Gowdy Says 'Significant Breakthroughs' Were Made in Benghazi Probe After Susan Rice Testimony

Townhall.com ^ | 2/19/2016 | Cortney O'Brien

[Servant of the Cross]

Rep. Trey Gowdy's Benghazi committee appears to have had a very productive meeting with national security adviser Susan Rice this week. Following her testimony Wednesday, the chairman said they have made "enormous progress" in their investigation.

No one is soon to forget how Rice went on several talk shows in 2012 repeating the lie that the Benghazi terror attack was the result of an offensive YouTube video. Congressional Republicans were so frustrated with her repeating the same false talking points that they asked for her resignation.

Now, she was finally called before the Benghazi Select Committee, and from what it sounds like, she was cooperative. The panel interrogated her, along with deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes. Gowdy said that these testimonies and access to crucial new national security records have nudged the committee closer to finding answers.

"While there are still witnesses to talk to and documents to review, these significant breakthroughs are big wins that will help the committee complete the most comprehensive investigation into what happened before, during and after the Benghazi terrorist attacks, and release a report as soon as possible," he said.

Someone didn't do their job on the night of September 11, 2012. Security contractors on duty that night in Benghazi claim the CIA's delayed orders contributed to the deaths of four Americans. The soldiers were ready to go protect the U.S. consulate following the first gunshots, but they say they were told to "stand down."

Democrats may claim the Benghazi committee is wasting tax dollars on a biased witch hunt, but even the security contractors who were on the ground in the dangerous region defend the panel. After all, "it's the only committee that's actually talked to everybody."

[nclaurel]

At my age I hope to be alive and have enough mental capacity to understand results of this drawn out mess and so far it does look good.

[Servant of the Cross]

Again, I do believe that he led everyone to believe that he was gonna “do something” THIS time. Knowing as you say, “he didn’t have the authority to do anything”.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

So you think he was deliberately trying to trick people into believing that he had the power to charge someone with a crime? If people believed that, that's on them because they should know enough to know that Congress does not have that power. That should have been baseline, high school level knowledge for anyone following this. The closest thing they have is the power of impeachment, but she left office anyway.

Gowdy also had to navigate around the issue of executive privilege, one element of which means that advice give. To the President by his advisors is privileged. That means you've got to go the long way around and try to build a bunch of inferences to make a case. And on top of that, it's unlikely that there was an actual crime committed anyway.

The nature of the process is that it requires an incredibly long time when they're dealing with an uncooperative, stonewalling executive branch.

I can guarantee they'll release a very comprehensive report to the erican people before the election, and at that point, it'll be up to them to judge.

[SENTINEL]

Let them hitch their wagon to that witch by nominating her, and then hit her with the blast.

When the Dems are forced in that corner they will circle the wagons around her. Right now many will dump her for Bernie. Justice delayed is almost always justice denied.

[SENTINEL]

The house has Constitutional power to arrest for contempt, and has never once used it.

[Ann Archy]

IS THAT TRUE???????

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Ugh...what kind of "Justice" did you think Gowdy could provide? He has no power to indict, no power to compel compliance with subpoenas, and it is unlikely that Benghazi itself (as opposed to the email scandal over which he has no criminal jurisdiction either) involved an underlying criminal act anyway.

Really, the most that could reasonably be expected is that he'd put together something that would be very embarrassing for the Administration. And that's only if he could get key people to talk.

I just find it incredible that people are blaming the delays on the only person still digging into this (remember the Senate issued a couple crap report years ago), rather than on the Administration that has done everything in its considerable power to stonewall the investigation. Most people would have given up in frustration. Gowdy is still benging away. I'm going to wait to read the final report when it is issued before I accuse him.of working for the other side.

[Boogieman]

“The house has Constitutional power to arrest for contempt...”

Oh yeah? Who’s going to do it? The sergeant-at-arms?

Where would they put the people if they could arrest them? Is there a Congressional jail?

Even if what you say is correct, they certainly can’t indict anyone, and an arrest without an indictment is meaningless.

[surrey]

I’m sure Susan Rice and Ben Rhodes just walked in and spilled their guts to Gowdy’s committee....sure.

