Pelosi verbatim (from Chicago Sun-Times) full remarks.

"Throughout my entire career, I am proud to have worked for human rights, and against the use of torture, around the world.

"As Ranking Member of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee in the 1990s, I helped secure the first funding for the Torture Victims Relief Act to assist those suffering from the physical and psychological effects of torture.

"I unequivocally oppose the use of torture by our government because it is contrary to our national values.

"Like all Members of Congress who are briefed on classified information, I have signed oaths pledging not to disclose any of that information. This is an oath I have taken very seriously, and I have always abided by it.

"The CIA briefed me only once on some enhanced interrogation techniques, in September 2002, in my capacity as Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee.

"I was informed then that Department of Justice opinions had concluded that the use of enhanced interrogation techniques was legal. The only mention of waterboarding at that briefing was that it was not being employed.

"Those conducting the briefing promised to inform the appropriate Members of Congress if that technique were to be used in the future.

"Congress and the American people now know that contrary opinions within the Executive Branch concluded that these interrogation techniques were not legal. However, those opinions were not provided to Congress.

"We also now know that techniques, including waterboarding, had already been employed, and that those briefing me in September 2002 gave me inaccurate and incomplete information.

"At the same time, the Bush Administration was misleading the American people about the threat of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

"Five months later, in February 2003, a member of my staff informed me that the Republican chairman and new Democratic Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee had been briefed about the use of certain techniques which had been the subject of earlier legal opinions.

"Following that briefing, a letter raising concerns was sent to CIA General Counsel Scott Muller by the new Democratic Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, the appropriate person to register a protest.

"But no letter could change the policy. It was clear we had to change the leadership of the Congress and the White House. That was my job.

"When Democrats assumed control of Congress in 2007, Congress passed legislation banning torture and requiring all government agencies to abide by the Army Field Manual. President Bush vetoed this bill barring the use of torture. An effort to overturn his veto failed because of the votes of Republican Members.

"We needed to elect a new President. We did; and he has banned torture.

"Congress and the Administration must review the National Security Act of 1947 to determine if a larger number of Members of Congress should receive classified briefings so that information can be utilized for proper oversight and legislative activity without violating oaths of secrecy.

"I have long supported creation of an independent Truth Commission to determine how intelligence was misused, and how controversial and possibly illegal activities like torture were authorized within the Executive Branch.

"Until a Truth Commission is implemented, I encourage the appropriate committees of the House to conduct vigorous oversight of these issues."

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/05/pelosi_says_cia_lied_to_congre.html


I posted this earlier
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5653836

cherokeeprogressive has her post remarks answer here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5653913

Impeachment certainly should have been on the table.

I like my villains to wear black and not pretend to be on the side of good, to intelligent people.

The fact is nancy pelosi willingly placed her head in the sand up to her ass hairs. People were tortured. People died.

Spin cycle over - hang her out to dry.

The "liberal" media has been talking about torture since the very first day!!!! What in the HELL was that stupid excuse of a windbag mislead about? And why is she lying, to democrats?

Shouldn't she be telling the truth? One plus one ALWAYS yields two, no matter how credibly (or incredibly) one is informed otherwise.

I suppose it will succeed, though, and many will lap it up.

I was hoping against hope that people's suspicions about Pelosi were unfounded.

LOLOL

Hi there buddy :hi:

Sorry :hide:

I'm still waiting to hear what Pelosi could have done in 2002 to have stopped what was already going on. Of course there are those who still think she alone kept booooshie in office cause impeachment wasn't "on the table"...a clue: with 33 obstructionists in the Senate it wasn't going to happen even if boooosh had eaten a baby on live teevee...enough of the rehash.

The issue here isn't what Pelosi knew or didn't...she didn't write the memos, she didn't order torture...there is NO law she broke...if anything, she abided by the laws of secrecy that are vital in maintaining national security. The evidence of war crimes are starting to come forward rather than leaks and the train has left the station.

I've long said the job of holding the booooosh regime is beyond that of our government...especially partisans of either side. It would require an independent investigation (preferably in the Hague) and Speaker Pelosi's conference today put one more question that demands an answer. Not her role as much as that of cheney using torture to create a justification for his war for profit. Keep you eye on the ball here.

While many were obsessing about Nancy, few have commented on the testimony yesterday that destroyed the "Jack Bauer" scenario for using torture and Zelikow finding his memo and coming forward to add one more millstone around cheney's neck. Just a few minutes ago on Rachel, there was Charles Duelfur...the booooosh-appointed envoy who was supposed to do the whitewash that would prove there were WMD in Iraq (which to his credit, he never did) and now is strongly implicating that cheney ordered torture to get cooked intel. The role of the CIA and their "word" is dubious at best at this point.

The more this story stay out front and the longer the pressure remains on cheney rather than Pelosi or limbaugh or President Obama or Kaptain Kangeroo, the more details, evidence and revelations will drip out and force Congress to set up some indpendent commission and push for international actions as well.

These are war crimes...ones that can only be properly cleansed in the international courts...and in the process it will help to restore our international standing, make it easier to get our troops safely out of Iraq and Afghanistan and force Congress to deal with the other abuses of power of the boooosh regime.

Demand the truth...but keep one's eye on the ball as well...

ain't been so good since Cheney bitch-slapped her and told her to take impeachment off the table. Her aides refuse to read her the news and her constituents only send her money and their best wishes.

So how was she to know what every other American knew was going on for the six years before the new administration came into office?

Worthless excuse for a human being.

What a joke she has become.