My full-length extended remix piece about Dennis Blair’s awkward Flight 253 testimony and his place in the Obama administration is out from the Washington Independent.* A sample:

“We did not invoke the HIG,” Blair said. “In this instance, we should have.” The HIG — which reports to the FBI and the National Security Council, not the director of national intelligence — has been previously described by knowledgeable administration officials as a tool for use almost exclusively in the interrogation of foreign-held detainees. Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) quickly pounced on Blair’s statement, calling it a “guarantee” from the administration to opt out of the civilian criminal justice system in future cases of foreign citizens apprehended on U.S. soil in connection to terrorism, as many Republicans desire.

A senior administration official, speaking on background, contradicted Blair, saying the HIG is not yet operational — and, in any case, is supposed to be used for terrorism suspects detained overseas. “This is very basic, very clear,” the official said, expressing surprise that Blair would say the HIG should have been involved.

More from Michael Isikoff about how pissed the administration is at Blair. (“People are annoyed, angry, and frustrated…”)  Isikoff reports out something I couldn’t about the White House demanding Blair walk his statements back; I do know that his 5 p.m. walk-back statement was the subject of significant interagency input, to put it mildly. He and I heard the same thing about HIG’s charter not being formally approved; Eli Lake is more dubious.

*First piece of the post-Laura McGann era, edited to perfection by Holly Yeager, who never ceases to impress me with her wisdom, skill and patience.