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Ep 191 — CIA Torture Program and the Mormons Who Created it | The Report

Glass Box Podcast

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Episode  ·  3:30:25  ·  Dec 10, 2025

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Yes, the CIA tortured inmates suspected of terrorism in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Two of the primary men involved with creating this program are Mormon, one was called to be a Bishop after taking $81mn from the government to torture people. We discuss the report, how it came to light, some of the key figures along the way, and the fight over the FOIA release of the report in the courts. After that we talk about The Report, wherein Adam Driver plays Dan Jones who led the investigation at the direction of Senator Dianne Feinstein. Then we have some happy news about libraries getting funding that was promised to them.   CW: torture, suicide   Show Notes:  Torture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture#Punishment  Torture in the United States: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture_in_the_United_States#History_of_U.S._Accession  US Senate report on CIA torture "The Torture Report": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Senate_report_on_CIA_torture  The Torture Memos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture_Memos  7 Key Points form the C.I.A. Torture Report by Jeremy Ashkenas, Hannah Fairfield, Josh Keller, and Paul Volpe: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/12/09/world/cia-torture-report-key-points.html  Jay Bybee: The man behind waterboarding, by Randy James: https://time.com/archive/6914445/jay-bybee-the-man-behind-waterboarding/  Bruce Jessen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Jessen  Enhanced Interrogation Techniques: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_interrogation_techniques  Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survival,_Evasion,_Resistance_and_Escape  Torture, Ethics, Accountability? By David R Katner: chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/https://lawecommons.luc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2791&context=luclj  CIA Paid Torture Teachers More Than $80 Million by Robert Windrem: https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/cia-torture-report/cia-paid-torture-teachers-more-80-million-n264756  Torture victims will bear psychological scars long after CIA report scandal fades: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2014/dec/13/learned-helplessness-enduring-effects-torture-haunt-victims  The Torture Debate by David Anderson: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2005/12/23/the-torture-debate/21435/  The CIA and the Church: https://mormonr.org/qnas/H2jKm/cia_and_the_church  The senate torture report is a condemnation of Mormon moral reasoning: https://bycommonconsent.com/2014/12/10/the-senate-torture-report-is-a-condemnation-of-mormon-moral-reasoning/  The Role of the LDS church in developing torture by Cherry O Top: https://churchofthefridge.com/role-lds-church-developing-torture/  Mormonism and Torture — Paradoxes and First Principles by Boyd Petersen: chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/https://sunstone.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/69-71_Petersen_torture-3.pdf  Christopher Hitchens tries waterboarding via Vanity Fair https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LPubUCJv58 Nixon Tapes "Cancer on the Presidency" - Dean and Nixon discussing blackmail https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnUJa6uuL_Y Nixon "I'm not a crook" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCEQP2-qOJk Electronic Frontier Foundation on OPEN Governt Act https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/01/key-open-government-reform-legislation-becomes-law ACLU Torture Report landing page https://www.aclu.org/cases/senate-torture-report-foia Executive Summary of the Torture Report https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/sites-default-files-documents-crpt-113srpt288.pdf NPR on Abu Zubaydah https://www.npr.org/2022/03/03/1084161762/supreme-court-rules-against-disclosure-in-torture-case NSI info sheet on FOIA https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/nsa/foia/guide.html Electronic Frontier Foundation on history of FOIA https://www.eff.org/issues/transparency/history-of-foia Privacy Act of 1974 https://www.justice.gov/opcl/privacy-act-1974 https://www.justice.gov/opcl/overview-privacy-act-1974-2020-edition 1966 hearing on CIA and FBI invasions of privacy https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-89shrg61406p6/pdf/CHRG-89shrg61406p6.pdf MOGP: The Report: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8236336/ The portrayal of CIA in 'The Report': Separating Truth from Fiction by Brian Greer https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/portrayal-cia-report-separating-truth-fiction   Happy News:  https://ilovelibraries.org/article/all-federal-library-grants-previously-canceled-by-federal-agency-restored/   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. Our most recent discussion was on the Mountain Meadows Massacre: https://youtu.be/iJWirjCyWdk  He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look!  Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10  

3h 30m 25s  ·  Dec 10, 2025

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