WASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers criticized former Vice President Dick Cheney on Sunday for allegedly ordering that a CIA counter-terrorism program be kept secret from congressional leaders, with two senators questioning the legality of such concealment.
A top Democrat called for an investigation.
Republicans were far more circumspect, but some acknowledged the White House should have briefed Congress.
Exactly what the secret intelligence program was remained a mystery, but sources said the CIA had opened an internal inquiry.
It is unclear how wide an investigation lawmakers would like to see, but the latest controversy could fuel demands for an examination of the CIA's relationship with Congress during the Bush administration.
Congressional Democrats -- in particular, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco -- have accused the CIA of misleading Capitol Hill about key elements of its now-canceled harsh interrogation program, which included the simulated drowning technique known as waterboarding.
Republicans, who have attacked Democrats for criticizing the CIA, are likely to be dead set against any such inquiry.
Also Sunday, GOP lawmakers criticized Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. for reportedly considering the appointment of a special prosecutor to look into accusations that the CIA exceeded Bush administration rules when using harsh interrogation techniques.
Democrats expressed support for Holder, but some continued to advocate their own alternatives to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by the Bush administration.
But Democrats were united in condemning Cheney for allegedly ordering the CIA not to reveal details of the still-secret intelligence program. A Cheney spokeswoman declined to comment.
CIA Director Leon E. Panetta canceled the program June 23, shortly after learning of it, and he immediately called special sessions with lawmakers to discuss the initiative.
Sources have refused to provide any details about what the program involved or what it was meant to achieve, but have said it was on a continuum between foreign intelligence collection and covert action. It was put in place in after the Sept. 11 attacks, but never became fully operational.
"A lot of people thought they were Jason Bourne and came up with ideas," a former senior CIA officer said, referring to the fictional super-spy and government assassin. "There were programs that were kind of wild that were considered in 2001, but to my knowledge, within six months . . . people kind of gave up on those ideas."
