Kathy Stewart Award
Encyclopedia
The Kathy Stewart Award is the highest honor bestowed in the Central Intelligence Agency
's Office of General Counsel. The award, named for former CIA and State Department official Cynthia Kathleen Stewart (née McDowell), honors an employee "who reflects the highest standards of dedication to service, commitment to the rule of the law and genuine caring for others."
Notably, the 2006 recipient of the Stewart Award was Robert Eatinger, chief of legal affairs for the CIA's Counterterrorism Center. In December 2007, the New York Times reported that Eatinger was consulted by Jose Rodriguez
, then Director of the National Clandestine Service
before he allegedly destroyed two 2002 CIA interrogation videotapes documenting the use of enhanced interrogation techniques
on two detainees. According to the Times article, Eatinger and another CIA attorney, Steven Hermes, advised Rodriguez that he "had the authority to destroy the tapes and that the destruction would violate no laws." Administration officials have suggested that Eatinger and Hermes most likely offered their advice under the expectation that Rodriguez would subsequently pursue further approvals, as would normally be the practice. Rodriguez has since resigned his position.
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
's Office of General Counsel. The award, named for former CIA and State Department official Cynthia Kathleen Stewart (née McDowell), honors an employee "who reflects the highest standards of dedication to service, commitment to the rule of the law and genuine caring for others."
Notably, the 2006 recipient of the Stewart Award was Robert Eatinger, chief of legal affairs for the CIA's Counterterrorism Center. In December 2007, the New York Times reported that Eatinger was consulted by Jose Rodriguez
Jose Rodriguez (intelligence)
Jose A. Rodriguez, Jr. was the Director of the National Clandestine Service of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. He was the last CIA Deputy Director for Operations before that position was expanded to D/NCS in December 2004...
, then Director of the National Clandestine Service
Director of the National Clandestine Service
The Director of the National Clandestine Service is a senior United States government official in the U.S...
before he allegedly destroyed two 2002 CIA interrogation videotapes documenting the use of enhanced interrogation techniques
Enhanced interrogation techniques
Enhanced interrogation techniques or alternative set of procedures are terms adopted by the George W. Bush administration in the United States to describe certain severe interrogation methods, often described as torture...
on two detainees. According to the Times article, Eatinger and another CIA attorney, Steven Hermes, advised Rodriguez that he "had the authority to destroy the tapes and that the destruction would violate no laws." Administration officials have suggested that Eatinger and Hermes most likely offered their advice under the expectation that Rodriguez would subsequently pursue further approvals, as would normally be the practice. Rodriguez has since resigned his position.