House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that while she was briefed on enhanced interrogation tactics during the Bush administration, it was only once, and came in 2002.
“Of the 40 CIA briefings to Congress reported recently in the press, I was only briefed once, on September 4, 2002, as I have previously stated,” Pelosi said in a statement, which included past quotes of hers on interrogation briefings.
“I had no further briefings on the techniques,” Pelosi continued. As reported in the press, a cover letter from CIA Director Panetta accompanying the briefings memo released this week concedes that the descriptions provided by the CIA may not be accurate.”
The Speaker has come under fire from Republicans who accuse her and other Democrats of having exploited the release of the so-called “torture memos” from the Bush administration for political purposes. Republicans have asserted that Democrats were well aware of tactics having been carried out the last eight years.
House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) indicated earlier today he may push for hearings on Pelosi’s knowledge of the tactics.