Memo Shows Pelosi Lied About Interrogation Briefings

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has been scrambling to counter Republican charges that she was aware of – and did not object to – the use of specific enhanced interrogation techniques by the CIA on suspected terrorist detainees. Pelosi said last week that while she was present at CIA briefings on the interrogations, she was not told that techniques such as waterboarding were in use.

Now, however, intelligence documents have come to light which show that Pelosi has been lying about her knowledge of the use of enhanced interogation techniques. According to records of the briefings submitted to, Pelosi was informed as early as September 2002 that waterboarding was being used on high-value detainees. The summary of the first briefing given to members of the intelligence committees in the House and Senate lists then ranking member Nancy Pelosi as an attendee at a September 4, 2002, session at which the following information was preseted:

"Briefing on EITs [enhanced interogation techniques] including use of EITs on Abu Zubaydah, background on authorities, and a description of the particular EITs that had been employed."

The revelation is an embarrassment for Pelosi but also for the Obama Administration, which made the decision to release classified memos describing the techniques. The release was intended to put the discussion about alleged torture to rest, but has instead sparked a renewed controversy over the effectiveness of the techniques, and the acceptance of their use by Democrats in Congress – many of whom later became some of the program's harshest critics. A key rationale for the Obama Administration's position on the release of the memos was that America had lost its moral bearings under Republican leadership, and the release was necessary to begin the process of healing. The political impact of that position is muted by the fact that top Democrats in the House and Senate were aware of exactly what the CIA was doing, and did nothing to stop it.

For Pelosi, the revelation will have little impact on her politically. As Speaker of the House from liberal San Francisco, her reelection is virtually assured. However, the memo exposes Democratic Party criticisms of the program as politically opportunistic in nature, and not rooted in principle. If that image sticks to less politically insulated Democrats, it could cause independent voters and moderate Democrats to turn against them in the upcoming Congressional elections. o