Oh my: Hoyer won’t back up Pelosi on claim that CIA lied
posted at 7:26 pm on May 14, 2009 by Allahpundit
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Granted, he wasn’t at the briefing in 2002 so he can’t say which side is right, but it speaks volumes that he’s unwilling to offer even a pro forma “I’ve never known Nancy to be untruthful” in her defense. Combine this with him telling reporters a few days ago that any torture truth commission should investigate Pelosi too and it’s pretty clear that even her own number two’s not betting on her version of events. And why would he? She’s a terrible liar. No sense in letting the sinking ship take him down too.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House majority leader, panned the recent criticism of Pelosi as a “distraction” during a verbal tangle with Republican Whip Eric Cantor on the House floor.
But when asked directly whether he shares Pelosi’s belief that the CIA misled Congress, he backed off.
“I have no idea of that. I don’t have a belief of that nature because I have no basis on which to base such a belief,” Hoyer said. “And I certainly hope that’s not the case. And I don’t draw that conclusion.”
Below, once again from master clipster Greg Hengler, two minutes of Krauthammer destroying Pelosi on tonight’s “Special Report.” Per his concluding remark, the only thing I’ll say in Madam Speaker’s semi-defense here is that it’s tragic that he, Ed, and pretty much all the rest of us routinely expect the CIA to try to destroy her politically now with well-placed leaks. They did it to Bush, of course, and so there’s rough justice in it being her turn, but how sad that we’re so inured to Hoover-esque tactics by the agency against politicians they don’t like that we’re treating this as a matter of course. As exceedingly unlikely as it is that they lied to her in the briefing, if it turns out somehow to be true then the Dems really do need to follow through with their momentarily nutty idea of prosecuting people for it.
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the GOP needs to get with the blue dogs and oust her and back Hoyer….
Aikido friends Aikido
sven10077 on May 14, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Hoyer and Pelosi have a history of distrust. That is why John Murtha has been a Pelosi stoolie becuase he took her side in the dispute.
William Amos on May 14, 2009 at 7:29 PM
It gets lonely under the bus.
Cicero43 on May 14, 2009 at 7:29 PM
Operation PUSH!
Thank you Rep. Hoyer.
Loxodonta on May 14, 2009 at 7:29 PM
poor old san fran nan, she’s just a victim of evil white men at the CIA and congress trying to take her out…
and i’m enjoying every minute of it!!!!
right4life on May 14, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Ooooh, revenge is a dish best eaten cold, isn’t it Steny. Pelosi and her henchman Murtha helped put her in as Minority Leader instaed of you. Bet you’re really enjoying this.
Wethal on May 14, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Call the EPA , toxic waste dumping imminent.
the_nile on May 14, 2009 at 7:31 PM
The Democrats would be better off if Steny Hoyer was Speaker of the House instead of Nancy Pelosi.
SoulGlo on May 14, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Its not on foreign policy that Pelosi would be ousted but on the economy. The blue dogs and dems with corporate connections are started to see that Obama is a threat to their livelyhood. So they need a check to him in congress. Pelosi is too close to Obama and Steny would be the go to guy.
William Amos on May 14, 2009 at 7:31 PM
The rats are fleeing the U.S.S. Pelosi!
canopfor on May 14, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Yes, this is a distraction from what the admin. is doing, but it’s a fun distraction to watch the smug lady getting her due.
I don’t think she was smart to call the CIA liars. They are the ones holding the cards now. I wonder how messy this will all get.
caygeon on May 14, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Nothing surprising here. He wants her job.
thirteen28 on May 14, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Steny used to be my Congressman back when I lived in his district…couldn’t stand the guy, but that’s Maryland for you…but in this case, I may change my opinion on Mr. Hoyer.
He knows something with enough confidence to be public about his lack of undying support for Pelosi. Perhaps Steny has been offered the Speaker of the House spot already? Perhaps Steny can garner enough votes to make it so?
coldwarrior on May 14, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Nice job, Krauthammer!
califcon on May 14, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Liberal Toxin? I wonder how the liberals in the MSM and colleges are going to spin this?
Toss Pelosi under the bus, if necessary, I suppose.
She ignored TORTURE!
IlikedAUH2O on May 14, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Just remember Nancy, Karma. Says it all. Bu-bye, Nancy.
GarandFan on May 14, 2009 at 7:35 PM
This is by far my favorite story on recent times. I do not want it to end.
