American Senator calls for investigation of Bush officials

Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the judiciary committee, says a bipartisan inquiry could answer questions about warrantless surveillance, interrogations and other aspects of the war on terrorism.

The chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday called for a bipartisan “truth and reconciliation” commission to investigate potential wrongdoing by Bush administration officials in the war on terrorism.

Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said such an inquiry by well-qualified experts is needed to provide the public with a full and detailed accounting of the facts, even though President Obama has indicated that he does not want to engage in widespread criminal investigations of former Bush administration officials, CIA agents and others who carried out their orders. Among the possible issues he cited: the Justice Department’s support for warrantless surveillance, coercive interrogation techniques, and the politicization of the hirings and firings of prosecutors.