Democratic Party state leadership urged by Greens to lean on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to learn the truth about her complicity in CIA torture
GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA NEWS RELEASE
SACRAMENTO (Dec. 10, 2007) - The Green Party of California today called on California Democratic Party state and federal lawmakers to urge House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) to respond about what she knew, and what she did - if anything - in 2002 when she was given a "virtual tour" of the CIA's torture program.
According to reports this past weekend, the CIA said there were no objections raised by members of Congress, including at least two democrats, who were briefed and given a virtual tour of the CIA's torture program, including the use of the illegal and controversial waterboarding technique.
"We are asking the Democratic state leadership, including elected state and federal lawmakers, to urge Rep. Pelosi to tell all of us what happened in 2002, and not hide behind a cloak of secrecy," said Cres Vellucci, a Vietnam veteran and member of the GPCA Veterans Caucus.
While the Democratic Party leadership, including Pelosi, have maintained they are opposed to the Iraq war, and torture, and blame the Republican Party and the Bush Administration, the Green Party has insisted both of the major parties are complicit in the continuing killing in Iraq.
"That Democratic Party lawmakers are being briefed about torture, and then tacitly agreeing with it is one more example that voters in California are being misled when they are being told the Democratic Party is the answer to ending this war.
"The complicity of Democrats in CIA torture is not necessarily a surprise to us. The Green Party of California has been opposed to the war before it even started, and our candidates for local, state and federal office have insisted they are the true anti-war alternative choice for voters, not the Democratic Party," added Vellucci.
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Contacts:
Crescenzo Vellucci, State Press Office,
916.996.9170,
Sara Amir (Los Angeles),
310.270.7106,
Dr. Bob Vizzard (Sacramento),
916.206.8953,
Daniel Brezenoff (Southern California),
310.422.2211,
Susan King (San Francisco),
415.823.5524,
The Green Party of California
PO Box 2828
Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-3437
Web: http://www.cagreens.org
EMail: