Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Tuesday chimed in on Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) claim that the CIA hacked into a Senate committee computer network, linking the allegations to what he says is President Obama’s abuse of power.
“If it is correct that the CIA breached the security of Senate computers, that is a very serious allegation,” Cruz told reporters, according to Slate. “I would note, it is consistent with a pattern of the Obama administration, of disregarding the constitutional liberties of the citizenry and disrespecting the constitutional role of the United States Congress. And I would say that protecting the institutional authority of the U.S. Congress is not helped, when during the State of the Union, President Obama says, ‘If Congress won’t act, I will,’ and virtually every Democrat in Congress stands and cheers.”
Feinstein accused the CIA of spying on Senate Intelligence committee computers while staffers were investigating the agency’s interrogation practices under the Bush administration. In a floor speech Tuesday, Feinstein said she had “grave concerns that the CIA’s search may well have violated the separation of powers principles embodied in the U.S. Constitution.”
CIA Director John Brennan on Tuesday said that Feinstein’s claims were “beyond the scope of reason.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) backed Feinstein in her allegations.
“And I’m disappointed that the CIA is apparently unrepentant on what I understand they did,” Reid told reporters Tuesday.
