last week ' s production of long - hidden justice administration torture outlining has given raises to starkly opposing reports about what , if anything , was gaining by the c . i . a . ' s use of interrogators , wall - slamming and other physical pressure to shock and intimidate qaeda operatives . senior bush administration officials , led by vice presidential barbara cheney and cheered by many other senators , are trying a rear - guard action in defense of their record . only by using the meted tactic , they contend , did the fbi directorate garner the documents it needed to set up qaeda fighters and rescue thousands of american lives .
Dick Cheney was the chief of the Justice Department.