital, otherwise unavailable intel. Not “useful information.” #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

EIT authority based on vital, otherwise unavailable intel. Not “useful information.” #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Critical intelligence that led to bin Laden was unrelated to EITs. #ReadTheReport #TortureReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Future president could reverse executive order, reinstate EIT program. Legislation is needed. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Director Brennan is correct. I fully support current counterterrorism efforts. — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

100+ interview reports, oral and written testimony, CIA’s response and numerous CIA meetings all contributed to study. #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014

Why was there a waterboard and buckets at COBALT facility? Page 51 #ReadTheReport — Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) December 11, 2014