Resoundingly missing from the cover of the
Interim Progress Report on the Benghazi, Libya consulate attack
published yesterday by the House Republican Conference is the name
Harold Rogers (R-KY), chairman of the House Appropriations committee
that twice slashed the State Department's diplomatic security budget.
That committee was apparently excused from reporting to the conference
in the
zealous crusade being waged by Tea Party Republicans,
led by Darryl Issa and Jason Chaffetz, to pin blame on then Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton. Issa's name is listed as a co-author of the
report while Media Matters reports that Chaffetz appeared with Megyn
Kelly to discuss the report released to great hullabaloo in right-wing
circles.
ANDREW LAWRENCE
During
the interview there was no mention of Rep. Chaffetz's own vote to cut
funding to embassy security or reports that have undermined right-wing
attacks on Clinton.
SNIP
Kelly provided
Chaffetz with numerous opportunities to bash Clinton - asking if Clinton
"blatantly lied" over requests being made for more security at the
embassy, allowing Chaffetz to make claims that Clinton personally denied
more security for the embassy, and speculating that there are documents
being hidden from lawmakers that prove Clinton had direct knowledge
regarding the lack of security at the embassy.
Read more >>>>
Oh! So he is
speculating! Never mind that she
accepted full responsibility for failures, provided State Department personnel to testify and documents for examination as requested, submitted the
Accountability Review Board report in
a timely fashion from home while recovering from a concussion and blood
clot, and went on to testify in person before committees in both
the Senate and
the House as
requested before she had fully recovered from her serious (and scary)
health issues - never mind all of that. Chaffetz and his Tea Partiers
think documents are being hidden. According to an article yesterday in
The Hill, the former secretary was not interviewed by the audit committee.