BadgerHawk on May 14, 2009 at 7:37 PM
Two minutes of Krauthammer is worth a lifetime of Pelosi…
d1carter on May 14, 2009 at 7:37 PM
without the Speakerhood Nan is just another old old hippy….
sven10077 on May 14, 2009 at 7:37 PM
What did she inject and when did she inject it?
(Botox excluded.)
profitsbeard on May 14, 2009 at 7:38 PM
Pelosi going down would give me a reason to smile briefly and take my mind off how Obama is sinking the country.
behiker on May 14, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Is Rush a effing genius? He called Hoyer hanging Pelosi out to dry to remove her from power. Obama wants to have a pliant House to give him the bils he wants to sign. Pelosi was not playing that game and is partisan in tone as well as tactic. That is not Obambi style, his meet be civil then do what you want approach is not what Pelosi does. And guess who is tight with Rahm Emmanuel? That’s right good ol’ Steny!
Theworldisnotenough on May 14, 2009 at 7:39 PM
I think you have a good point here, Allah. The CIA selectively leaking stuff to destroy a politician (no matter what side of the aisle)is something that should disturb us.
terryannonline on May 14, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Notice that the White House will probably not have any events to distract from Pelosi either…
Theworldisnotenough on May 14, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Oh Nancy, dear: BUH-bye.
OhioCoastie on May 14, 2009 at 7:41 PM
I’ve been racking my brain trying to understand why the Left chose this battle. It was a monumental strategic miscalculation. There was no need to pick this fight and they did it anyway. Perhaps they were pushed to it by the radicals. Perhaps Obama setup Pelosi and others. Perhaps they are so accustom to hitting targets that don’t fight back and having the media carry their water they got cocky and stupid. Whatever it was, it has the potential to change the game substantially and they have nobody to blame but themselves.
TheBigOldDog on May 14, 2009 at 7:41 PM
why I trust the officers I know more than ANY politician since Reagan….
I used to believe that civillian oversight was the main thing but perhaps in a time of war a public that would choose Chicago Jesus is not worthy of it.
sven10077 on May 14, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Get your “FREE the CIA!!” T-shirt here…
leftnomore on May 14, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Stick it to the woMAN, Hoyer!
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:42 PM
The bigger concern for me is, as AP pointed out, the fact that the CIA can destroy people or, at least, severely damage people with selective leaks.
Yeah, Pelosi deserves this, admittedly. But the wheel turns and the fact that we have such a unaccountable agency is really disturbing.
Kennedy said after the Bay of Pigs that he was going to break the CIA into a million pieces. One of these days that may have to happen.
SteveMG on May 14, 2009 at 7:42 PM
The lust for power knows no allies. I think Hoyer is looking out of Hoyer.
Mormon Doc on May 14, 2009 at 7:42 PM
Why is everyone so excited?
Putting Hoyer in as S of the H is like trading in bag of dog poo for a box of kitty sh*t.
Hoyer is best buds with Emmanuel and it only means the “destroy America” agenda moves along a little faster.
It’s all crap with a big FAT C!
katy on May 14, 2009 at 7:43 PM
whoops
offorMormon Doc on May 14, 2009 at 7:44 PM
I can’t imagine he’s going to throw her a lifeline at this point. She’s on her own. The only question I think is, will she go quietly or will she take othrs with her?
TheBigOldDog on May 14, 2009 at 7:44 PM
I don’t think anyone is excited about Hoyer as much as they happy to see Pelosi getting her just desserts.
Mormon Doc on May 14, 2009 at 7:44 PM
Why should Hoyer defend Liar Pantsuit-on-Fire, when he can throw her under the bus and take her gavel?
Honest or not, it’s smart politics, for Hoyer.
Steve Z on May 14, 2009 at 7:45 PM
Agreed, but it’s people like Pelosi that think the CIA (and other large government bureaus) are vital to
theirAmerica’s survival. Maybe if enough Pelosis get burned by their very own people, we will once again move back to a smaller government…Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:46 PM
This is one of those things where I agree with the statement even though I really don’t want to.
In this particular situation I want them to leak until she drowns. They did what we asked them to do and now face politicians who have no sense of right and wrong. And then Pelosi called them liars.
But for all of the other times… I agree even though I don’t want to.
myrenovations on May 14, 2009 at 7:46 PM
That is so far down on the list of things that disturb me as to be of no consequence whatever. If these people behaved with integrity, they wouldn’t have much to worry about, would they?
califcon on May 14, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Yep… now back to making the government bigger!!!
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:47 PM
Krauthammer nails it………..
……… when Pelosi says the CIA lied to her, then she was the only one.
Everyone else in the briefing was saying…….
