Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) suggested that, if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s claim that the CIA misled her and did not brief her on waterboarding was false, she may have to step down, CNN reported on May 18. He asked that the CIA would make the briefing notes public to prove the validity of her claims.

One week later, Hoekstra was still looking for proof: “She’s accused them of lying, and she’s done nothing. She hasn’t even presented any facts, and she has done nothing to try to hold the CIA accountable for what she and I both believe would be a very, very serious charge, that they’re lying.”

So what was Hoekstra’s response to CIA Director Leon Panetta’s admission to Democratic lawmakers that his agency has in fact misled Congress on “significant actions” for a “number of years” ?

CNN reports today, without any hint of irony:

Partisan sniping over allegations that the CIA concealed information and misled lawmakers in recent years continued to escalate Thursday, as a top House Republican accused Democrats of putting politics ahead of national security.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Michigan, said it appeared that House Democrats were “working on the political equation [instead of] trying to foster a bipartisan consensus on national security” by publicly asking CIA Director Leon Panetta to “correct” his previous assertion that the CIA has not misled Congress.

“We’re trying to focus on national security policy … and the Democrats, from my perspective, are looking for some adult supervision,” he added.

So let me get this straight. First, Hoekstra demands proof. Then, Dems provide ample proof. Now, Hoekstra accuses them of playing politics. Brilliant.

And CNN, who has reported on this story every step of the way, files this story under the headline: “Democrats accused of playing politics with CIA charges.”

What an embarassment.