Zack Space Willing to Sweep Pelosi Problem Under the Rug
FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: John Adler (NJ-03); Jason Altmire (PA-04); Michael Arcuri (NY-24); John Barrow (GA-12); Marion Berry (AR-01); John Boccieri (OH-16); Rick Boucher (VA-09); Allen Boyd (FL-02); Bobby Bright (AL-02); Chris Carney (PA-10); Travis Childers (MS-01); Gerry Connolly (VA-11); Joe Courtney (CT-02); Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-03); Peter DeFazio (OR-04); Joe Donnelly (IN-02); Steve Driehaus (OH-01); Chet Edwards (TX-17); Brad Ellsworth (IN-08); Bill Foster (IL-14); Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-08); Bart Gordon (TN-06); Alan Grayson (FL-08); Parker Griffith (AL-05); John Hall (Ny-19); Debbie Halvorson (IL-11); Martin Heinrich (NM-01); Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL); Baron Hill (IN-09); Jim Himes (CT-04); Steve Kagen (WI-08); Paul Kanjorski (PA-11); Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15); Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01); Larry Kissell (NC-08); Ron Klein (FL-22); Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24); Frank Kratovil (MD-01); Dan Maffei (NY-25); Jim Marshall (GA-08); Eric Massa (NY-29); Jim Matheson (UT-02); Michael McMahon (NY-13); Jerry McNerney (CA-11); Charlie Melancon (LA-03); Walt Minnick (ID-01); Harry Mitchell (AZ-05); Dennis Moore (KS-03); Chris Murphy (CT-05); Scott Murphy (NY-20); Glenn Nye (VA-02); Tom Perriello (VA-05); Gary Peters (MI-09); Chellie Pingree (ME-01); Ciro Rodriguez (TX-23); Mike Ross (AR-04); John Salazar (CO-03); Loretta Sanchez (CA-47); Mark Schauer (MI-07); Kurt Schrader (OR-05); Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01); Heath Shuler (NC-11); Vic Snyder (AR-02); Zack Space (OH-18); Bart Stupak (MI-01); Harry Teague (NM-02); Dina Titus (NV-03); Tim Walz (MN-01).
Zack Space Willing to Sweep Pelosi Problem Under the Rug
Space Blocks Inquiry into Pelosi’s Attacks on CIA
Washington- Rep. Zack Space (D-OH) revealed today that he apparently doesn’t share the American people’s concerns for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s very serious claims that the CIA purposely deceived her and other Members of Congress. In a move that can only be described as shocking, Space and fellow Democrats are using every trick in the book to block a resolution that would allow the Intelligence Committee to obtain records and conduct an inquiry into Pelosi’s recent statements (House Roll Call 283).
“Nancy Pelosi has launched very serious allegations that the CIA knowingly deceived Members of the United States Congress, and the American people have a fundamental right to know the truth,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “It is a disgrace that Zack Space is trying to provide political cover for Nancy Pelosi and is standing by her San Francisco values instead of with his constituents in Ohio.”
The American people deserve to know, to the fullest extent possible, the truth behind Pelosi’s serious allegations. Zack Space and Congressional Democrats have resorted to arcane political procedure in order to prevent holding the Speaker accountable for her actions instead of doing everything in their power to find the truth.
Zack Space may not be interested in finding out whether Pelosi’s accusations that the CIA misled her are true or not, but certainly the American people think otherwise:
Augusta Chronicle Editorial: “Nancy Pelosi has accused her government of lying to her. But many are coming to believe that she’s the liar. In a partisan fever to jump on the now-trendy anti-U.S. bandwagon, she has turned her back on the people who have kept us safe since Sept. 11, 2001.” (Editorial, “Disgraced Pelosi should pack it in,” Augusta Chronicle, May 20, 2009)
Cleveland Plain-Dealer Editorial: “Central Intelligence Agency memos state that Pelosi was informed about the questioning of al-Qaida suspects as early as September 2002; the Republican committee chairman who was in the briefing with her agrees. A flustered Pelosi vehemently denied any such knowledge and said the CIA misled her and others in Congress ‘all the time.’ That drew a sharp rebuke from CIA Director Leon Panetta, a former Democratic member of the House and a fellow Californian. Pelosi has thus guaranteed that the question of who in Washington knew what about possible torture will not be going away anytime soon — only, now, full and unambiguous answers will be expected from legislative leaders as well as former members of the executive branch.” (Editorial, “What’s tortured are Pelosi’s explanations of what she knew, and when,” May 19, 2009)
Buffalo News Editorial: “If House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s immediate reactions to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 included the idea that absolutely anything would be fair game in the CIA’s efforts to prevent future strikes, she would hardly have been alone. It would not be all that shocking to learn that, in 2002, Pelosi and other key members of Congress knew all about the CIA’s ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’—spook-speak for torture—and not only didn’t raise a finger to stop it, but cheered it on.” (Editorial, “Pelosi’s permutations,” May 20, 2009)
Palm Beach Post Editorial: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has advocated creation of a ‘truth commission’ to examine charges that the United States tortured detainees under the Bush administration. Though she no doubt envisioned herself as a judge at such a tribunal, Rep. Pelosi could find herself as a defendant. The Watergate coverup question – What did you know and when did you know it? – is tripping up Rep. Pelosi, who has looked uncomfortable and evasive in recent news conferences.” (Editorial, “The truth starts with Pelosi,” May 18, 2009)
Trentonian Editorial: “She led the demands for an inquisition of Bush administration officials who were involved in the use of coercive interrogation tactics to extract possible life-saving information from key terrorist figures. Never mind, as President Obama’s intelligence czar says, the tactics yielded ‘high value information.’ Pelosi was in the forefront of the partisan mob shouting that Bush administration heads must roll. Her aggressive sanctimony suggested that she was shocked, shocked to learn that the Bush administration had used such tactics. Then it came to light that as a member of the House intelligence committee, she had been informed of these tactics, along with other leading House Democrats, during CIA briefings, and never raised any objections at the time.” (Editorial, “Pants on fire,” May 19, 2009)
Chicago Tribune Editorial: “Pelosi apparently didn’t have a problem back then with harsh methods that were used on some suspects when the threat of repeat attacks seemed most acute. But now she would like to rewrite history, and extend a political war that voters thought they settled with the last presidential election. Confidence in Pelosi has been eroded by this episode. And, inconvenient for her, that’s the truth.” (Editorial, “Pelosi and the truth,” May 20, 2009)
Delaware County Daily Times Editorial: “There are significant problems with Pelosi’s attempt to explain herself, not the least of which is her claim that CIA misleads Congress ‘all the time.’ If that is true, what’s the point of having a CIA? If the agency can’t be counted on to tell our political leaders the truth about what it’s doing, where and when, it should be abolished.” (Editorial, “Torture debate is consuming Washington,” May 19, 2009)
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