Seven Percent Solution on May 14, 2009 at 7:48 PM
It gets better and better. Pass the popcorn.
txag92 on May 14, 2009 at 7:50 PM
I’m looking forward to the idiotic comments from radiofreevillage and nice343. It will be interesting to hear how the “scourge of torture” that was supported by the liberals was somehow different from the “scourge of torture” supported by conservatives. I love to listen to the clueless defend the classless.
Mormon Doc on May 14, 2009 at 7:50 PM
I’m more concerned with the Bush leaks, they were completely politically motivated. The current leaks are in self-defense.
Theworldisnotenough on May 14, 2009 at 7:50 PM
I’m beginning to wonder if Pelosi really is too stupid to understand the seriousness of her current position. If her current version of events is true — that the CIA deliberately lied to Congress — then nothing short of a full hearing about exactly who was told what, and when, will do. Anything less is going to be unacceptable to people across the political spectrum.
Is that really what she’s pushing for?
cruadin on May 14, 2009 at 7:51 PM
Where are the trolls?
Knucklehead on May 14, 2009 at 7:51 PM
It was, that’s how we missed the fall of the Soviet Union and 9/11.
The CIA knew this battle may come and they protected their backside. They’ve seen this movie before with the Left. This time they were ready. There was no need for Obama, Pelosi, et al to threaten the CIA with prosecution. They picked this fight and the CIA is simply revealing the truth.
TheBigOldDog on May 14, 2009 at 7:51 PM
Can anyone imagine Pelosi getting into her
planehelicopter and then turning around and giving the Peace Sign (V-sign? Naw…) before being forced into permanent retirement from politics?Ahh… sweet.
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:52 PM
Crying in their lattes.
TheBigOldDog on May 14, 2009 at 7:52 PM
Yeah, but I think that’s his point. We have a non-elected HUGE government body that can ruin anyone with a few pen strokes…
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:53 PM
The Prequel to this was called the Church Commission, Nan wants the Pelosi Inquisition….
sven10077 on May 14, 2009 at 7:53 PM
As I said on another thread…
Learning to crap their pants like Nancy taught them today…
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:53 PM
They are figuring out how to formulate the spin for this. Without direction from Dear Leader they are left to fend for themselves. It’s like watching a five year explain how his hand really wasn’t in the cookie jar when he has cookie crumbs down the front of his shirt.
Mormon Doc on May 14, 2009 at 7:54 PM
I have little sympathy for any liberal democrat who whines now about how unfair it is for a leak to be used to smear them after 8 years of them using every effort they could to not only smear the Bush administration but also our country and our military.
You live by the smear you die by the smear.
William Amos on May 14, 2009 at 7:54 PM
of hard quiet pros who ponder things more serious than “57 states” every minute of their lives spent at their job….one thing I assure you no officer would humiliate himself like Bill “Boxers or Briefs” Clinton….
sven10077 on May 14, 2009 at 7:55 PM
Only those in a position to be destroyed. That is, people who are lying and/or have things to hide.
TheBigOldDog on May 14, 2009 at 7:55 PM
Anyone want to guess who goes down next if the Code Pinkers don’t call off the Bush attacks?
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:55 PM
Stepping back a bit…. isn’t it good to know we now have a President that is unifying the country, the most ethical congress in US history and an trusted intelleigence community that is committed soley to keeping the country safe…
Makes one proud to be American!!
katy on May 14, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Do I hear violins playing? Respectfully, the “tactic” may very well be harsh, but look who’s firing the first shot AllahP. The worst attack on our soil and the CIA is the first (and now the last) to be blamed for either being too soft or going “overboard”. If I was a part of the CIA, I’d be fuming mad at the idiots that started all the BS in the first place. Are you listening Axlerod, Emanuel, Mr. President?
Rovin on May 14, 2009 at 7:56 PM
hehe
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Knucklehead on May 14, 2009 at 7:51 PM
Of course if you ask radiofreevillage he will respond “When did I ever say they were my leaders?” and then quickly move on to another thread.
His sense of moral superiority is enough to make me wretch. nice343 follows the lead of others because it appears that he just isn’t that bright.
Mormon Doc on May 14, 2009 at 7:56 PM
I’d wager Bawney Fwank is in the top 10%….Langley pays mortgages too…
sven10077 on May 14, 2009 at 7:56 PM
Cans of tuna.
SouthernGent on May 14, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Let the unraveling begin!
rollthedice on May 14, 2009 at 7:57 PM
Or alleged Right Wing Extremists, or Rush Limbaugh, or Foreign leaders that don’t go with Obama’s world plans (Israel comes to mind)… What makes you think the CIA is a lapdog to the right?
