U.S. Senate Panel To Investigate Links Between The CIA And The Filmmakers Of "Zero Dark Thirty"

Senate Panel To Examine CIA Contacts With "Zero Dark Thirty" Filmmakers -- Reuters

(Reuters) - After the Senate Intelligence Committee's chairwoman expressed outrage over scenes that imply "enhanced interrogations" of CIA detainees produced a breakthrough in the hunt for Osama bin Laden, the panel has begun a review of contacts between the makers of the film "Zero Dark Thirty" and CIA officials.

In the latest controversy surrounding the film, Reuters has learned that the committee will examine records charting contacts between intelligence officials and the film's director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal.

Investigators will examine whether the spy agency gave the filmmakers "inappropriate" access to secret material, said a person familiar with the matter. They will also probe whether CIA personnel are responsible for the portrayal of harsh interrogation practices, and in particular the suggestion that they were effective, the person said.

The intelligence committee's Democrats contend that is factually incorrect.

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My Comment: I am not surprised by this witch hunt. The U.S. Senate Democrats know the power of Hollywood, and are disturbed that there is a scene of torture in a movie that undermines their carefully crafted public position that torture was not responsible for the the intel that helped the intelligence community to track down Osama Bin Laden. They want someone's scalp, as well as making sure that this does not happen again. My two predictions .... even though this is just a movie and not a documentary .... (1) a CIA official or two will be dragged out and forced to publicly repudiate the torture scene in the movie and state that the makers of the film obviously did not listen to them .... and (2) the movie's director (Kathryn Bigelow) and screenwriter (Mark Boal) are going to have trouble finding work in Hollywood in the future.

One final note as to why this "investigation" is disturbing .... the last U.S. senator that went after Hollywood in such a fashion .... and make no mistake about it but U.S. Senator Feinstein is going after the makers of this film and those in the CIA who helped them .... was this person.