U.S. Sen. Richard Burr told Attorney General Eric Holder that he is disappointed by the decision to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate potential CIA abuses in interrogating terrorism suspects.

Burr was one of nine Republican senators who sent a letter Monday to Holder questioning the decision, reports Barb Barrett. Holder made the appointment shortly after the release of an inspector general’s report from the Central Intelligence Agency. It reported that many interrogators appeared to go beyond the approved tactics in questioning suspects.

Last week, Burr and the other senators had warned Holder that such an investigation could threaten America’s security against future terrorist attacks and hurt the careers and reputations of interrogators.

They hinted Monday of the same threats.

"We fear that the true cost of this endeavor will be borne by the American people, who rely on the intelligence community, operating without distraction, to protect them from the many threats, known and unkonown, that our country faces in this post-9/11 world," they wrote.

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr wants U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to hold off on investigating CIA interrogators for suspected abuse of detainees.

Burr, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was one of nine Republicans signing a letter to Holder, who is reportedly considering an investigation, according to Congressional Quarterly.

In the letter, the senators say Holder ought to focus instead on investigating suspects in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, reports Barb Barrett. And they argue that an investigation would send the wrong message to government interrogators.

“The intelligence community will be left to wonder whether actions taken today in the interest of national security will be subject to legal recriminations when the political winds shift,” the senators wrote.

A Senate investigation has shown that the Bush Justice Department gave authority to the CIA for harsh interrogation techniques, including waterboarding, of detainees. But CQ reports that an upcoming Inspector’s General report will show that many interrogators went beyond those guidelines.

Sen. Kay Hagan has been spending some time with the gavel in the U.S. Senate chamber.

Hagan, a freshman Democrat from Greensboro, was there this afternoon to preside over the debate about the nomination of Eric Holder as U.S. Attorney General, Barb Barrett reports.

Members of the Senate, especially newer members, take turns presiding as a way to earn face time and learn more about Senate rules and procedures.

Those senators speaking on the floor technically address their remarks to Hagan, referring to her as "Madam President." She rules on who gets to speak and interprets Senate rules.

The state's other senator, Richard Burr, was a regular in the presiding officer’s chair when Republicans were in power. In 2006, he broke a record for the quickest time in accumulating 200 hours in the chair.

Two prominent North Carolina conservatives oppose two of President Obama's appointments.

Bob Luddy, a major Republican donor and founder of CaptiveAire, and GOP political consultant Marc Rotterman are among the 14 conservatives who signed a recent letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

The letter states that they oppose the confirmations of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Attorney General Eric Holder and "ethical and philosophical grounds."

It notes that Geithner failed to pay income tax in previous years. It does not state any specific objections to Holder, though some conservatives have complained about his role in Bill Clinton's pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich.

"This is a seminal moment for the GOP," the letter reads. "Will it continue as the party of George Bush, or will it return to its populist roots of Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater?"

Oddly, the letter ends by asking McConnell to oppose the confirmation of "these three men," but it does not mention a third appointee.

Other signatories include the editor of RedState.com, the director of the American Conservative Union, the publisher of the American Spectator magazine and direct-mail pioneer Richard Viguerie.

Update: Dome was inadvertently sent a previous version. The final version reads "these two men."

The unofficial campaigns for U.S. attorney are almost over.

Although U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan and Attorney General nominee Eric Holder have not taken any official steps towards appointing the state's three federal prosecutors, the long list of candidates appears to have been culled a bit. 

Western District: Former Congressional candidate and assistant Wake County prosecutor Daniel Johnson of Hickory is reportedly the leading candidate in the district that is centered on Charlotte. The post is currently held by Gretchen C.F. Shappert. 

Middle District: Former lieutenant governor candidate Hampton Dellinger is reportedly the leading candidate for a gig as a federal prosecutor in the district that includes Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Durham. The post is currently held by Anna Mills Wagoner.

Eastern District: Superior Court Judge Ripley Rand (son of the state Senate majority leader) is reportedly competing with Onslow County District Attorney Dewey Hudson for the district that is centered on Raleigh. The post is currently held by George E.B. Holding.

As noted previously, the Eastern District position is important in state investigations in corruption, Hagan says she'll consider resumes and references, and past U.S. attorneys have had a strong political patron.