Nancy Pelosi claims CIA mislead her about Torture Methods TEXT VIDEO

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claims CIA mislead her about Torture Methods.

Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said that in 2002 the CIA "misled" her about torture techniques used by the U.S. military. She stated that she learned of the military's use of waterboarding in 2003.

TEXT TRANSCRIPT, as prepared for delivery. Speaker Pelosi's Remarks at Press Conference About Briefing on Enhanced Interrogation Techniques.

Washington, D.C. –Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke this morning at a press conference in the Capitol on Congressional briefings related to enhanced interrogation techniques. Below are her remarks as prepared:

“Throughout my entire career, I am proud to have worked for human rights, and against the use of torture, around the world.

“As Ranking Member of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee in the 1990s, I helped secure the first funding for the Torture Victims Relief Act to assist those suffering from the physical and psychological effects of torture.

“I unequivocally oppose the use of torture by our government because it is contrary to our national values.

“Like all Members of Congress who are briefed on classified information, I have signed oaths pledging not to disclose any of that information. This is an oath I have taken very seriously, and I have always abided by it.

“The CIA briefed me only once on some enhanced interrogation techniques, in September 2002, in my capacity as Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee.

“I was informed then that Department of Justice opinions had concluded that the use of enhanced interrogation techniques was legal. The only mention of waterboarding at that briefing was that it was not being employed.

“Those conducting the briefing promised to inform the appropriate Members of Congress if that technique were to be used in the future.

“Congress and the American people now know that contrary opinions within the Executive Branch concluded that these interrogation techniques were not legal. However, those opinions were not provided to Congress.

“We also now know that techniques, including waterboarding, had already been employed, and that those briefing me in September 2002 gave me inaccurate and incomplete information.

“At the same time, the Bush Administration was misleading the American people about the threat of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

“Five months later, in February 2003, a member of my staff informed me that the Republican chairman and new Democratic Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee had been briefed about the use of certain techniques which had been the subject of earlier legal opinions.

“Following that briefing, a letter raising concerns was sent to CIA General Counsel Scott Muller by the new Democratic Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, the appropriate person to register a protest.

“But no letter could change the policy. It was clear we had to change the leadership of the Congress and the White House. That was my job.

“When Democrats assumed control of Congress in 2007, Congress passed legislation banning torture and requiring all government agencies to abide by the Army Field Manual. President Bush vetoed this bill barring the use of torture. An effort to overturn his veto failed because of the votes of Republican Members.

“We needed to elect a new President. We did; and he has banned torture.

“Congress and the Administration must review the National Security Act of 1947 to determine if a larger number of Members of Congress should receive classified briefings so that information can be utilized for proper oversight and legislative activity without violating oaths of secrecy.

“I have long supported creation of an independent Truth Commission to determine how intelligence was misused, and how controversial and possibly illegal activities like torture were authorized within the Executive Branch.

“Until a Truth Commission is implemented, I encourage the appropriate committees of the House to conduct vigorous oversight of these issues.”

For Immediate Release 05/14/2009 Contact: Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami 202-226-7616

Governor Charlie Crist will run for Senate Biography VIDEO

Biography: Governor Charlie Crist confirmed Tuesday he will run for U.S. Senate instead of re-election next year, a decision that gives Republicans their best shot at maintaining the seat Mel Martinez is leaving after one term.

Governor Charlie Crist prepares for departure to the world’s largest sugar mill, the COSAN Usina da Barra located in Barra Bonita; however, the tour of the mill was cancelled due to weather conditions.

Governor Charlie Crist was born in 1956 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, but his family soon settled in St. Petersburg. As a public school student Governor Crist quickly learned the value of participation, leading him to serve as class president at St. Petersburg High School and, later, as student body vice president at Florida State University. In high school Governor Crist was the starting quarterback for his football team.

He later played football at Wake Forest University before transferring and receiving his undergraduate degree from Florida State in 1978. Governor Crist then earned his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama.

Governor Crist received experience in Florida’s criminal justice system while interning in the State Attorney’s Office before accepting a position as general counsel for the minor league division of the Baseball Commissioner’s Office. Governor Crist began his government service as state director for former U.S. Senator Connie Mack before later returning to the private practice of law with the Tampa firm of Wood and Crist.

In 1992, Governor Crist won a seat in the Florida Senate. For six years in the Senate, Governor Crist served as Chairman of the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee and as Chairman of the Appropriations Criminal Justice Subcommittee. A strong voice for public safety, he sponsored, among other legislation, the Stop Turning Out Prisoners (STOP) bill requiring prisoners to serve at least 85 percent of their prison sentences. This earned him numerous honors, including appointment as an Honorary Sheriff by the Florida Sheriffs Association—only the third person to receive the honor in the organization’s long history.

After Governor Crist completed his Senate service, Governor Jeb Bush appointed him as Deputy Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. In 2000, Governor Crist won a special election and became Florida’s last elected Commissioner of Education. Governor Crist’s path of public service next led him to seek election as Attorney General in 2002. He carried the general election by more than one-third of a million votes to become Florida’s first elected Republican Attorney General. On November 7, 2006, Governor Charlie Crist was elected to serve as Florida’s Governor. Governor Crist is a lifelong member of the St. Petersburg Chapter of the NAACP.

Governor Crist and his wife Carole have been married since December 12, 2008. They were married in his hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida.

SOURCES:

• Florida Governor Charlie Crist | Executive Office of the Governor:
• YouTube - AssociatedPress's Channel