Nancy Pelosi Accuses Everyone Else Of Lying

Shorter Nancy Pelosi:  Bush lied about WMDs so the CIA must be lying about my awareness of enhanced interrogation techniques now.

Well, she might find an audience for that, although right now Ms. Pelosi looks more like she is doing a one woman revival of the Captain Queeg role in "The Caine Mutiny".

Her current spin, as reported by the WaPo:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today accused the CIA of "misleading" her on the use of harsh interrogation techniques in the fall of 2002, acknowledging for the first time publicly she knew alleged terrorist detainees were subjected to waterboarding more than six years ago.

Pelosi called for the CIA to release detailed portions of her own September 2002 briefing about interrogation techniques, saying that at that time she was told the CIA was not waterboarding detainees. After weeks of sticking to prior statements that she then was never "briefed" about waterboarding's use, Pelosi today said her top security adviser was part of a briefing in February 2003 in which he learned interrogators were waterboarding terrorists.

The NY Times is also critical:

Under fire from Republicans for what she knew about harsh questioning of terror detainees, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday asserted that the C.I.A. had misled Congress about its techniques, even as she acknowledged that she had learned in 2003 that the agency had subjected suspects to waterboarding.

At a tense press conference, Ms. Pelosi said for the first time that a staff member alerted her in February 2003 that top lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee had been briefed on the use of tough interrogation methods on terror suspects.

One wonders what the CIA files will reveal.  Leon Panetta's CIA described the Sept 2002 meeting as follows:

“Briefing on EITs including use of EITs on Abu Zubaydah, background on authorities, and a description of particular EITs that had been employed.”

Eric Holder's Justice Department also described the Senate briefing:

In the fall of 2002, after the use of interrogation techniques on Abu Zubaydah, CIA records indicate that the CIA briefed the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Committee on the interrogation.

That is pretty brief but consistent with the CIA version.  Dare we hope that if Holder's people had reviewed CIA files in which the CIA noted that they had not described the Zubaydah interrogation during a briefing on enhanced interrogation techniques, Team Holder would have highlighted that glaring omission?

Let's check in on Ms. Pelosi's evolving denials.  As of April 23rd, she had only been told that enhanced interrogation techniques were legal and might be used in the future:

Pelosi told reporters that the administration officials only told her and those in a classified briefing in the fall of 2002 that they believed they had the legal authority to do so, based on Office of Legal Counsel memos which have recently been released by the Obama administration.

"In that or any other briefing...we were not, and I repeat, were not told that waterboarding or any of these other enhanced interrogation techniques were used," said Pelosi. "What they did tell us is that they had some legislative counsel...opinions that they could be used, but not that they would."

Today Ms. Pelosi has abandoned her insistence that "we were not, and I repeat, were not told that waterboarding or any of these other enhanced interrogation techniques were used."  I guess repeating it for emphasis did not make it true.  From the WaPo:

Under pressure from Republicans to address when she learned of waterboarding, Pelosi for several weeks has insisted she was never briefed on the use of waterboarding. She did not point out that in December 2007 she issued a little-noticed statement that said she became aware of waterboarding in February 2003, when she left the intelligence committee to become House minority leader and Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) succeeded her on the panel. Harman was briefed Feb. 5, 2003 about the use of waterboarding and told that tapes existed of the waterboarding of one detainee.

As the Washington Post reported Saturday, Pelosi's top aide on intelligence matters also attended the Harman briefing, a fact that Pelosi omitted from her statements on the issue for the past several years. Today she acknowledged that her aide, Michael Sheehy, subsequently told her about the waterboarding interrogations.

Her December 2007 statement would have been in response to this 2007 WaPo story which claims she was briefed on waterboarding.

Ms. Pelosi is hiding behind Jane Harman's skirts (Yup, the Jane Harman that was denied the House Intel Chair by Nancy herself) based on this "protest" letter from Harman following her Feb 2003 briefing.  Some scathing, fiery excerpts:

Last week’s briefing brought home to me the difficult challenges faced by the Central Intelligence Agency in the current threat environment.  I realize we are at a time when the balance between security and liberty must be constantly evaluated and recalibrated in order to protect our nation and its people from catastrophic terrorist attack and I thus appreciate the obvious effort that you and your Office have made to address the tough questions.  At the briefing you assured us that the [redacted] approved by the Attorney General have been subject to an extensive review by lawyers at the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Justice and the National Security Council and found to be within the law.

