House blocks GOP call for Pelosi probe

WASHINGTON, May 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. House blocked a Republican call for an investigation into whether House Speaker Nancy Pelosi knew in 2002 the CIA waterboarded terror suspects.

The House voted 252-172 along party lines Thursday to block the measure by Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, that would have created a bipartisan congressional panel.

"It is imperative to find the truth of the matter," The New York Times quoted him as saying.

A Pelosi spokesman said the panel was unnecessary since the speaker asked the CIA to disclose all the notes from the disputed fall 2002 intelligence briefing about interrogation techniques.

CIA Director Leon Panetta said May 6 the CIA's notes may not be complete.

House Republicans said they would continue to push for an investigation.

Pelosi claims CIA officials told her at the briefing that they had determined the "enhanced interrogation techniques" were legal, but not that they were using them.

She claims she learned from an aide, months after the briefing, that terrorism suspects were being subjected to waterboarding, or simulated drowning,

The CIA and others claim she was told the tough interrogation tactics were being used.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney repeated the assertion Thursday in a Washington speech at the conservative American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.

"On numerous occasions, leading members of Congress, including the current speaker of the House, were briefed on the program and on the methods," Cheney said.

Pelosi accused the CIA last week of misleading Congress and giving her "incomplete and inaccurate" information.

Panetta disputed her claim, saying CIA officers had briefed her truthfully.

Pelosi was at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore giving a commencement address during Thursday's House discussion and vote.