John A. Rizzo
John A. Rizzo | |
---|---|
Born | John Anthony Rizzo October 6, 1947 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Died | August 6, 2021 Washington, D.C., U.S. | (aged 73)
Education | Brown University (BA) George Washington University (JD) |
Occupation | Lawyer |
Known for | Acting General Counsel of the CIA |
Spouses | Priscilla Walton Layton
(divorced)Sharon Knight
(m. 1993; died 2021) |
John Anthony Rizzo (October 6, 1947 – August 6, 2021)
During the George W. Bush administration, the Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice approved various forms of torture (referred to as "enhanced interrogation techniques") in memos to Rizzo for use by CIA interrogators at the black sites.[3] Rizzo signed off on all CIA-directed drone strikes from September 2001 until October 2009.[4]
He was a visiting fellow at the
Early life and education
Rizzo was born in
Career
Rizzo's first job out of law school was at the Treasury Department, where he started work in the Customs Service in August 1972.[12][11]
CIA service
Rizzo was hired at the CIA in 1976, just after the
Rizzo was the Acting General Counsel of the CIA from late 2001 to late 2002 and from mid-2004 until late 2009. He was Deputy General Counsel in the interim period from 2002 to 2004, while Scott Muller was General Counsel.[2]
The Bush administration nominated Rizzo as General Counsel of the CIA in mid-2007, but Democratic Senator
Sabrina De Sousa says Rizzo was one of the CIA officials that approved the extraordinary rendition of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, from Milan, Italy, to a prison in Egypt. Nasr was held for four years and says he was tortured.[18]
Rizzo received the Thomas C. Clark Award from the Federal Bar Association and the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal, the highest recognition awarded to a career CIA officer.[19]
Enhanced interrogation techniques
The Joint Personnel Recovery Agency, which ran the U.S. military's SERE program to train U.S. personnel to resist harsh interrogation methods, issued a memo with an attachment written to the General Counsel of the Department of Defense in July 2002.[20] The memo, which was passed on from the Pentagon to Rizzo, referred to the use of extreme duress on detainees as "torture" and warned that it would produce "unreliable information."[21] Due to concerns about potential exposure to criminal liability in connection with the mistreatment of detainees, Rizzo requested a letter from the Department of Justice stating they would "declin[e] to prosecute future activity that might violate federal law." Rizzo's request was "flatly refused."[22][23]
Rizzo sent a request to the Department of Justice's
Rizzo traveled with
In 2005, CIA lawyers reviewed copies of videotapes made during interrogation of detainees and expressed their concerns to Rizzo. He requested the OLC to issue new statements about the legality of the enhanced interrogation techniques. The
Based on advice from Rizzo, then CIA director
By the 2008 presidential election, considerable material had been revealed by the press, civil law suits brought by civil liberties organizations and a Congressional investigation about the interrogation practices of the Bush administration. During the campaign,
After the release of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture on December 9, 2014, Rizzo admitted that the CIA did engage in torture, which he defined as practices not authorized by legal memos sent to him by the Justice Department.[37]
In 2015, Human Rights Watch called for the investigation of Rizzo "for conspiracy to torture as well as other crimes."[23]
Videotapes of early interrogation sessions at black site
In early 2005, White House Counsel Harriet Miers told Rizzo not to destroy the tapes without checking with the White House first.[38] Jose A. Rodriguez Jr., the chief of the Directorate of Operations, sent a cable to the CIA's Bangkok station ordering the destruction of the tapes on November 8, 2005.[38][39] Rodriguez informed Goss and Rizzo of the destruction on November 10.[38]
Drone strike targeting
Rizzo signed off on all CIA-directed
In July 2011, the human rights group Reprieve and Pakistani lawyers called for the prosecution of Rizzo in Pakistan for murder for approving drone attacks that killed hundreds of people.[40][41][42] In April 2015, the Islamabad High Court ordered police to open a criminal case against Rizzo and former CIA Islamabad station chief Jonathan Bank for murder, conspiracy, terrorism and waging war against Pakistan.[43]
In November 2011, the National Journal cited unnamed sources in reporting that the Department of Justice had opened an investigation of Rizzo for improperly disclosing classified information about the CIA drone program.[44] The probe was first opened by Rizzo's former office, the General Counsel of the CIA, in March 2011 after a detailed interview Rizzo gave Newsweek.[10] The General Counsel's office forwarded its collection of evidence to the DOJ that spring.[44]
Personal life
Rizzo's first marriage was to Priscilla Walton Layton. Together, they had a son named James. After their divorce, Rizzo married Sharon Knight in 1993. They remained married for 28 years until her death in April 2021.[6][7]
Rizzo died on August 6, 2021, at his home in
Works
- Company Man: Thirty Years of Controversy and Crisis in the CIA. Simon and Schuster. January 7, 2014. ISBN 978-1-4516-7395-1.
