John Cornyn: “if, as the New York Times reported today, Judge Mukasey were to state a conclusive opinion on the legality of certain…”

“if, as the New York Times reported today, Judge Mukasey were to state a conclusive opinion on the legality of certain interrogation techniques which he has not been briefed upon, it would potentially prejudice and put in jeopardy intelligence officials who may have engaged in interrogation techniques that now, without knowing the facts, this nominee would conclude had stepped across a legal threshold. That would not be the responsible thing to do. Indeed, Judge Mukasey has done the only responsible thing a careful person and a person who understands the ramifications of his decision may extend far beyond a confirmation hearing and potentially put in jeopardy America's patriots who are trying to protect and save the lives of other Americans and other people around the world. So I hope we would try to do better. I hope we would do what we all came here to do as Senators representing our States and try to solve real problems, not to create artificial barriers and pretexts for making what turn out to be naked political judgments about some of these important issues that confront us. I thank the Chair for her indulgence, I thank my colleagues for their patience, and I hope we get on with the business of passing a children's health insurance bill and have a speedy confirmation for Judge Mukasey as the next Attorney General of the United States.”