It is also the case, however, that what was described raises profound policy questions and I am concerned about whether these have been as rigorously examined as the legal questions.  I would like to know what kind of policy review took place and what questions were examined.  In particular, I would like to know whether the most senior levels of the White House have determined that these practices are consistent with the principles and policies of the United States.  Have enhanced techniques been authorized and approved by the President?

That's telling 'em!  Has the President approved this?  GREAT question!  Is the White House aware that there are policy issues that go beyond the legal questions?  Gee, thanks for the reminder! 

This might be the right tone for a diplomatic note between allies but I would hardly say that Ms. Harman established a future for herself as a lefty blogger.  [A lefty blogger bashed her letter when it first appeared.]

[end of thread]

Comments

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Sounds to me like Nancy is forgetting the First Law of Holes.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Actually, sounds like Harman's letter accepts the techniques as legal, and is now asking if they're wise. Which is a perfectly legitimate question to ask, but seems to undercut (again) the notion that anyone in the House questioned the legality of EI at the time/

[Danube of Thought]

I hope this goes on forever.

[Cecil Turner]

Is the White House aware that there are policy issues that go beyond the legal questions? Gee, thanks for the reminder!

Also telling is the tacit admission that the legal question is settled to her (and presumably to her predecessor's) satisfaction. Makes it just a bit hard to claim that's the overriding issue now.

[hit and run]

Charlie:
Sounds to me like Nancy is forgetting the First Law of Holes.

For Nancy, the First Law of Holes is superseded by the First Law of the Instrument:

When all you have is a hammer shovel, then everything looks like a nail potential hole.

[Dave]

OT: In case Jane is out there...

Texting transit trolley tragedy tranny terminated.

[matt]

"under fire from republicans" was the lede of the WaPo article. Interesting. I guess they're forgetting about the CIA completely.

[matt]

The Telegraph has an article stating that waterboarding was Cheney's idea.

[hit and run]

Sonofabeeswax stupid italics

[Appalled]

Make ital stop!

[Topsecretk9]

Pelosi should have just pulled a piece of paper out of her safe and said it was her objections she wrote to herself for safe keeping in 9-2002.

[Porchlight]

LOL Tops

[Cecil Turner]

The Telegraph has an article stating that waterboarding was Cheney's idea.

The way I read it, it says the OVP suggested EITs be extended to the head of the Iraqi secret police (and references the ubiquitous "senior intelligence officials"). I'm sure Pelosi et al will spin this to mean Cheney invented waterboarding (possibly through a trans-generational combination time warp and mind meld), but . . .

[Bill in AZ]

"Pelosi should have just pulled a piece of paper out of her safe..."

She's still writing it, but has to change it every day to match her lies.

[ben]

My God, is the fundamental pillar of the Obama Administration so far beginning to crumble?

"By more than 3-to-1 Americans think it is time for the Obama administration to start taking responsibility (64 percent) instead of continuing to blame the Bush administration for mistakes (21 percent)."

[Appalled]

I am with Ms. Pelosi in wanting to see the contemporaneous notes. I thought, though, that Hoekstra had already tried and was denied.

Methinks the administration, in all its magnificent array, is going to shut down any further releases of torture info.

[verner]

Me too DOT. They really need to keep tearing the country apart over the waterboarding of 3 scum bag A-Q butchers.

Great Move that!

[PeterUK]

"Pelosi should have just pulled a piece of paper out of her safe..."

She can't even pull her head out of her arse.

[Martin]

How is the head of the Iraqi secret police captured after the invasion not a POW subject to the Geneva Conventions?

Seriously.

[Aubrey]

The only way to get Pelosi to tell the truth is to waterboard her.

[Ranger]

Methinks the administration, in all its magnificent array, is going to shut down any further releases of torture info.

Posted by: Appalled | May 14, 2009 at 05:44 PM

I am sure they would like to. But I also have a feeling that there are copies of things out there that some people at CIA kept just in case this whole thing starting going in this direction.