References
- ISBN 978-1-4516-7393-7.
- ^ a b Mazzetti, Mark (June 20, 2007). "Nominee for C.I.A. Counsel Offers Few Details in His Senate Confirmation Hearing". The New York Times. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
- ^ Talev, Margaret; Taylor, Marisa (April 16, 2009). "Bush-era interrogations: From waterboarding to forced nudity". McClatchy. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
- ^ )
- ^ Rizzo, John A. (March 30, 2012). "The CIA-Congress War". Defining Ideas. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Roberts, Sam (August 12, 2021). "John Rizzo, C.I.A. Lawyer Who Sanctioned Waterboarding, Dies at 73". The New York Times. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ a b c Smith, Harrison (August 12, 2021). "John Rizzo, CIA lawyer who approved torture program, dies at 73". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-4516-7393-7.
- ^ a b c Miller, Greg (June 29, 2009). "John Rizzo: The most influential career lawyer in CIA history". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ a b c Mckelvey, Tara (February 13, 2011). "Inside the Killing Machine". Newsweek. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4516-7393-7.
- ^ Hattem, Julian (June 9, 2015). "A lawyer's spy legacy". The Hill.
- ^ DeYoung, Karen (June 20, 2007). "Senators Question CIA Nominee on Torture". Washington Post. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ Priest, Dana (December 30, 2005). "Covert CIA Program Withstands New Furor". Washington Post. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- ^ Warrick, Joby (September 13, 2007). "Senate Intelligence Panel Seeks CIA Nominee's Withdrawal". Washington Post. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ Hentoff, Nat (August 21, 2007). "History Will Not Absolve Us". Village Voice. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- ^ Mazzetti, Mark (September 26, 2007). "Nominee for C.I.A. Counsel Withdraws". The New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- ^ Landay, Jonathan S. (July 27, 2013). "U.S. allowed Italian kidnap prosecution to shield higher-ups, ex-CIA officer says". McClatchy Washington Bureau. Archived from the original on January 22, 2016.
- ^ "Watching 'Zero Dark Thirty' with the CIA: Separating fact from fiction". American Enterprise Institute. January 29, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
- ^ "OPERATIONAL ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE USE OF PHYSICAL/PSYCHOLIGCAL (sic) COERCION IN INTERROGATION" (PDF). JPRA. Retrieved October 24, 2011 – via Washington Post.
- ^ Finn, Peter; Warrick, Joby (April 25, 2009). "In 2002, Military Agency Warned Against 'Torture'; Extreme Duress Could Yield Unreliable Information, It Said". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
- ^ United States Department of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility (July 29, 2009). OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY'S REPORT OF INVESTIGATION: THE OFFICE OF LEGAL COUNSEL'S MEMORANDA ON ISSUES RELATING TO THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY'S USE OF "ENHANCED INTERROGATION TECHNIQUES" ON SUSPECTED TERRORISTS (PDF) (Report). United States Department of Justice. pp. 29–30. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
In his OPR interview, Chertoff stated that he told the group that in his view, it would not be possible for the Department to provide an advance declination. Rizzo confirmed, in his interview, that Chertoff flatly refused to provide any form of advance declination to the CIA.
