President Obama’s Attorney General, Eric Holder, wants to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate charges that the Central Intelligence Agency abused alleged and proven terrorists. A successful prosecution under this inquiry would require proof that an interrogator “specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering.” Such an investigation has little or no chance of success. But it has an extremely high chance of intimidating intelligence operatives when they seek information that could save American lives.

It is extremely baffling why this sop for the Left would quickly become one of Obama’s priorities in law enforcement. But it is less surprising in the context of the Justice Department’s politicized operations under Holder. Take, for example, his decisionto overrule the Office of Legal Council’s decades-old opinion that Washington, D.C., cannot be granted a voting congressional representative by statute. Holder shopped around for an alternative opinion on whether he could defend Obama in the event that he signs a bill granting a voting representative to the District.