This administration is run by old Chicago hands. They have no experience dealing with institutions that are essentially self sustaining, like the CIA. The Chicago Sun Times printed something last weekend about Rahm reading Leon the riot act about the memo that started all this ruckus. As if Panetta really has any control of the career people there.

They turned on Bush when he stopped listening to him after the WMD fiasco. What do you think they will do to Barry and Nancy now that they are not just not listening, but outright dissing them.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

How is the head of the Iraqi secret police captured after the invasion not a POW subject to the Geneva Conventions?

As I recall, he was captured in civilian clothing, hiding out among civilians. That would make him an illegal combatant and war criminal.

[Martin]

Oh. Well that's cool. Torture the bastard.

[Ranger]

How is the head of the Iraqi secret police captured after the invasion not a POW subject to the Geneva Conventions?

Seriously.

Posted by: Martin | May 14, 2009 at 05:57 PM

Maybe because he is not a commander of a military organization, but the commander of an intel organization that ran a terrorist training camp?

[Martin]

Of course, were the Iraqis to ever capture Cheney I'm not sure the same rationale would not apply. maybe Cheney wears more expensive ties.

[Appalled]

Ranger:

There might be a deal between the Obama and the CIA at this point. (That was a pretty substantial reversal on the torture pics.) Might be hard to keep the leakers quiet after that news conference, though.

[Martin]

Were SS memnbers subject to Geneva after WWII?

[PeterUK]

"The only way to get Pelosi to tell the truth is to waterboard her"

Sh is somewhat devout,better the Catherine Wheel.

[verner]

Hey, even Larry Johnson is calling Pelosi a C******n. I don't know which dirty word that is, but it sounds really bad.

Helloo Langley!!

Right here at JOM. Comments are free! Leak Leak Leak your little hearts out.

[PeterUK]

"Were SS memnbers subject to Geneva after WWII?"

Oh course,they were tried and hanged.At least the ones that didn't get shot out of hand or get captured by the Russians.The Russians really didn't do the Geneva Conventions with German Prisoners.

[Ranger]

Were SS memnbers subject to Geneva after WWII?

Posted by: Martin | May 14, 2009 at 06:10 PM

That depends on if they surrenderd in uniform on or before the German capitulation.

Those that changed into civilian clothes to participate in terrorist attacks after Germany surrenderd weren't. They became illegal combatants by fighting after the German government had capitulated.

[ben]

"I am with Ms. Pelosi in wanting to see the contemporaneous notes."

For what purpose exactly? Her own aide Michael Sheehy has already let the cat out of the bag by saying the CIA briefings were clear the techniques were used on Abu Zubaida. Jane Harman was at the same briefing. Pelosi would now have to claim the CIA was keeping HER in the dark but telling her aides and other Democrats. Good luck with that strategy.

[Martin]

When did the Iraq government under Saddam capitulate?

[Ranger]

There might be a deal between the Obama and the CIA at this point. (That was a pretty substantial reversal on the torture pics.) Might be hard to keep the leakers quiet after that news conference, though.

Posted by: Appalled | May 14, 2009 at 06:07 PM

Possible, but the problem is whom to cut the deal with? Like any insurgency at its beginning stages, the CIA people leaking against the Dems right now are not a monolithic, identifialble block. It is individuals or small cells operating in loose co-ordination with each other.

BTW, I think the photo issue was more about placating the DoD rather than the CIA.

[matt]

martin;

he was head of the secret police, not the military. There is a clear distinction. if was an enemy combatant, that would influence the decision as well. A gray area.

[Semanticleo]

What a turnabout for y'all. Not too long ago you wept openly at the harsh language used
on Scooter Libby during his lawyerly demise.

Not so with Pelosi, who was bamboozled by the Bushkies and their co-conspirators. Libby knew the facts and got caught lying about it.

But this is merely a case of he said/she said, yet you would malign her now, while you made feeble excuses for Scooter boy.

SOP for WingNut nation.

[PeterUK]

"When did the Iraq government under Saddam capitulate?"

That was the problem,there was no unitary command left to surrender.After the Iraqi army melted into the night the insurgency began.

[Martin]

matt-are you suggesting the Waffen SS was part of the German army?

[Martin]

or more relevant-were captured Gestapo members subject to the Geneva conventions in WWII?

