Nancy Pelosi isn’t one to turn the other cheek. The House Democratic Leader is not afraid to take on the Bush Administration when it comes to the war on Iraq, the Medicare prescription drug plan, illegal wiretapping, massive deficit spending, or anything else.

Pelosi, the first woman in US history to lead a major party in Congress, will be in Monterey on Sunday at a dinner in honor of fellow-lefty Rep. Sam Farr and his 30 years of public service. The Weekly caught up with Pelosi at the opening of the Senate hearings on Bush’s domestic spying program.

Weekly: What are your thoughts on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ defense of the President’s domestic spying?

Pelosi: The Attorney General’s testimony failed to put to rest serious concerns about the legal basis for the President’s domestic surveillance program. If the President believes that FISA [the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act passed by Congress in 1978] or its process is deficient, he should propose changes and let Congress consider them.

Weekly: John Boehner, the new House Majority Leader, seems to have come out of nowhere. Will he be able to reform the Republican party?

Pelosi: The election of Congressman Boehner will do nothing to address the heart of the problem. For more than 10 years, Congressional Republicans have benefited from their culture of corruption at the expense of the American people, running the most corrupt, closed government in history. The American people have paid in terms of a confusing Medicare drug bill written by and for the pharmaceutical industry; higher energy prices while big oil companies earned record profits; and failed Republican efforts in the aftermath of Katrina due to cronyism, waste, and fraud.

Weekly: You have repeatedly criticized the “Republican culture of corruption.” What needs to be done to clean up the political corruption in Washington?

Pelosi: Democrats have introduced our Honest Leadership, Open Government Act. The bill enacts sweeping reforms that focus on four key areas: banning travel and gifts from lobbyists and organizations that employ or retain lobbyists; reducing the unprecedented political access Republicans have given to corporations and lobbying firms; ending the “dead of night” special interest provisions and requiring disclosure of “earmarks” for specific projects; and stopping the revolving door between government and lobbyist by extending the lobbying ban to two years.

Weekly: Are the Republican’s recent scandals enough to enable Democrats to take back the House and Senate this year?

Pelosi: Democrats have a real chance to take back the House because Democrats have better ideas to address the priorities of the American people rather than special interests. Last year, House Democrats offered our Innovation Agenda to maintain America’s economic and technological leadership, and create the next generation of innovators. Democrats have offered legislation to lower the rising cost of health care through the reimportation of safe, cheaper prescription drugs from Canada and other countries, and allowing the government to negotiate for lower prices. Democrats have legislation that could be voted on today to help seniors who are being overcharged or turned away from pharmacies because of the confusing Medicare bill. Democrats have a plan to rescind billions of dollars in subsidies and tax breaks to profit-rich oil companies. Democrats would make national security the highest priority, beginning with the full implementation of the bipartisan, independent 9/11 Commission’s recommendations.

Weekly: The president’s new budget, introduced this week, recommends cutting Medicare by $36 billion, and his only new tax proposal, a health care “reform,” would cost $137 billion over the next 10 years. Is he bankrupting the government on purpose?

Pelosi: The President’s budget offers more bad medicine with cuts to Medicare and by failing to bring down rising costs or provide health coverage for the 46 million uninsured Americans. Under President Bush, we have seen a projected $5.6 trillion budget surplus turn into a $3.3 trillion deficit. The budget deficit for 2006 alone is expected to reach $423 billion, the largest in history. President Bush is piling debt onto future generations so he can give tax cuts to the wealthy.

Weekly: You were an early supporter of Phil Angelides. Why do you believe he is the candidate to lead California? Pelosi: Phil has been a passionate fighter for our Democratic values, effectively standing up to Governor Schwarzenegger to fight for those values. As treasurer, he has created opportunity and prosperity, making higher education a reality for our children, while investing in our communities to create more affordable housing.

I know Phil will be a great leader for our state and I hope to work with him in the future as the new governor.

FOR THE FULL TEXT OF THE INTERVIEW WITH PELOSI, VISIT MCWEEKLY.COM. FARR’S DINNER BEGINS AT 6PM, SUNDAY, FEB. 12, AT THE HYATT REGENCY MONTEREY GRAND BALLROOM. TICKETS START AT $150. 373-4607.