Pelosi's New Defense On Torture Claims

Politico: House Speaker Says She Couldn't Object When Told Of Waterboarding In 2003

(The Politico)  This story was written by Glenn Thrush and John Bresnahan.

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi learned in early 2003 that the Bush administration was waterboarding terror detainees but didn’t protest directly out of respect for “appropriate” legislative channels, a person familiar with the situation said Monday.

The Pelosi camp’s version of events is intended to answer two key questions posed by her critics: When, precisely, did she first learn about waterboarding? And why didn’t she do more to stop it?

Pelosi has disputed a CIA document, released last week, that shows she was briefed in September 2002 on the “particular” interrogation techniques the United States had used on Al Qaeda leader Abu Zubaydah. Pelosi has said she was told then only that the Bush administration was considering using certain techniques in the future - and that it had the legal authority to do so.

But there’s no dispute that on Feb. 4, 2003 - five months after Pelosi’s September meeting - CIA officials briefed Pelosi aide Michael Sheehy and Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), then the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, on the specific techniques that had been used on Zubaydah - including waterboarding.

Harman was so alarmed by what she had heard, she drafted a short letter to the CIA’s general counsel to express “profound” concerns with the tactic - going so far as to ask if waterboarding had been personally “approved by the president.”

According to the Pelosi confidant, Sheehy told Pelosi about the briefing - and later informed Pelosi, the newly elected minority leader, that Harman was drafting a protest letter. Pelosi told Sheehy to tell Harman that she agreed with the letter, the Pelosi insider said. But she did not ask to be listed as a signatory on the letter, the source said, and there is no reference to her in it.

Pelosi and Harman, sometimes bitter rivals, have still not discussed the controversy since it broke three weeks ago, according to Democratic insiders.

Sheehy has not responded to several calls and e-mails seeking comment on what he told Pelosi during this period. But the Pelosi confidant - who spoke to POLITICO on the condition of anonymity - insisted that Pelosi did all that she could have done.

“She felt that the appropriate response was the letter from Harman, because Jane was the one who was briefed,” said the person. Pelosi “never got briefed on it personally, and when Harman got a ‘no response’ from the CIA, there was nothing more that could be done.”

Republicans aren’t buying it.

“If Nancy was so concerned about the waterboarding, why did she let someone else write the letter?” asked Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.), the ranking Republican on the intelligence committee. “If she was so upset, why did she let someone else raise objections?”

Hoekstra has asked the CIA for documents on its congressional briefings, and he told POLITICO Monday that he has made a request for e-mails from agency staffers detailing their interactions with Pelosi and other House and Senate members. Steve Elmendorf, who served as chief of staff to former Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.), said that coming so soon after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, it would have been difficult politically for Pelosi to do more to protest interrogation techniques the Bush administration was using.

“You have to remember, in the 2002 period, the whole atmospherics, it was all about scaring people every day,” said Elmendorf. “People were legitimately concerned that we were going to be attacked again, and there was a constant drumbeat coming from the Bush administration of, ‘Bad things could happen, bad things could happen.’ Nobody wants it to happen on their watch.”

Republicans have found a rare avenue of attack against Pelosi over the waterboarding briefing, at time when the speaker is ramming through paradigm-shifting legislative proposals on behalf of the Obama administration. That grilling is likely to continue today when the speaker returns from a grueling weekend trip to Baghdad.

Still, Democrats are rallying to the speaker - and questioning the accuracy of the CIA’s description of its congressional briefings.

An aide to former Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) took issue Monday with the entry for a Feb. 4, 2003, briefing in which a Rockefeller staffer was reportedly told “how the water board was used.”

“We are not in a position to vouch for the accuracy of the document,” a Rockefeller spokeswoman said. He “has repeatedly stated he was not told critical information that would have cast significant doubt on the program’s legality and effectiveness.”

Former Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee at the time Pelosi was briefed, told The Washington Post’s PlumLine blog that he wasn’t told of waterboarding then, either - despite a Sept. 27, 2002, briefing entry indicating he was given details of Zubaydah’s interrogation.

“I do not have any recollection of being briefed on waterboarding or other forms of extraordinary interrogation techniques, or Abu Zubaydah being subjected to them,” said Graham, adding: “Something as unexpected and dramatic as that would be the kind of thing that you would normally expect to recall even years later.”