[PeterUK]

"Not so with Pelosi, who was bamboozled by the Bushkies and their co-conspirators."

You mean the "Presidunce" fooled the Speaker of the House? She is that dim?

[Ranger]

When did the Iraq government under Saddam capitulate?

Posted by: Martin | May 14, 2009 at 06:22 PM

Officially, never, but effectivly, the day they abandonded the capital and Saddam when into hiding. Once a government abandons the state, no soldier of that government can be legally at war, as it requires a state to legally fight a war.

If Saddam had gone into exile and set up a government in exile, then there might have been a case for a legal continuation of hostilities.

BTW, that is why it was so important for legal purposes that countries over run in World War II set up governments in exile.

[Martin]

Right- but what was the date? Bush declared Mission accomplished on May 1, 2003.

[Bill in AZ]

"(That was a pretty substantial reversal on the torture pics.)"

When you open your CIA briefing folder first thing in the morning, and the first sheet is a copy of your birth certificate, with a TANG memo stuck to the back of it, that would be enough to give even TOTUS pause.

[Martin]

Question: If Obama is dressed in civilian clothing when he finally gets taken into custody for war crimes against Pakistan (for slaughtering those innocent women and children during his failed, illegal attempts at extrajudicial killings of suspected -- not proven -- terrorists), should he be treated as a POW or not?

[Martin]

I wonder who's killed more innocent Pakistanis this year -- Obama, or the Taliban insurgents.

Close call.

[PeterUK]

"or more relevant-were captured Gestapo members subject to the Geneva conventions in WWII?"

The Geheime Statz Polizei,the Gestapo,were the German Secret Police.Very similar to Saddam's Secret Police.
It seems that many of them did not fare to well either.War criminals and ordinary criminals.

Now would you like to move on to the Knights of Bushido,whilst were are in a hanging mood?

[Ranger]

Right- but what was the date? Bush declared Mission accomplished on May 1, 2003.

Posted by: Martin | May 14, 2009 at 06:31 PM

April 10th. That's the day the Iraqi government en mass stopped functioning.

[PeterUK]

"I wonder who's killed more innocent Pakistanis this year -- Obama, or the Taliban insurgents."

President Abortion Obama certainly killed more Americans than Osama bin Laden.

[ben]

"The only way to get Pelosi to tell the truth is to waterboard her"

Put her in a dark room and feed in loud Rush Limbaugh tapes, she will break down quickly.

[Semanticleo]

"should he be treated as a POW or not?"

If Obama becomes a war criminal, it will only be after GWB and Cheney the Cheshire Cat, share the Nobel Peace Prize.

[Bill in AZ]

Bloomberg: "President Barack Obama, calling current deficit spending “unsustainable,” warned of skyrocketing interest rates for consumers if the U.S. continues to finance government by borrowing from other countries. "

We've gone from painting brown shoots green to painting green shoots brown.

[ben]

"If Obama becomes a war criminal,"

No ifs, ands and buts. By your standards he is ALREADY a war criminal. So is Clinton, Pelosi, and all your heroes.

There is no free lunch. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

[Ranger]

More on topic, Hot Air has video of Lindsey Graham taking it to the Dems:

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/05/14/why-dont-the-democrats-dump-pelosi/>“If it was a crime, she was part of it.”

[verner]

Ranger, the nutroot strategy is to conflate the CIA's EIT and the relatively few cases of "prison abuse" committed by the troops.

They absolutely have nothing to do with each other. But they are hoping the public won't notice.

[PeterUK]

"should he(Obama) be treated as a POW or not?"

Only if he is in uniform.

[PeterUK]

H&R.Put a head on that one.

[Semanticleo]

In other words, Obama isn't a war criminal just because he's launched illegal attacks into a sovereign peaceful nation to extrajudicially assassinate "terrorists", even though he's butchered hundreds of innocent Pakistani men, women, and children as part of these attempts by blowing them apart and incinerating their remains.

You Wingnuts are so stupid, you don't even understand what's required for something to be a war crime under Geneva!

Obama will only be a war criminal if he pours a little water on them.

[Dorothy Jane]

"Put her in a dark room and feed in loud Rush Limbaugh tapes, she will break down quickly."

Wouldn't it be a hoot if she came out a conervative?

