Pelosi says criticism from Republicans a 'distraction'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has come under fire for accusing the Central Intelligence Agency of misleading her on the agency's use of interrogation techniques, said Saturday that Republicans are using it as a distraction from Democrats' accomplishments.

"Our success in the Congress is driving the Republicans to distraction, and this is what that's all about - a distraction from the creation of jobs, which is our responsibility, education of our children, preservation of our planet," Pelosi told reporters.

She did not speak directly to the accusations she has made against the CIA that officials did not acknowledge earlier this decade they used an interrogation technique known as "waterboarding" on terrorism suspects.

Instead, Pelosi touted to the Democrats' work on education, energy and health care issues and said Republicans were using her as a lightning rod because they don't agree with the direction Democrats want to take the country.

"It is the arena that I have chosen to be in, and I, you know, I understand what that is, but it will not take us off our course of action," Pelosi said.

Iowa Congressman Steve King, a Republican, has called for Pelosi's security clearance to be suspended if she refuses to explain her accusations against the CIA.

"Speaker Pelosi has accused the CIA of committing a federal crime - lying to Congress," King said in a statement released last month. "The CIA and other American defense and intelligence agencies cannot trust Nancy Pelosi with our national secrets, let alone our national security, until this matter is resolved."

Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn said unanswered questions remain about Pelosi's accusations against the CIA.

"If she would come clean and explain exactly what happened, then I think the issue would go away," Strawn said.

Pelosi was in Des Moines Saturday for a political fundraiser and education roundtable at a local middle school.

Parts of the discussion focused on how federal stimulus dollars in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are helping Iowa, especially in education.

Lt. Gov. Patty Judge said the stimulus dollars could have a $2.5 billion impact on the state including $387 million for education. Money also will be used to help fund Medicaid, and repair of roads and highways, among other uses.