“The report details a September 4, 2002 meeting between intelligence officials and Pelosi…the meeting is described as a ‘briefing on the EIT’s including use of EIT’s on Abu Zubaydah, background on authorities, and a description of particular EIT’s that had been employed.”

This could be the most sinister element of the entire enterprise. Elements of the US intelligence community literally prepared a patently false document in 2002 to contrive “proof” of lies set to be put into motion seven years later. However, this bundle of slander does not square with Speaker Pelosi’s unambiguous statement of fact that she was not, repeat: was not, briefed on any Enhanced Interrogation Methods at that or any other meeting. Good grief, if Pelosi hadn’t been so thoroughly and convincingly honest on April 23, 2009, perhaps The Conspiracy would be denting her credibility.

Finally, there’s the news media. Its involvement, active or otherwise, in the perpetuation of this scheme has been scandalous. Two outlets deserve special condemnation: ABC News and The Washington Post. (Note that these news agencies just happen to collaborate on public opinion polls. Coincidence? Speaker Pelosi thinks not). ABC News’ Rick Klein and Jake Tapper, likely at the behest of The Conspiracy’s moneymen, have taken the lead in reporting every convenient “development” as the plot unfolds. Their “journalism” has rocketed around the famously unreliable right-wing blogosphere, whipping the extremist teabaggers who read those sites into a frenzy. The Post has been even more irresponsible. Not only did it print Goss’ fantasy as a serious Op-Ed, it also planted the seeds for the current anti-Pelosi effort years ago. In December 2007, WaPo/Neo-Pravda reported:

“In September 2002 (My goodness, these lies are ruthlessly consistent) four members of Congress met in secret for a first look at a unique CIA program designed to wring vital information from reticent terrorism suspects in US custody. For more than an hour, the bipartisan group, which included current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was given a virtual tour of…the harsh techniques interrogators had devised to try to make their prisoners talk. Among the techniques described, said two officials present, was waterboarding…”

Perhaps if Pelosi hadn’t been tirelessly pursuing her job of “[changing] the leadership in Congress and in the White House—the Congress part,” at the time, she would have spotted and fired back at this misleading article. In fact, it may have proven a golden opportunity to first uncork the “CIA lied to me!” truth tornado. Alas, Speak Pelosi mustered a Herculean effort to resist the overwhelming temptation to respond, keeping her powder dry for another year and a half. Again—very cunning.

Despite Speaker Pelosi’s unparalleled reservoir of political street smarts, she can only hold off the barbarians for so long. Some recent developments indicate that the devious plotters may have infiltrated both the White House and Steny Hoyer’s office, meaning Pelosi will increasingly rely on her fellow citizens alone to affirm the gospel of her heavily parsed public statements.

But there is a light at the end of this tunnel of deceit. When the Speaker’s ethical, civil, integrity-filled truth commission exonerates her, and exposes The Conspiracy for what it is, she will forever smile on those who stood by her side during these difficult days. It may be difficult to discern whether her face is actually smiling, but trust her, it will be. Until then, we must unite to SOS: Save our Speaker, the last outpost of honest dealings in Washington, from this cesspool of rank dishonesty.