[verner]

I just love it. Dr. C is laying it down on Fox. All the stuff GWB was attacked over--now ALL OBama policies.

And they don't think the public notices.

Add that to rampant socialism, a horse choking raise in taxes for everybody despite what they say, and a four trillion dollar deficit--and you're well on the way to a repub victory in 2010, and a one term wonder.

Bush and Cheney are looking better every day.

[PeterUK]

Semanticleo has a point.

We are ignorant slaves of the Party Line when we join in the off-key chorus of the RNC and swallow the memorandum hog whole without any self-awareness or genuine ammunition.

Can anyone argue that point?

[PeterUK]

"Can anyone argue that point?"

Yes me Mush! I'm not a Republican,I'm not even American.I just don't like socialists and I can't stick Pelosi's face. OK
Now fuck off and impersonate someone else.

[Rick Ballard]

"Semanticleo has a point."

Undoubtedly. Given the placement of his head I'm surprised that he doesn't have a perforated duodenum as well.

[Semanticleo]

Marmalard made a funny joke.

you must be either an engineer, or a bean-counter.

[clarice]

Interesting that Sheehy is obviously unwilling to lie to protect Pelosi.

Lindsey Graham getting into the fight--now you know there's no chance of a mite of dust splashing back on him..He isn't exactly a risk takin soldier.

As for the post about the birth certificate with the TANG memo attached--Today's winner by my count.

[Semanticleo]

"impersonate someone else."

Right back atcha', Bangers and Mash....

[ben]

"Obama will only be a war criminal if he pours a little water on them."

Nope, moonbats have to sign off on it. Only moonbats can define what torture is.

[Semanticleo]

It IS so amusing that WingNutters can dish it out, but can't take it,

[bad]

Semanticleo, you need to find forgiveness for the engineer that wronged you.

[PeterUK]

"impersonate someone else."

Septic,don't quote out of context,it was "Now fuck off and impersonate someone else." That "fuck off" is most important.

[Semanticleo]

No single engineer has wronged me, but thanks for the Christian Counsel.

[Semanticleo]

"That "fuck off" is most important."

Is there a problem?

We don't talk that way here at JOM.

[bad]

"No single engineer has wronged me"

AAHHhhh, the married ones are always the worst....

[Semanticleo]

I know you're a devolved Brit, but try to absorb some of our good American culture.

[Semanticleo]

I continue to insist that pouring water on known terrorists is a war crime, but that obliterating innocent civilians in a peaceful sovereign country as part of extrajudicial assassination attempts on suspected "terrorists" is not.

And nothing you wingers can say will make me change my mind.

[PeterUK]

"It IS so amusing that WingNutters can dish it out, but can't take it,"

Look,Septic,this is getting wearisome.I know you are a masochist,but we are simply going to have to start charging you for for the service.JOM isn't a therapy centre you trolls.

[ben]

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/05/14/lieberman-cia-tells-me-the-truth/

Lieberman slamming Pelosi...that might get some others off the fence....I see Graham has followed suit...

Let's see how many politically alive Democrats like Pelosi and Harman the moonbats are willing to sacrifice for some retribution against politically dead Republicans like Cheney and Rumsfeld.

[Semanticleo]

"the married ones are always the worst...."

Actually marriage does little to change the genetic myopia of engineers and accountants.

The nerve pathways have gone sclerotic.

[PeterUK]

"And nothing you wingers can say will make me change my mind."

It makes your bum look big.

[bad]

Another note: this afternoon, on the House floor, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D, Md.) was none too eager to get aboard with Pelosi's accusation. Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R, Va.) engaged him in a colloquy on the topic, stating, "I'd ask the gentleman whether he shares this belief, that somehow the CIA or others have intentionally misled this body, because that seems to be some concern that has been raised today?”

Hoyer's reply, from a rush transcript provided by a Republican aide:

"I have no idea of that, don't have a belief of that nature because I have no basis on which to base such a belief. And I certainly hope that's not the case. I don't draw that conclusion...[T]o a degree, that is a distraction. It is not irrelevant, but it is a distraction from the central point. And I will tell my friend that I think there is far too much discussion about what was said as opposed to what was done..."

What will Hoyer find in his bed tonight?

