DURBIN: I’d just say that I’m afraid Mr. Gingrich is suffering from a little political amnesia here. He’s forgotten that in year 2007, he criticized the National Intelligence estimate in regard to the capability of Iran to develop nuclear weapons and said that — if I remember the quote correctly, I’m looking down here — that what they did damaged our national security and misled the American people. Mr. Gingrich, would you like to make an apology to our intelligence agency for what you said in 2007?

GINGRICH: I said that particular report was intellectually dishonest. It was a public, non-classified report, and we were debating it. I said it was intellectually dishonest. I never said the CIA lied to the Congress, which would be illegal. It would be a felony.

DURBIN: Well, what would you say about Republican congressman Hoekstra, who did in fact say that the intelligence community had lied and misled the American people when it came to the killing of an individual in Peru. Should he apologize?

GINGRICH: Chairman Hoekstra, as he was at the time, was engaged in a specific incident. The Inspector General of the CIA actually did the right job. The investigating board of the CIA did the right job. There was a specific case. They reported that it was wrong, and the CIA actually insisted on telling Congress the truth. And if you check with Chairman Hoekstra, he’ll tell you he agrees with me on this particular issue.