Even so, Democratic insiders acknowledge that Pelosi has not handled the media furor surrounding the interrogation briefings - and what she was told and when - in a timely or aggressive manner.

“I don’t know whether the story is overplayed or they’re misjudging it,” said a Democratic leadership aide. “I don’t know, maybe they haven’t been aggressive enough.”

This aide added: “I think they’re good at walking and chewing gum - that’s not the problem. I don’t think they recognized that this issue has the legs that it does.”

[veep1]

If we all remember, September 11, 2001 was a terrible time in our history. The tactics used to get information from those who were directly or indirectly involved in the terroist act and future acts is excusable. If only one of our young soldiers are saved by the info gathered by using the waterboard tactic would be OK by me. Pelosi only shows her lack of leadership and character by blaming others as liars. Real leaders, sometimes have to make hard choices and stand behind them when they are made. Say what you will about Bush, but at least he was a leader. Pelosi's only worry is about her own skin. You people in the Bay area should remember your "leader" in the next election.

[fomjda]

Here's my question for all the bleeding hearts out there...Were any of your family or friends killed in the 911 attacks? You (7 1/2 yrs. later) are so back into your old ways. Yet, days after the attack, Dems. & Repubs. were without doubt, united on hunting down and destroying the enemy, which we are still trying to do. We deal with an enemy that doesn't recognize the Geneva Convention. They're willing to pilot planes into buildings on OUR soil, train and use their own women and children to suicide bomb themselves just to kill our Soldiers, etc. Let me remind you that back in the late 1700s, when the conventional means of attack was marching in rows toward the enemy (as the British did.) We used an unconventional method of hiding in the woods, as snipers would do, and surprise/kill them...and we've survived and succeeded that way ever since. You're so upset over water-boarding...what about Hiroshima & Nagasaki? We did what was unspeakable, yet necessary. Water-boarding vs. the A-bomb, come on folks. These terrorists simply want to kill Americans, whether they be in uniform over there or all of us over here. They have beheaded our Soldiers and U.S. civilians...and yet you feel compelled to stand up for their rights. I served 24 yrs. in the military to preserve our freedom, so for all of you that have done nothing but enjoy the freedoms provided you, please consider how you were afforded that freedom. If you're still unhappy, I suggest you move to another country and maintain your very vocal anti-government opinion and see where that gets you. Good luck!

[hakori]

So all the right-wingers use this as an excuse not to investigate those who authorized or knew about torture. You see that's the profound difference between many "conservatives" and liberals. We say investigate anyone who was involved with torture regardless of party. It's becomng clear that Pelosi knew about waterboarding, so she is as guilty as Cheney and Bush in my opinion. I don't buy her reasoning for not speaking out for a millisecond! Sorry conservanuts, but Cheney isn't going to stop investigations by the DOJ, and Pelosi isn't going to be able anymore to block investigations. It's clear now why she objected in the first place. We're going to have a house cleaning on torture and ANYONE who was involved in these war crimes will pay. I never thought in my life that my fellow citizens would be supporting and justifying torture!! And "conservatives" accuse we liberals of being unAmerican?! It was a crime when the Soviets did it; it was a crime when the Japanese did it; it's a crime when any third rate dictatorship does it, and it's a crime when WE DO IT!

[vranger]

"For the sake of the country and the democratic party, Obama needs to come to her rescue."

I'm sure that Obama and his staff are "Monitoring the situation closely." ROFLMAO

Its all they are good at, except of course throwing billions of dollars away.

[vranger]

"I just went and re-read the entire story. I don't see where Pelosi has changed her story one bit"

I don't believe that Pelosi HAS changed her story one bit. Its just that indepent information is gradually untangling her incompetent little web of lies, and there is nothing se can do but sit there and be exposed for the hypocrit and liar that she has ALWAYS been.

[impeachbhb]

For the sake of the country and the democratic party, Obama needs to come to her rescue. He is much more talented at telling lies and fabricating stories than she is. He should give her some pointers or at least maybe loan her one of his teleprompters.
He is a prime example that even people with no brain can make wonderful speeches if they know how to read words wtitten by someone with a brain on the teleprompter.

[nolies74621]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was reportedly told in February 2003 by her intelligence aide, Michael Sheehy, that waterboarding was used on CIA terror detainee Abu Zubaydah, directly contradicting Pelosi's account that she had never been informed of the technique's use.

