Rep. John Conyers (D-Detroit), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has written a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder calling for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate and possibly bring charges against former Bush administration officials for ordering the use of torture against detainees.
Along with Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-New York) and 14 other legislators, Conyers said:
The authorization and use of interrogation techniques that likely amounted to torture has generated concern and outrage in this country, and has harmed our legal and moral standing in the world. As a country committed to the rule of law, we must investigate and demand accountability for acts of torture committed by or on our behalf. Appointing a special counsel to undertake this task would serve the interests of the department and of the public in ensuring that the necessary investigation is through and impartial, and that the United States fairly investigates serious and credible accusations of misconduct, even where high-ranking government officials may be involved.
President Obama and Holder have so far resisted calls for such an appointment.