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:57 PM
I think you’ve been spending too much time engaging the trolls – LOL!
TheBigOldDog on May 14, 2009 at 7:58 PM
they get an employee discount on their drinks at their main job….
sven10077 on May 14, 2009 at 7:58 PM
solely…intelligence
katy on May 14, 2009 at 7:58 PM
I don’t know about the country, but this whole debacle can only strengthen the once weak base of the right…
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:58 PM
Every dog has its day.
echosyst on May 14, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Bye bye Princess Pelosi, it’s over dear, time has caught up with you. Your mansion in Pacific Heights in S.F. awaits.
We need someone that doesn’t babble and lie as Speaker of the House.
FireBlogger on May 14, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Hehe, I would be happy to see Bawney up in flames… What about Reid? Are his hands clean? Murtha? Lieberman? Schumer? Hillary?
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 7:59 PM
It is a lapdog of America….the right is getting their licks in after the leftoids launched the Plame Game….
Nan will regret gaining by Val’s misdeeds…
sven10077 on May 14, 2009 at 7:59 PM
Hoyer wants Nancy’s job.
Buy Danish on May 14, 2009 at 8:00 PM
I can’t believe I am about to type this….
Mothra maybe, Schumer and Hillary are pragmatists on intelliegnce, and I would have voted for Lieberman over McCain or Ogabe based on his integrity on these matters….
sven10077 on May 14, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Judicial activism scoffs at your concerns.
jjshaka on May 14, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Ahh… true, I forgot about Plame (I always forget that she actually worked for the CIA)
Still not convinced that the CIA is America’s lapdog. I could see a Republican just like Powell running it and they’d still want more government controls.
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Do you think Obama was devious enough to have set this up?
TheBigOldDog on May 14, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Bah. She’s going down. Like a Value Jet. Membah them?
/my skeptical side says O is going to score two points in three days by publically announcing that he has asked her to “step aside”.
Mark. Words.
Key West Reader on May 14, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Watching this congress is like watching a glass jar full of tape worms feeding on each other, as well as us.
Dhuka on May 14, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Take a deep breath everyone the AP is reporting that it is the CIA and the Republicans that looked foolish today. So is NBC. They will defend her at all costs.
Their twist of the story is that when asked the CIA refused to say if their people had lied or not. They belittled the GOP for being in disarray and just throwing bombs everywhere they could and oh yeah they hit Dick Cheney in regards to the CIA refusing his request to publish the memos.
Welcome to 1984.
Jdripper on May 14, 2009 at 8:02 PM
Pelosi jumped up on her podium and dumped all over the CIA while claiming no knowledge. I hope the CIA gives her all she deserves.
Hog Wild on May 14, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Yeah, I’m leaning towards Murtha too. I don’t see Hillary, Schumer or Lieberman getting hurt. They have always relied on the pro-Israeli vote… They didn’t lie about much if anything when it came to “torture.”
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 8:03 PM
They’re out celebrating getalife’s 7th grade graduation ceremony Doc.
Rovin on May 14, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Uh. Murtha’s next. The airport thing got big play. “O” will have him dismissed within 45 days. Wasteful spending.
Mark. Words.
Key West Reader on May 14, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Sooper Sekrit Agent 925 was part of the cabal that tried to tilt an election….
the rubicon has been crossed we need to protect our guys on the farm for their payback….
BY LAW Nan got the EXACT brief Bush got….
part of the ’70s prequel
sven10077 on May 14, 2009 at 8:03 PM
Yeah, something else we need to address when we get back in power.
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 8:03 PM
I trust the people in the CIA more than politicians too. But the CIA is NOT and should not be used for political retribution.
Let the American people decide which politician has integrity or not. I don’t need the CIA to tell me that Nancy Pelosi is a big liar.
How do we know the heat Pelosi is receiving isn’t politically motivated? Face it: Dems want Pelosi out as much as Republicans. How do we know the Dems don’t want to stir up a controversy to get her out of there?
terryannonline on May 14, 2009 at 8:04 PM
old nan gets UGLIER by the day..and they have what 3 pictures of her on HOTAIR??? ARRRGGHHGHH
wish they’d post ms. CA’s picture when they talk about old stone-face or megan (mooooo) mccain…
right4life on May 14, 2009 at 8:05 PM
AP, you’re about as wrong on your point concerning leaks as you could possibly be.
The situations and issues and actions are entirely different.
