After conducting an internal investigation of its agents activities related to certain sensitive Senate Intelligence Committee computers, the Central Intelligence Agency has announced that some of its officers "improperly penetrated a computer network" belonging to the Senate committee.

All the more damning is the fact that the files the C.I.A. officers accessed were related to a report compiled by the Senate Intelligence Committee, chaired by California Senator Dianne Feinstein, which is reported to be highly critical of the C.I.A.'s detention, interrogation and rendition program carried out under the Bush administration. 

According to the New York Times, the internal report, written by the agency's inspector general, claims that the C.I.A. officials in question made a fake online identity by which they were able to access (more than once) certain computers belonging to key members of the Senate committee staff. The officers then reportedly attempted to hide traces of their illegal access. 

A C.I.A. spokesperson announced that the agency's director, John Brennan, apologized to the senior members of the committee and plans to arrange for an "internal accountability board" to review what happened, according to the Times.

The official statement also mentioned that "disciplinary measures" were a possible outcome in order to address past wrongdoing. 

This week's announcement vindicates Senator Feinstein to some extent, as she publicly railed against the C.I.A.'s then alleged illegal activity when the story of purported unauthorized access to her committee's computers by C.I.A. officials was made public. 

Back in March, Brennan was quoted on the matter, stating: "When the facts come out on this, I think a lot of people who are claiming that there has been this tremendous sort of spying and monitoring and hacking will be proved wrong."

He also made prior claims that members of the Senate were fabricating "spurious allegations about C.I.A. actions that are wholly unsupported by the facts." 

The Senate Intelligence Committee and the C.I.A. have sparred for months over this issue, before it spilled out into public view, culminating with Feinstein giving a scathing speech on the Senate floor, which detailed how the agency was seeking to undermine her committee's oversight authority. 

Even amidst these latest revelations of corruption, the White House continued to defend Brennan, even going so far as to praise him for taking "responsible steps" like organizing an internal investigation and empowering an accountability board to review the situation. 

Yet certain members of Congress are calling for still further steps to be taken to ascertain if any Constitutional violations had occurred with respect to the separation of powers or even federal statutes.

Senator Mark Udall of Colorado is calling on the Obama administration to allow an independent, external investigation to review the C.I.A.'s conduct, including Brennan's, in order to rule out any impropriety.