Pelosi says she learned of waterboarding in 2003

My Way ^ | May 14, 2009 | JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS

[COUNTrecount]

Under strong attack from Republicans, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused the CIA and Bush administration of misleading her about waterboarding detainees in the war on terror and sharply rebutted claims she was complicit in the method's use.

"To the contrary ... we were told explicitly that waterboarding was not being used," she told reporters, referring to a formal CIA briefing she received in the fall of 2002.

Pelosi said she subsequently learned that other lawmakers were told several months later by the CIA about the use of waterboarding.

"I wasn't briefed, I was informed that somebody else had been briefed about it," she said.

The House's top Democrat made her comments at a news conference where she was peppered with questions about her knowledge of a technique she and others have called torture. Republicans have insisted in recent weeks that Pelosi and other Democrats knew waterboarding was in use but made no attempt to protest.

Pelosi's comments Thursday were her most pointed yet on the topic of what she learned about waterboarding.

In a written response issued moments after Pelosi spoke, an official at the CIA neither disputed nor accepted the California Democrat's statements.

Instead, George Little, head of the CIA office of public affairs, said it would be up to Congress to determine whether notes made by agency personnel at the time they briefed lawmakers were accurate. He said the notes could be made available at the CIA "for staff review."

House Republican Leader John Boehner dismissed Pelosi's account.

Despite Boehner's comments, CIA records show Pelosi attended only one briefing - the one in the fall of 2002 where she says she was told that waterboarding had not been used.

[COUNTrecount]

Does anyone know what happens to them if they break that oath?

Waterboarding? Or they get re elected. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Grampa Dave]

Pelosi says she learned of waterboarding in 2003:

George J. Tenet 1997–2004 director of CIA.

Tenet was appointed by President Clinton and approved by Congress. Tenet became the CIA director in August of 1997.

So, Pelosi is now saying that George Tenet lied to her and ordered his congressional briefers to lie to Nancy.