Any CIA leaks now are RESPONSES to an unprovoked, classless, possibly dangerous, and contemptible attack on CIA regarding interrogation methods. And the leaks concern facts – setting the record straight with facts about concrete matters (briefings of Congress on specific topics).
The leaks (and it went way beyond that) that were intended to be damaging to Bush were not a response to anything, they concerned POLICY as well as on-going operations, and they all represented an agency or personnel/former personnel out of their lane, or even acting criminally.
The outing of the SWIFT operation and the NSA surveillance of domestic connections to foreign terror organizations were criminal violations of federal laws by arrogant reckless morons who appointed themselves FISA appeals chamber judges, Galactic Arbiters of What’s Right, and President (with declassifying authority) all in one. There isn’t the slightest similarity to the Pelosi affair, on any aspect in question.
The absurd game of tendentious and silly NIEs intended to preserve the Ba’athist tyranny, er, prevent the Iraq war, or to prevent any effective interference with the Iranian nuclear weapons program was about policy – way out of their lane, not criminal, and repeated only because the Bush Admin. lacked the judgement or guts to publicly humiliate the perps for their absurd and unimpressive “analysis” (this would have paid enormous benefits in national security and making the CIA a more serious agency).
Again, there was no retaliation for an unprovoked assault on the agency for authorized (and successful, and vital) activities by a ridiculous, mendacious, despicable political creature – which is the Pelosi matter in a nutshell.
I see that Theworldisnotenough has seized on the same point about the difference (or one of them) between the two cases.
If anyone around here is going to be concerned, be concerned (no, appalled and sickened) by the mediocrity of so much CIA “analysis”, the politicization (i.e., adherence to brain-dead Beltway mindsets as reflected in the MSM and the Dem party and half the GOP) of so many federal agencies incl. CIA, the collapse of any standards of decency or respect in the public square (from Durbin to Murtha to Pelosi to Reid) concerning life and death matters in time of war, and the cowardice and mediocrity of the GOP (and in the Bush years, perhaps simply the incomprehension) that fails to reject and resist these things and thus lets them become the new normal.
IceCold on May 14, 2009 at 8:05 PM
Um. I’d give her about 5 press days, or 10 business days. She will develop a sudden ‘illness’ and have to step down in deference to the people. We wouldn’t want a Speaker (third in line for the Presidency) to be ill, now would we?
Key West Reader on May 14, 2009 at 8:06 PM
Perhaps our best strategy is to send the Liz and Dick Cheney out on a weekly basis and watch the left eat their own till there’s only a few bones left.
katy on May 14, 2009 at 8:06 PM
This I agree with you on. So for the moment being, we should use the CIA to do exactly that… but someday we should start making the entire government smaller… someday when it’s no longer fashionable to make government huge…
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 8:06 PM
I just thought of question: Why is Pelosi the only taking any heat for this? Weren’t there other Dems in this briefing? Why is she being targeted?
terryannonline on May 14, 2009 at 8:06 PM
where’s Cindy Sheehan? Now’s the time to pounce on that seat.
dingbat on May 14, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Yeah pre-Bush and during Bush, I wasn’t a huge fan of Cheney, but I’m starting to find him more useful. So far the GOP doesn’t appear to have eggs on the face as the MSM has been predicting Cheney would cause…
Upstater85 on May 14, 2009 at 8:08 PM
Earlier today, I thought it would be best if Pelosi clung to power through the 2010 elections. Best for Republicans to campaign against her, at least. But the more I think about it, the more I believe it would be best for the country for this sorry chapter in our history to be closed.
The CIA needs to be working on our nation’s security, not defending itself from false charges from the Speaker of the House. The majority party in Congress should never attempt to jail the the leaders or advisers of the opposing party that was previously in power, by using laws to criminalize actions after the fact. Politically polarized “truth commissions,” or any government agencies, should not be used to spread false propaganda about political opponents. All of these accusations and machinations are damaging our political discourse and threatening our national defense.
The best way to stop this is for Nancy Pelosi to admit uncertainties about what she was told and knew, resign as Speaker, then stop pushing this foolishness. If she won’t, then members of Congress should force her from power, and turn a deaf ear to her demagoguery.
For our nation’s sake, let’s stop this hysteria, now.
Loxodonta on May 14, 2009 at 8:08 PM
Can you say, Speaker Hoyer? I want Pelosi to go down and I want her to go down hard.
CP on May 14, 2009 at 8:08 PM
“it has the means to destroy her”
Oh how wonderful if that comes true.
She isn’t as dangerous as the Idiot in Chief, of course, but for pure evilness, she can’t be topped.
notagool on May 14, 2009 at 8:08 PM
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