According to a report, Sheehy attended a briefing with Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., in February 2003 and discussed the CIA's use of waterboarding.

When the aide told Pelosi waterboarding had actually been used on the Al Qaeda terrorist, she didn't object because she was not personally briefed on the matter, an unnamed source confirmed to CNN.

Pelosi then supported a letter drafted by Harman, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, and sent to the Bush administration, raising concerns over the technique, the network reported.

A CIA document made public last week shows that Pelosi received a briefing in September 2002 on the tactics used on Zubaydah, an Al Qaeda leader and one of three prisoners subjected to waterboarding. Pelosi said she was told the agency was discussing its legal right to use the tactic in the future.

[nolies74621]

Peolosi, the poster child for birth control.

[toldyouso29]

One of the things politicians and lawyers can be counted on is lying their butts off. after WWII, collaborators and enablers of Nazism and Fascism paid as heavy a price in war crimes and being executed and punished as did the Germans they enabled. so it should be for this bunch. for all who collaborated, enabled , voted with or kept silent--let them also be swept up and face punishments along with Bush and Co. The price if you will, for collaboration or keeping silent, or voting for evil.

If Pelosi enabled, she should swing with the Republicans--and any other Dems who did so should swing too--the same goes for Republicans--any who encouraged, defended or advocated torture or defended a war based on lies or rendition should all be investigated and if found complicit--duly turned over to the Hague for possible war crime charges. ALL who were guilty--regardless of party affiliation.

time to clean house....and senate.

[stn_sage]

The GOP is responsible for strapping us with two wars, a broken budget, a sinking economy, worldwide disrespect---all problems that the current administration and Democrat-controlled Congress have to try to fix---and HOW do they help out?!

By claiming Nancy Pelosi, is personally responsible for NOT single-handedly stopping their JUGGERNAUT of stupid moves---one after another!

YEAH! It's ALL HER FAULT! It had NOTHING to do with the Republicans in power that made all these stupid decisions in the first place! Let's blame Nancy Pelosi!

This latest cynical, political ploy courtesy of the GOP---that seems determined to get the rest of their members voted out of office the next election cycle!

Between "NOing" most issues, or "tying" other things up, and trying to blame others for their mistakes, they may very well continue to reduce their numbers during the next election!

[kansas1946]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi learned in early 2003 that the Bush administration was waterboarding terror detainees but didn?t protest directly out of respect for ?appropriate? legislative channels, a person familiar with the situation said Monday.
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LMAO. She didn't protest directly out of fear for her own political career. Bush wasn't as unpopular in 2003 as he was later and she didn't want to risk any backlash. Heaven forbid you might damage your political career by taking a moral stand against illegal behaviour by your own governemnt. Nancy needs to go. She is an embarrassment and an irritating albatross to the Democratic party.

[starleo146]

I just went and re-read the entire story. I don't see where Pelosi has changed her story one bit
Posted by Stuart2560 at 2:30 PM : May 12, 2009
Newt Gingrich, is trying to divert there torture values off the republicans folks, I know Pelosi is not liked, but it is a stretch she could have stopped anything in the Cheney administration

[starleo146]

This is a typical republican tactic take the controversy that is bubbling about them and put it on someone else and who better than the democrats. One Catch, does any one think for one moment you could stop Cheney if you wanted to. He is determined to da as he pleases and will pay back anyone who tries to stop him. It wasn't Pelosi that put these torture rules in place and used them it was Cheney by his own admission and there were questions back then about it

[whosaid1]

This is a real comedy .....how many times will she change/adjust/modify her "story"! Just keep talking, and she will "wear them out"....

[DefendLiberty]

Who authorized the TORTURE? Bushie and the GOP. Who set POLICY? Bushie and the GOP. Who EXECUTED the torture? Bushie and the GOP. Who is RESPONSIBLE for the torture? Bushie and the GOP.

This is nothing more than the "PARTY OF TORTURE" and the "PARTY OF NO" trying to deflect attention from their ILLEGAL ACTIONS. What a friggin' joke. Let's investigate the REAL CRIMINALS- BUSH, CHENEY, YOO, GONZALES, ADDINGTON, and the rest of the GOP criminals who WERE RESPONSIBLE for this disgusting policy of TORTURE.

[specialty8]

She tortures me everyday the way she spends our money.