GOP seizes on Pelosi charge that CIA lied

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans aren't letting this one slide.

The GOP has seized on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's accusation that the CIA lied about using waterboarding on terrorism suspects, contending that the California Democrat's remarks have demoralized the intelligence community. House Republicans on Thursday demanded that a bipartisan panel investigate her allegations.

"To have this charge out there and not have it resolved I think is damaging to our intelligence efforts, and certainly will have a chilling effect on our intelligence professionals around the world," House Republican leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said.

Democrats beat back the proposal, calling it a political ploy. Republicans Ron Paul of Texas and Walter Jones of North Carolina joined Democrats in a 252-172 vote to block the resolution.

"This is a serious matter," House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said of whether CIA personnel used an interrogation method, waterboarding, or simulated drowning, that President Barack Obama has called torture. "But it's not being treated seriously. It's being treated politically."

Some Republicans, including Boehner, say the enhanced interrogation techniques were necessary to gain valuable intelligence after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Earlier this month, Pelosi told reporters that she had not been told that waterboarding had been used against terrorism suspects, even though it had been. When asked whether she was accusing the CIA of lying to her, she said "yes."

Pelosi has asked the CIA to declassify information supporting her claims. The CIA sent lawmakers its notes and memos on 40 congressional briefings on the interrogation techniques. But that document has been found to include several errors.

At a news conference on Friday, Pelosi declined to answer additional questions on the topic.

CIA Director Leon Panetta acknowledged in a May 6 letter to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, that the CIA's list may not be completely accurate.

"In the end, you and the committee will have to determine whether this information is an accurate summary of what actually happened," Panetta wrote.

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On the Net: www.cia.gov

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.