Posted on 05/08/2009 9:18:46 AM PDT by jazusamo
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is under renewed fire after the Obama administration released documents that critics say contradict her claim that she was never told that U.S. detainees were being waterboarded.
Pelosi's critics had already deemed her answers convoluted when she explained that she'd been briefed in 2002 that waterboarding had been approved but not that it would be used on terrorism suspects.
But a 10-page summary of briefings of congressional officials prepared by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) indicates Pelosi, then the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee was briefed with then-Chairman Porter Goss (R-Fla.) on Sept. 4, 2002. It says they were briefed on interrogation techniques used on a terrorism suspect, who is now known to have been waterboarded.
Still, it doesn't conclusively answer the question of what Pelosi knew, and when she knew it. It says that they were briefed on the methods used to interrogate suspected al-Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah, but doesn't specifically mention waterboarding.
Pelosi (D-Calif.) did join in a protest filed after the first briefing that specifically mentioned waterboarding in 2003.
Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said Pelosi stands by her account of when she learned about waterboarding.
“As this document shows, the Speaker was briefed only once, in September 2002. The briefers described these techniques, said they were legal, but said that waterboarding had not yet been used,” said Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly.
The summary, titled “Member Briefings on Enhanced Interrogation Techniques,” says Pelosi and Goss, who later became CIA director, were briefed on so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques,” including their use on Zubaydah and a “description of particular EITs that had been employed.” They were also provided “background on authorities.”
President Obama and other Democrats have deemed the interrogation techniques “torture.”
Republicans claim that Pelosi has known for years that intelligence agents were waterboarding terrorism suspects, but complained only when the practice was made fully public and liberal activists protested.
Pelosi has said she was powerless to do anything after being told that Justice Department lawyers determined waterboarding and other tactics had legal approval.
“You’re really a hostage if you’re notified that something has happened. They’re not asking for your thoughts,” she said in a television interview.
But Pelosi has also said she concurred with a protest Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) had filed with the CIA after a 2003 briefing, the first time waterboarding is specifically mentioned in the DNI sumary.
Harman had succeeded Pelosi as the top Democrat on the panel.
Rep. Pete Hoekstra (Mich.), the top Republican on House Intelligence, in an interview Friday said the document proves that Pelosi knew waterboarding occurred but has denied is because of political pressure from the liberal base of her party.
“Clearly her left wing is outraged that waterboarding was used,” Hoekstra said. “The bottom line is she and her key staff, they all knew about it.”
Now that these documents have been released, Hoekstra is calling for additional CIA documents to be made public including some that he has read that provide a more complete account of what was discussed in lawmaker briefings.
He is also calling for congressional hearings on what members knew and when they knew it.
“I wouldn't have a problem with the intelligence committee or the Judiciary Committee having hearings on this,” he said. “If [House Judiciary Chairman] John Conyers [D-Mich.] wants to have hearings, they shouldn't call in the Department of Justice attorneys as their first witnesses. The first people that should be called in and held accountable ought to be Congress.”
Hoekstra also indicated he is considering sending Conyers a letter requesting such hearings.
“He now has a list of who should be the first witnesses,” Hoekstra said.
The documents’ release note that they might not settle the debate over who knew what and when.
“In the end, you and the Committee will have to determine whether this information is an accurate summary of what actually happened,” states the May 6 cover letter from CIA Director Leon Panetta to Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
What did she know and when did she know it?
Considering our biased MSM, Pelosi is fire-proof.
Why should she squirm? No democrat will be held accountable for their lies. Or tax dodging. Or any other law they break. Not one.
Conyers, nahhhh, he’ll cover for her, she’s not going to let this get exposed (any more than thinking people can already see what she’s done)
Botox helps you to lie with a STRAIGHT face.
On purpose or from sheer stupidity?
It is really, really hard to tell the difference these days...
Hah! That straight face is all she has. :)
And just who did she think waterboarding would be used on???
Subjecting terrorism suspects to nude photos of Nancy Pelosi: that’s where I draw the line.
Remember how the media treated Hastert over the intern sex lies and emails issue?
Waterboard Pelosi!....We will get the answer!
Republicans when she took power?
Subjecting terrorism suspects to nude photos of Nancy Pelosi: that’s where I draw the line.
GAAAK!....I surrender! What do you want to know?
Yes, but just ask the enemedia about lib bias and they’ll tell you your crazy.
Post of the day! :)
Attorney General Holder should conduct an ethics investigation into Pelosi. She promised us no more culture of corruption.
Pelousy (with apologies to lice) is doing it. We are all now drowning in debt.
She's always squirming, twitching, and flapping her eyelids 180 bps. Remember when tiny Tom Dashitall a the Wicked Twitch from the West used to give joint pressers, how they had dueling eyelids just bouncing away to a tune only they could hear (I think it was Deliverance)
A thorough deworming (I've heard being dipped in a drum of diesel will at least get the ticks & most of the crabs off) and a case of Tucks couldn't hurt, as would telling the truth for once (ain't gonna happen).
It’s pretty clear from the released meeting notes that Pelosi knew they were waterboarding, and she alsl knew that the session were videotaped and that the videotapes would be destroyed. She’s an evil idiot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.