[Semanticleo]

I hate trolls but I really hate trollops.

You know, the munchkins of intellectual nirvana? The folks who are desperate for camaraderie, and will sign onto any absurdity for the sake of acceptance...

[Rick Ballard]

Bad,

If they're trying to scare him into silence - Nancy Pelosi.

[ben]

"T]o a degree, that is a distraction."

Sounds like plagiarism to me. Obama's lawyers should be calling Hoyer's any minute. Of course, Biden, an expert on plagiarism, can assist the President in this matter.

[bad]

LO Rick, maybe he needs to put in an order for the horse head and dead fish immediately to save himself from that fate.

The Chicago crowd has all the connections for speedy service.

[Captain Hate]

What will Hoyer find in his bed tonight?

Semanticleo?

[centralcal]

Eewwww, Captain!! Nancy is much more deserving, than Steny.

[Semanticleo]

What will Hoyer find in his bed tonight?

Semanticleo?

Posted by: Captain Hate | May 14, 2009 at 07:27 PM

Eewwww, Captain!! Nancy is much more deserving, than Steny.

Posted by: centralcal | May 14, 2009 at
07:30 PM

You folks are always preaching "Substance'
and you never fail to provide real content.

[PeterUK]

"What will Hoyer find in his bed tonight?

Semanticleo?"

Who is going to engineer that? Still he might enjoy it,there is no accountant for taste.

[PeterUK]

"You folks are always preaching "Substance'
and you never fail to provide real content."

You're the content Septic,you are the horses ass in the bed.

[Semanticleo]

You wingers still haven't addressed my devastating retort about how Obama isn't a war crime for butchering hundreds of brown women and children since he NEVER POURED WATER ON THEM!!!

Typical. Right to the ad homs without responding to the substance of my arguments.

[PeterUK]

It really steams my buns when Septic disrobes me of my fake conservative garments. I stand naked in front of the whole world....hey it feels kinda neato. That breeze passing my basket stirs my girded loins.

I feel just like a Republican !!!

[Danube of Thought]

Of course Cheney wouldn't be considered a POW. Neither would Obaba. (None of which has much to do with the kinds of treatment they would or should be given.)

Google "Geneva Convention Article IV" and stop embarrassing yourself.

[bad]

The more I think about the joke Obama told at the WHCD the more ticked off I get. We're witnessing rapid and historic progress in the fight for gay equality and Barack Obama, who campaigned on our issues and described himself as a "fierce advocate" of gay and lesbian equality, hasn't acknowledged the breakthroughs in Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine in a setting or a with comments that are in any way equal to the significance of this historic moment. The best he can do—all he's willing to do—is toss off an Adam-Sandler-level joke.

So here's what I would've said if I'd been prepared for the question: Our lives, our families, and our rights are not a joke, Mr. President. The discrimination faced by gay people—whether coupled and single—is distressingly real and persists even for same-sex couples in Iowa and other states where gay marriage is legal. Stop fucking around and start delivering on your campaign promises to us, to our families, and to our children.

Excitable Andy isn't the only one mad at O.

LUN

[matt]

if Obama has the tacit approval of the Pakistani government, he would not be considered a war criminal. In addition, the concept of hot pursuit might apply as well. Research the legal underpinnings of the Cambodian excursion, Sem, and get back to us.

We have few details on the strikes that have been made as there is little reporting from the Pakistani tribal areas. Maybe Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Rockefeller can go on a fact finding trip and report back to us.

[matt]

by the way, Sem, does that make you a Left Winger?

[centralcal]

Well, what a relief to learn that I "never fail to provide!"

Here, I thought I was failing to provide.

Whew!

[Semanticleo]

PUKe;

My apologies for taking advantage of your learning disabilities. We liberals try to
take the high ground when it comes to unfortunates. You Colonials once ruled the
World. It seems you've fallen a peg or two and it's not right for me to kick you when yer Down Syndrome peaks.

[fdcol63]

Does anyone believe the crap coming out of Pelosi's mouth?

[Semanticleo]

Plus, I kinda wanna fuck you.

[fdcol63]

" ... Maybe Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Rockefeller can go on a fact finding trip and report back to us. ..."

Or just get lost. LOL

[bad]

fd, I doubt that even Pelosi is buying it.