HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

Washington, May 18 - In an interview today on Fox & Friends, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) renewed his call for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to either produce evidence backing up her accusation that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) lied to Congress or apologize to our nation’s intelligence professionals.  Boehner noted that the intelligence community has aided American troops around the world in confronting threats abroad and keeping Americans safe at home – echoing a letter CIA Director Leon Panetta sent to the agency’s workforce last Friday.  Following is full video and the transcript of Boehner’s interview with Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade: 

BRIAN KILMEADE: Nancy Pelosi calling the CIA a bunch of liars a few times matter as a matter of fact.  Our next guest wants her to show us the evidence or else apologize.  Joining us right now in studio, Minority Leader John Boehner who first wants to say he prefers to be on the couch but we will put that aside.

REPUBLICAN LEADER JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH):  I will rather be on the couch than sit on this stiff old chair.

KILMEADE:  It just reminds us of two guys hanging out in a bar talking.  First up –

BOEHNER:  I understand that.

KILMEADE:  I understand you do understand that.  What do you mean – you want an investigation to find out if Nancy Pelosi is right?

BOEHNER:  Well, lying to Congress is a crime.  Purposely misleading Congress is a crime.  And if the Speaker is accusing the intelligence community of lying to her or of purposefully misleading her, then she ought to present that evidence, turn it over to the Justice Department, have them prosecuted and if that is not the case, then I think she owes our intelligence community an apology.

KILMEADE:  What is the significance of the former chief of staff of Bill Clinton who now heads the CIA, Leon Panetta, coming out and defending the CIA essentially saying the same thing you are saying?

BOEHNER:  Well, I think Director Panetta has a job to do on behalf of his intelligence professionals in Washington and for that matter around the world.  We have to remember that these are the people who are in charge of keeping us safe.  And over the last eight years, they have done almost eight years they have done a marvelous job of keeping America safe, providing intelligence for our soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq and elsewhere around the world so that they can do their job.  And I think that it’s pretty clear that Mr. Panetta and the CIA believe that they were truthful in their briefings to Ms. Pelosi.  They have no reason to lie.

KILMEADE:  Where is this going Congressman Boehner?

BOEHNER:  I think the ball is in the Speaker’s court.  I think she needs to come forward, either present evidence or do an apology and let’s get this behind us.

KILMEADE:  Do you think that she should lose her job?

BOEHNER:  I think that she should either come forward with the evidence of lying or being mislead.

KILMEADE:  If she has none, should she remain Speaker?

BOEHNER:  Let’s not get too far down the road here. I’m not going to take anything off the table, but I do believe that the ball is in her court.  She has to either put up or have an apology and move on.

KILMEADE:  Now, Bob Graham, who is in at the time, in some of those briefings says I don’t remember hearing about waterboarding, too.

BOEHNER:  Well, Porter Goss, who did these briefings at the time was the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Ms. Pelosi was the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.  Porter Goss relayed his version of what was said in those meetings, along with Ms. Pelosi, who he was there with.

KILMEADE:  For Leon Panetta to come out and say this about Nancy Pelosi and defend the CIA, did in fact Rahm Emanuel have to ok that?

BOEHNER:  I don’t – probably.  It’s pretty hard for most of these agencies to make such a public statement without the White House providing some kind of a blessing.

KILMEADE:  So you would have to assume that maybe the President and the White House agree with Leon Panetta?

BOEHNER:  I don’t know that the President was involved in that decision but, typically, before some agency would make some announcement like that, the White House would sign off.  Especially when it was a letter as hard-hitting as it was and a rebuke to the Speaker of the House.

KILMEADE:  Minority Leader John Boehner.  Always great seeing you in person.

BOEHNER:  Nice seeing you.

KILMEADE: I know people in the control room that will get you on the couch next time you are here.

BOEHNER:  Is that a promise or a threat?

KILMEADE:  That is a promise – Get you on the couch next time you are here.