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Hiya, pc! Very cool of you to acknowledge that you trust Media Matters as a credible source. I'm sure everyone here will make a note of that. :-P

Networks Ignored Panetta's Caveats About CIA Summary of Pelosi Briefing

During their May 14 reports on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) statements regarding what she was told in secret briefings about the CIA's use of waterboarding, each of the network evening newscasts pointed to CIA records describing a September 4, 2002, briefing that, according to NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell, "show Pelosi was given a description of the particular enhanced interrogation techniques that had been employed" on Al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah. However, none of the reports noted that in a letter accompanying the documents, CIA Director Leon Panetta suggested the information in the documents may not be "an accurate summary of what actually happened," as blogger Greg Sargent noted a week ago.

On the CBS Evening News, justice and homeland security correspondent Bob Orr reported that "Pelosi was briefed ... on September 4, 2002," and that, "[a]ccording to CIA records, she was told about, quote, 'EITs [enhanced interrogation techniques] on Abu Zubaydah ... and a description of particular EITs that had been employed.' " Orr continued: "While the word 'waterboarding' was not used, the CIA's description of the meeting suggests Pelosi was told Zubaydah had been waterboarded." On ABC's World News, senior congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl reported: "Pelosi's words seem to directly contradict a declassified timeline of congressional briefings compiled by the CIA, which says Pelosi was told of the specific interrogation methods used on Zubaydah."

As Media Matters for America has documented, Panetta's letter, sent to House Intelligence Committee chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), ranking member Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), and other congressional members, states that the information in the attached intelligence documents "is drawn from the past files of the CIA and represents MFRs [memorandums for the record] completed at the time and notes that summarized the best recollections" of individuals involved. Each letter also states that "[i]n the end, you and the Committee will have to determine whether this information is an accurate summary of what actually happened." From Panetta's letter:

This letter presents the most thorough information we have on dates, locations, and names of all Members of Congress who were briefed by the CIA on enhanced interrogation techniques. This information, however, is drawn from the past files of the CIA and represents MFRs completed at the time and notes that summarized the best recollections of those individuals. In the end, you and the Committee will have to determine whether this information is an accurate summary of what actually happened. We can make the MFRs available at CIA for staff review.

http://mediamatters.org/research/200905150004

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