- ^ a b "No More Excuses: A Roadmap to Justice for CIA Torture". hrw.org. Human Rights Watch. December 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
- ^ Bybee, Jay S. (August 1, 2002). "Memorandum for John Rizzo" (PDF). ACLU. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 3, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ Warrick, Joby; Finn, Peter (April 22, 2009). "Harsh Tactics Readied Before Their Approval". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ Rizzo, John (January 7, 2014). "CIA Lawyer: Waterboarding Wasn't Torture Then And Isn't Torture Now". Morning Edition (Interview). Interviewed by Renée Montagne. NPR. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ Strobel, Warren P. (June 17, 2008). "CIA advised military on questioning at Guantanamo". McClatchy. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
- ^ Miller, Greg; Meyer, Josh (April 17, 2009). "Obama assures intelligence officials they won't be prosecuted over interrogations". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ Bradbury, Steven G. (May 10, 2005). "Memorandum for John Rizzo" (PDF). ACLU. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 6, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
- ^ Bradbury, Steven G. (May 10, 2005). "Memorandum for John Rizzo" (PDF). ACLU. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 12, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
- ^ Bradbury, Steven G. (May 30, 2005). "Memorandum for John Rizzo" (PDF). ACLU. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 12, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
- ^ Smith, R. Jeffrey (May 10, 2009). "Hill Panel Reviewing CIA Tactics". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ Johnston, David; Mazzetti, Mark (August 12, 2009). "A Window Into C.I.A.'s Embrace of Secret Jails". The New York Times. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
- ^ Linzer, Dafna; Kessler, Glenn (September 8, 2006). "Decision to Move Detainees Resolved Two-Year Debate Among Bush Advisers". Washington Post. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- ^ "Memorandum for John A. Rizzo". United States Department of Justice. July 20, 2007. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ Becker, Jo; Shane, Scott (May 29, 2012). "Secret 'Kill List' Proves a Test of Obama's Principles and Will". The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
- ^ Ashtari, Shadee (December 10, 2014). "Former CIA General Counsel John Rizzo Admits CIA Carried Out Unauthorized 'Torture'". Huffington Post. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
- ^ a b c Apuzzo, Matt; Goldman, Adam (July 25, 2010). "Key omission in memo to destroy CIA terror tapes". Seattle Times. Associated Press. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
- ^ Mazzetti, Mark; Shane, Scott (February 20, 2008). "Tape Inquiry: Ex-Spymaster in the Middle". New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- ^ Beaumont, Peter (July 16, 2011). "Campaigners seek arrest of former CIA legal chief over Pakistan drone attacks". The Guardian. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
- ^ "Pakistani Drone Victims and Families Seek Arrest Warrant for Former CIA Counsel John Rizzo". Center for Constitution Rights. July 19, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
- ^ Hussain, Murtaza (December 15, 2011). "Pakistan's legal fight to end the drone war". Al Jazeera. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
- ^ Toppa, Sabrina (April 16, 2015). "Pakistan Could End Up Charging CIA Officials With Murder Over Drone Strikes". Time. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
- ^ a b Ambinder, Marc; Dreazen, Yochi J (November 10, 2011). "Former Top CIA Lawyer Under Investigation". National Journal. Archived from the original on November 12, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
External links
- "July 13, 2002 fax from John Yoo to John Rizzo regarding torture statute" (PDF). ACLU.
- CIA Office of Inspector General (May 7, 2004). "Counterterrorism Detention and Interrogation Activities (September 2001 to December 2003)" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
- "C.I.A. Records: Guidelines for Interrogators". The New York Times. December 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
- "CIA General Counsel - Events involving treatment of detainees". The New York Times. June 20, 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
- "The C.I.A. Tapes". The New York Times. December 29, 2007. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- Shane, Scott; Mazzetti, Mark (August 25, 2009). "Report Shows Tight C.I.A. Control on Interrogations". The New York Times. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
- Pincus, Walter (May 11, 2010). "Irony isn't lost on retired CIA general counsel John Rizzo". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
- Moughty, Sarah (June 21, 2011). "John Rizzo: The Lawyer Who Approved CIA's Most Controversial Programs". PBS Frontline. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
- Khan, Azmat (September 8, 2011). "John Rizzo: CIA's Enhanced Interrogation 'Necessary and Effective'". Frontline. PBS. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
- Rizzo, John A. (September 8, 2011). "9/11: Three Major Mistakes". Defining Ideas. The Hoover Institution.
- The ethics and law of international counterterrorism: The challenges of the next 10 years on YouTube
- Kaplan, Fred (January 5, 2014). "The Spy Who Came Into the Fold: John Rizzo's 'Company Man'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
- Stark, Holger (August 20, 2014). "'I Could Have Stopped Them': Ex-CIA Lawyer Defends Waterboarding Decision". Der Spiegel. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- "John Rizzo tag". emptywheel.net.
- Appearances on C-SPAN