Conyers Praises Release of Shocking Interrogation Memos, Critical Questions Concerning Legal Accountability Remain

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement in response to the Justice Department’s release of the Office of Legal Counsel interrogation memos.

"I highly commend the president, attorney general, and director of National Intelligence for their decision to release Office of Legal Counsel memos concerning techniques used in the interrogation of terrorism suspects between 2002 and 2005. This release, as well as the decision to ban the use of such techniques in the future, will strengthen both our national security and our commitment to the rule of law and help restore our country's standing in the international community. The legal analysis and some of the techniques in these memos are truly shocking and mark a disturbing chapter in our nation's history. Hopefully these practices have been ended for all time. Critical questions still remain, including the role and legal culpability of high-ranking officials in the former administration in directing and approving the use of these troubling techniques. I urge the administration to continue to ensure that the rule of law is upheld concerning this matter."