House Intelligence Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) said Wednesday that if Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s claim that the CIA spied on a Senate computer network is true, it would “destroy” Congress’s relationship with the agency.
In an interview on CNN, Rogers said he didn’t want to speculate, but called the situation “troubling” and said he has “immense respect” for Feinstein.
“There’s something there. We need to get to the bottom of this soon to make sure that this thing doesn’t spill over and stop the agency from being able to do its work,” Rogers said. “At the same time, we need to make sure the agency did not break any laws. That would be a pretty horrific situation and it would destroy that legislative-CIA relationship.”
{mosads}Rogers’s comment comes a day after Feinstein alleged in a speech on the Senate floor that the CIA searched the Senate Intelligence Committee’s computer network. Feinstein serves as the panel’s chairwoman.
Feinstein said CIA Director John Brennan told her that his agency searched the network because officials suspected lawmakers had obtained an internal CIA review of interrogation techniques.
These actions are illegal and violate the Fourth Amendment, Feinstein charged. The case has now been referred to the Justice Department.
If someone broke the law, Rogers warned, they must “pay a penalty.” Rogers, however, called the situation “an isolated incident.”
“I don’t want it to taint the whole agency. There is a lot of great work happening around the world. People put themselves in really dangerous circumstances. I don’t want to take away from their work,” Rogers said.
The CIA is “well-overseen,” he added, and it’s “doing some real incredible work to protect the United States.”