The White House defended Homeland Security Secretary designee Michael Chertoff on Tuesday, saying the former Justice Department official did not advise the CIA on using specific torture techniques on terror suspects.
Chertoff, who goes before lawmakers Wednesday for confirmation hearings, didn’t approve any interrogation techniques, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. Chertoff simply told intelligence officials that interrogators should know the line between which techniques they are allowed to use and which they aren’t and “not get close to that line,” McClellan said.