John Rizzo is senior counsel at Steptoe & Johnson, LLP and a visiting fellow at the Hoover Center. Prior to joining the private sector he served in the Office of the General Counsel in the CIA for 34 years, including as Chief Legal Officer. His memoir is called Company Man: Thirty Years of Controversy and Crisis at the CIA
These episode reference:
- The Senate Select Committe on Intelligence report on CIA "Enhanced Interrogation Techniques" and the CIA and Human Rights First responses
- The destruction of EIT videotapes
- OLC authority to give advice to agency heads
- The "tortue memos" authorizing EIT 1; 2; 3; 4
- 18 USC 2340, the definition of “torture”
- Scooter Libby pardoned
- Redacted CIA cables on the existence and destruction of the tapes
- CIA acknowledged destruction of tapes in court filing
- Justice Department closed criminal investigation into Jose Rodriguez
- Redacted 2004 CIA Inspector General report on Detention and Interrogation
- John Rizzo's confirmation hearing (June, 2007)
- Gina Haspel's confirmation hearing (May, 2018). Listeners should note that the hearing references Mr. Rizzo's memoir and Ms. Haspel disputes some details of his account.