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Dems Go to Bat for Pelosi as Accusations Fly
Speaker 'not in any trouble' as loyal caucus backs her in CIA ruckus
By Jason Farago
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Posted May 20, 09 5:41 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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Republicans have all but slapped a bulls-eye on Nancy Pelosi over what she knew about CIA interrogation practices, but as the Washington Post reports, House Democrats have rallied behind the speaker. In a sign of the considerable unity of the party caucus, several leading Democrats said yesterday that they believe the CIA misled Pelosi, while others questioned the agency's recordkeeping. Steny Hoyer, once a rival of Pelosi's, said that the current uproar was "a political tactic" by the GOP to distract from the issue of torture.
For Republicans, the speaker's claims that she knew nothing about waterboarding have offered their first real chance to dent her image after years of failed attempts. But Pelosi enjoys nearly universal support among House Democrats for leading them to a majority in 2006. "Believe me when I say this, Nancy Pelosi is not in any trouble," said one member. "If anything, the wagons are circling more around the speaker during this time."