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Pelosi: CIA Lied to Me
May 14, 2009 11:25 AM
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today accused intelligence officials of giving her “inaccurate and incomplete information” on the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics by the Bush administration, saying that CIA officials are guilty of “misleading the Congress of the United States.”
In her first public comments on the matter since an intelligence report contradicted her recollections, Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters today that she was never told about the fact that waterboarding had been used on a terrorist suspect, even though terrorist suspect Abu Zubaydah had been waterboarded a month before she was briefed on the subject in Sept. 2002.
“The only mention of waterboarding at that briefing was that it was not being employed,” Pelosi said, reading from a prepared statement. “Those briefing me in Sept. 2002 gave me inaccurate and incomplete information.”
“At the same time, the Bush administration was misleading the American people about the threats of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq,” she added. “The CIA was misleading the Congress. At the same time, the administration was misleading the Congress on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.”
Pelosi dismissed suggestions that she was in any way complicit in the Bush administration’s policies, just because she and others in Congress were briefed on the subject along the way. She asserted that Congress was powerless to stop the administration.
“This is a policy that was conceived and implemented by the Bush administration,” the speaker said. “Throughout my career, I have been proud to work for human rights and against torture around the world. . . . I unequivocally oppose the use of torture by our government, because it is contrary to our values.”
Pelosi expressed an openness to further congressional inquiries into what members of Congress were told about the interrogation tactics, and repeated her call for a “truth commission” to probe the matter. She also accused Republicans of playing political games over what she knew and when she knew it.
“This is a diversionary tactic, to take the spotlight off of those who conceived, developed, and implemented these policies, which all of us [Democratic leaders] opposed,” she said. “Understand -- this is their policy, all of them.”
Questions surrounding Pelosi’s knowledge of waterboarding and other “enhanced interrogation techniques” have been a recurring distraction for Democrats in recent weeks.
Last week, intelligence officials sent a report to Capitol Hill outlining a Sept. 4, 2002 briefing where Pelosi and the then-chairman of the House intelligence committee, Porter Goss, are described as having been given “a description of the particular EITs that had been employed” on terrorist suspect Abu Zubaydah.
But Pelosi has maintained that she was never briefed on waterboarding or any other enhanced techniques actually being used, just that the Bush administration believed it had legal justifications to employ them.
Republicans have pounced on the contradictions.
“This has been the disingenuousness that has been going on, and frankly the politicization of our national security,” House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., said today in an interview with WLS radio in Chicago.
“It has been like a constant drumbeat over the last several years on the part of Speaker Pelosi that somehow our interrogators, the Bush administration, and the lawyers at the Justice Department were engaged in criminal activity -- when now it comes to light that she knew and was briefed on what was going on, and in fact has been reported that she was pressing the CIA to do even more," Cantor added.
May 14, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (256)
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What a weasel!
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | May 14, 2009 11:39:48 AM
When Bush was President and The Democrats took over they were Still Powerless PELOSI HAD NO LEGAL STANDING TO STOP IT!
Posted by: Angie in Pa | May 14, 2009 11:40:08 AM
What version of her story are we up to?
Posted by: Sluggo | May 14, 2009 11:46:06 AM
Poor, poor Pelosi. Not only was she lied too, but so where 98 others senators at those meetings. And not only her, but Bush was lied too, too. Great defense, Nancy.
Posted by: Heavenislikethis | May 14, 2009 11:48:36 AM
Now talking about back peddling. The leaders of both parties were well aware of what was going on an what it meant. Now the CIA and she can spit at each other. Guess there were not any minutes to these minutes that the president might wish to release?
Now we could treat these wittnesses as our people have been treated, cut their heads off over the internet. Now that isn't what a civilized society does, is it?
Posted by: Roger | May 14, 2009 11:48:55 AM
Maybe she didn't have an appreciation of what she was being briefed about? From what I seen, she has sometimes shown tendencies to percieve things differently.
