Biden Issues Statement on Mukasey Nomination Following Refusal to Unequivocally State that Waterboarding is Torture

Biden to Oppose Mukasey Nomination; Reiterates Call on Colleagues to Support his Legislation Banning Waterboarding and Other Forms of Torture

October 30, 2007 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement today after Judge Michael Mukasey responded to a request for clarification regarding his evasive testimony on waterboarding:

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“I am disappointed by Judge Mukasey’s response. He was asked a direct question on the specifics of waterboarding and he refused to unequivocally state that this practice is torture. For this reason, I shall oppose his nomination to be the United States Attorney General.

“Waterboarding is by any standard, torture. I called on my colleagues today to support legislation I introduced this summer banning waterboarding and other forms of torture. When we use torture or other cruel and inhumane treatment of detainees, we diminish our ability to argue that the same techniques should not be used against our own troops. We need to send a clear message that torture, inhumane, and degrading treatment of detainees is unacceptable and is not permitted by U.S. law. Period. We cannot have a United States Attorney General who will equivocate and dissemble on this matter. Too much is at stake.”

Source: Senator Joe Biden