The Speakers Lobby
  • July 8, 2009 | 9:29 PM ET

    House Intel Members ask Panetta to correct record that the CIA does not mislead Congress

    Seven Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee wrote to CIA Director Leon Panetta in late June and asked him to "publicly correct" his May 15, 2009 statement that it is not the "policy or practice of the agency to mislead Congress."

    FOX has corroborated that the letter stems from testimony Panetta gave behind closed doors to the Intelligence Committee on June 24, 2009. According to the missive, Panetta told the committee that "top CIA officials have concealed significant actions from all Members of Congress, and misled Members for a number of years from 2001 to this week.”

    The lawmakers did not write the letter on official Congressional letterhead. A House source says this was not an official communication from the House Intelligence Committee. Furthermore, there was concern from others on the panel that the co-signers were trying to force Panetta to apologize for alleged problems created by the Bush Administration’s CIA.

    “They wanted (Panetta) to throw (the Bush CIA) under the bus,” said a House source close who monitors intelligence matters.

    The seven Democrats who signed the letter are Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Alcee Hastings (D-CA), Adam Smith (D-WA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). It was dated June 26, 2009.

    In a statement, CIA spokesman George Little says that “it is vital to keep the Congress fully and currently informed.” Little also points out that “it was the CIA itself that took the initiative to notify the oversight committees.”

    House Republicans argue the letter is an effort to protect House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). She came under fire after alleging that the CIA lied to her about enhanced interrogation techniques. Pelosi now says she has confidence in the intelligence community. Republicans enjoyed a field day with speaker’s remarks and demanded she provide proof that the CIA failed to tell her the truth.

    The communiqué comes just as House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) also penned a brief to the top Republican on the panel, Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI). In his letter, Reyes tells Hoekstra that he had concluded “that this Committee has been misled, has not been provided full and complete notifications, and (in at least one case) was affirmatively lied to.”

    The House is poised to debate an intelligence authorization bill on Thursday. In an interview with FOX, Reyes says he was concerned that Republicans might try to corner Pelosi on the interrogation flap.

    “We all know there have been a number of contentious issues that have been much publicized,” said Reyes, who indicated he wrote the letter in an attempt to curb GOP efforts to target Pelosi.

    “Let’s leave for the moment the politics out of it,” Reyes said. “Our national security is about the most serious thing we deal with here on Capitol Hill. And it shouldn’t be politicized.”

    The House Republican leadership is signaling that it intends to make Pelosi and her allegations that the CIA misled her a key part of the intelligence legislation debate.

    But Reyes conceded that his letter to quash GOP darts aimed at the speaker might be for naught.

    “Obviously I can’t control what my colleagues on the other side of the aisle might do. But that’s their choice,” said Reyes. “If they want to do that, I’ll deal with that. But I certainly hope that’s not what the plan is.”

    - FOX’s Jim Angle contributed to this report.

    Chad Pergram

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Dan Collins

Liberals covered-up (ongoing cover-up) of Liberal controlled CIA 1969 DaLat, Vietnam school house massacre. I was an Army medic involved in the clean-up. As recently as April 2006 I received a death threat from Liberal Congressman Adam Smith's "retired" intelligence officer whom quoted from my highly classified military file. My file is classified level 3, shut-down, dead-dead, encrypted, access to major generals and above with the need to know. Maybe someone can explain why my file was "illegally" presented to Washington State Liberal politicians. web site: www.dancollins888.info email: dwaf888@aol.com

July 20, 2009 at 1:26 pm

gloria zavala

I think the cia should have to SHOW us (the public) the information they showed to Nancy Pelosi, if not ALL, at least enough to prove that she had a good idea what was going on with the waterboarding and etc. And thus put all of this to bed once and for all. Hold her feet to the fire. She should share her part of the responsibility.

July 12, 2009 at 5:34 am

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[...] » House Intel Members ask Panetta to correct record that the CIA … [...]

July 12, 2009 at 1:38 am

Xavier

The CIA lies and it is Pelosis fault? I think you GOP supporters are getting lightheaded fromt aking to many flights to Argentina. Fact is that Bush and his administration abused their power and used the CIA to do things that were wrong. I dont blame the CIA, I blame Bush and Cheney.

July 11, 2009 at 12:30 pm

Dave oliver

i dont think that the CIA should always be able to do whatever they want with no accountability. this would lead to excessive abuse of power. kind of like congress already does and has!! however, i do not believe they should have to tell congress EVERYTHING they do. some things are secret for a reason, ie; national security. if congress new everything there would be no secrets because some members of congress would not keep everything secret if it was in their interest to tell it!!

July 11, 2009 at 12:08 pm

jb

If the new allegations are true, intentionally concealing programs from congress is a crime, people will get fired at the least. What happened months ago almost doesn't matter now. Forgetting that you were briefed about torture might stunt her political career, but I doubt she'll go to jail for it!

July 11, 2009 at 1:37 am

Vindicated

More proof that the Bush Cheney administration will be known forever as the worst presidency in history with this admission of consistant CIA lies to cover up their morally corrupt, illegal and war crime of torture to in turn try to vindicate their fraudulant case to declare war on another soveriegn country. This was the most corrupt administration in history. And now, all you nasty conservative repungnanticans are eating crow. Dare you to man-up and admit that you are wrong about Pelosi.

July 10, 2009 at 4:53 pm

john cornett

The briefing was given behind closed doors and the members in attendance knew the information iwas for them only and is not to be divulged to others. They have broken that trust and the law. The CIA Director needs to come forth and refute their remarks as well as those of Polosi.We can't have the agency charged with protecting our country being handcuffed by the Congress.

July 9, 2009 at 5:58 pm

Rae

This is a move to try and help Pelosi out of a LIE. She was caught and all of America knows it. This is ridiculous. But, I would expect nothing more from the Dems. One lie to cover up another!! They must think that Americans are stupid. I hope they remember that 2010 is not to far off. I think it is time for Obama to have a lame duck term!!!!!!!!!!

July 9, 2009 at 12:49 pm

marshall goade

reguarding speaker pelosi;; the real issue is ;; did she know about so called [toture] waterboarding,which she denied. how is it that the news medias attention allows its self to be diverted to , has the cia ever misled congress? THAT is not the issue. the issue is did pelosi have knowledge of WATERBOARDING? why do our reporters allow themselves to be led as if they had a ring through their noses? ask questions that require answeres in a single specific menue. i sometimes get the impression that news media purposefully facilitates ambigious responses. keep on track. get the bottom line truth.the public deserves the truth. DID pelosi know aboubt waterboarding??????????,thats it;;

July 9, 2009 at 11:45 am

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