[Servant of the Cross]

So you think he was deliberately trying to trick people into believing that he had the power to charge someone with a crime?

Yes. And as crass and cynical that is, I do believe that it was his intent to trick people ... on orders of then-Speaker Boehner .....

[Servant of the Cross]

I'm sure Susan Rice and Ben Rhodes just walked in and spilled their guts to Gowdy's committee....sure.

Hey, it's in the script ... of the Kabuki Theatre production.

[hal ogen]

Gowdy proved his worth in the results of his committee hearings.

[Political Junkie Too]

Someone didn't do their job on the night of September 11, 2012. Security contractors on duty that night in Benghazi claim the CIA's delayed orders contributed to the deaths of four Americans.

That would be Obama himself. To date, nobody has said where Obama was from 5:00pm until the next morning when he left fw a Las Vegas fundraiser.

-PJ

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Anyone who was "tricked", tricked themselves, and got what they deserved for their ignorance.

Gowdy never once stated that he had the power to indict anyone. In fact, he has stated publicly, on multiple occasions, that his committee does not have the power to indict anyone. FoxNews and National Review both reported that, so it would be a very odd "trick" indeed to publicly come out and say "I don't have the power to indict or prosecute anyone" if you're trying to convince people that you do.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/415277/dont-blame-gowdy-andrew-c-McCarthy

Here's what happened. Uneducated people ignorant of the Constitution, and who never bothered to keep themselves informed during the dozens of Congressional hearings during the prior decades that likewise did not indict anyone, simply assumed, on their own (or after reading comments by similarly ill-informed people) that Gowdy's Committee could throw people in jail.

I can tell you I've read people on FR saying that for years, then someone will patiently pipe up and say "no, they don't have that power", and they're ignored. And why are they ignored? Because people had created this fantasy in their heads that "Hillary will get thrown in jail", and they simply don't want to believe it when someone tells them that isn't true.

It's not the fault of Gowdy or anyone else that people assume Congress has powers it doesn't. It is their fault.

By the way, it should be pointed out that though the embassy was attacked in 2012, the Committee wasn't even created until the summer of 2014, and didn't hold it's first hearings (because of the recess) until September 2014. Prior to that, there was a Senate Committee and an internal committee that whitewashed the whole thing.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

The house has Constitutional power to arrest for contempt, and has never once used it.

No, it does not. You are misinformed. The House has the power to hold that someone is in contempt, but the power to physically arrest and enforce that contempt finding lies with the Executive Branch, and federal marshals. And obviously, the Administration wasn't going to do that.

Here's the thing -- generally, you get one chance with a witness. So you don't want to depose them -- which is what these hearings essentially are -- until you have all the necessary documents. Otherwise, you will miss lines of questioning, not be able to compare the testimony to documentary evidence, etc..

The government stonewalled the Committee for a long time, so they couldn't get the documents needed to properly question the witnesses. That greatly delayed the testimony. I have a ton of sympathy for that because I've been in the same situation of a case dragging on because the other side won't produce documents they're supposed to produce. And here, even when the Administration did agree to produce documents, it sometimes took an incredibly long time. That wasn't Gowdy's fault, and he had no practical ability to force faster compliance.

[wildbill]

I believe this select committee has done us all a favor by going behind closed doors to take testimony under oath from some of these players.

There is nothing like being sworn to tell the truth—and the possibility of jail terms for false testimony—to open the mouths of the players.

And publicly saying that Susan Rice was a witness who was a significant breakthrough for information may put some pressure on the others. They have to be thinking:

“What did she say? Can I trust her to keep to our false story? What do I owe Hillary against my future career?”

[AuntB]

Yes, according to several articles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmXkNkRe9rU
May 7, 2014 - Uploaded by Ashor DeKelaita
John McCain says Trey Gowdy is like his “uncle” Lindsey Graham.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmXkNkRe9rU

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3152824/replies?c=7

[Arm_Bears]

Has anyone gone to jail?

Has anyone been fired?

[Republicanprofessor]

Benghazi ping.

Let Republicanprofessor know if you want on or off this ping list.

[Eagles6]

I agree. Just like Issa and Fast & Furious.