Rep. Jane Harman, facing a likely primary challenge from the left flank of the Democratic Party, was one of the only lawmakers in 2003 to challenge the CIA’s program of harsh interrogations, according to a little-noticed letter to the CIA that was declassified last year.

The California Democrat’s position contrasts with that of a longtime colleague and rival, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Mrs. Pelosi has in the past two weeks said she was powerless to stop the interrogation program, which critics say included torture, and that she was never told that the program was actually being implemented.

Mrs. Harman, on the other hand, did voice some objections in 2003…

A U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of not being named because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Mrs. Harman’s query was one of very few the CIA received about the program from members of Congress at the time.