Posted by: LongT | May 14, 2009 11:50:42 AM
I can't STAND this lier!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Lumberman_63 | May 14, 2009 11:51:29 AM
TWO WORDS LIAR,LOSER
Posted by: natale from mass. | May 14, 2009 11:51:37 AM
"and repeated her call for a “truth commission” to probe the matter."
She is fond of calling the Republican's bluff. During all the spinning over earmarks in the 2009 budget she wanted to pull them all out - every single earmark, scorched Earth. Why? Well, the Republicans had more earmark $$$ per representative in there than Democrats, so it would hurt them more than Democrats. Not a nice lady, but she can get the job done.
Bring on the truth commission. As the minority party in both houses under a Republican president at the time, Democrats have little to fear from it and it would call the pass-the-buck-Republican's bluff.
Posted by: jhw539 | May 14, 2009 11:52:29 AM
Typical politician LIE, LIE, & More LIES. She a very VOCAL politician! We seen it in the past and we are really seeing her real side now! She didn’t say a word then because it didn’t affect her! Now she is caught in a lie and the best way to cover it up. Pass the lie onto someone else (BUSH Years)! This excuse is getting old!! Be a woman and admit to it and get on with your job!
Posted by: resq219 | May 14, 2009 11:52:41 AM
I would agree that someone is lying. However, I would strongly suggest it is not the CIA and not the Bush Administration. Absolute Power Corupts Absolutely. The Obama Administration and the Democrats in Congress are working hard to reinforce that little bit of wisdom.
Posted by: BubblerDad | May 14, 2009 11:52:43 AM
She is a liar. She knew and now that it's politically advantageous for her to pretend she didn't know that's what she'll do. How many times will she change her story??
Posted by: TiredofBS | May 14, 2009 11:53:03 AM
I don't believe her. Lets get the meeting minutes and find out the truth. She's either lying or extremely dumb. Possibly both.
Posted by: Open-Mind | May 14, 2009 11:53:50 AM
Congressional inquiries. CIA lied to her. She was victimized.
WAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Posted by: Joe Average | May 14, 2009 11:53:54 AM
Frankly if the Republican Party wants to go around branding themselves the "WE LOVE TORTURE" Party, they will
only have themselves to blame for their self induced years in the political wilderness.....as an American and a Christian I did NOT give the Government
permission to torture people on MY behalf....
Posted by: Leprkin | May 14, 2009 11:55:50 AM
Pelosi's to do list: 1. Lie
2. Lie
3. Blame Bush
4. Lie
5. Blame CIA
Posted by: feelingtogetherness | May 14, 2009 11:57:40 AM
Is it my imagination or is her nose growing longer by the minute? She sounds like a kid, "no one told me it was for real! I thought it was pretend!" The only positive thing that I can call to mind about Pelosi is that she had great cosmetic surgery. Frightening thought is that Biden is a heartbeat away from the presidency and Pelosi is 2 beats away. God protect our President!
Posted by: cathyanncan | May 14, 2009 11:57:52 AM
BubblerDad:"I would agree that someone is lying. However, I would strongly suggest it is not the CIA and not the Bush Administration. Absolute Power Corupts Absolutely. "
At the time she is accusing the CIA and Bush Administration of lying, the Bush Administration had basically Absolute Power - control of both houses of Congress, historically high public approval ratings and support, a Supreme Court clearly deferring to the Executive in a time of war, and a Congress clearly deferring to their every request.
Your 'logic' simply does not support your irrational partisan conclusion that the Bush Administration would never lie.
Posted by: jhw539 | May 14, 2009 11:58:28 AM
Open-mind:"I don't believe her. Lets get the meeting minutes and find out the truth. She's either lying or extremely dumb."
I got a great chuckle out of that poster using that user name. Well, time to get some work done - have fun with your two minute hate.
Posted by: jhw539 | May 14, 2009 11:59:42 AM
Throw her under the bus BO. This will help the Dems if he does. Nobody trusts her anymore.
Posted by: feelingtogetherness | May 14, 2009 11:59:48 AM
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