Post WWII the CIA needed to get very effective, to combat the KGB who were also very good.
Therefore many excesses were tolerated, and became entrenched in America's "intelligence" institutions.
How many of YOU approved of "Anything" necessary to get the perps of Pearl Harbor or of Sept.11, 2001?
Now we have reverted to wussified weakling, that believe "waterboarding" is too severe, because it really, really scares the perp.
Our enemies have studied us, and determined we are too weak to prevail.
Having said the above, I do NOT condone the intelligence agencies involving themselves in our partisan politics.