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Posted on 05/09/2013 7:51:56 AM PDT by don-o
Edited on 05/09/2013 11:29:12 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Pressure on the Obama administration to release more information about the Benghazi attack grew Thursday, as House Speaker John Boehner demanded officials turn over emails pertaining to the controversial "talking points" and another top Republican appealed for more whistle-blowers to come forward.
On the heels of a dramatic hearing where three whistle-blowers testified, Fox News has learned that former Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday, on the Hill for a meeting with House Republicans, also told lawmakers: "I think Hillary (Clinton) should be subpoenaed if necessary."
The comments and developments signal that Republicans will continue to press for answers on the deadly Sept. 11 attack. Despite arguments from Democrats that the hearing was not nearly as shocking as Republicans made it out to be, GOP lawmakers said it raised troubling questions that need to be investigated.
"The truth shouldn't be hidden from the American people behind a White House firewall," Boehner said Thursday. "Four Americans lost their lives in this terrorist attack. Congress will continue to investigate this issue, using all of the resources at our disposal."
Boehner specifically urged the Obama administration to make public a set of internal emails that some lawmakers had been able to review but not keep.
One of the emails apparently showed a top State Department official saying a group affiliated with Islamic terrorists was responsible for the strike. Separate emails, though, allegedly depict the White House and State Department pressing lower-level officials to remove references to terrorism in talking points about the attacks.
Based on those talking points, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice would go on five Sunday talk shows shortly after the attacks to claim they were triggered by protests over an anti-Islam film. Top officials would later claim the flawed assessment was based on the best intelligence
Excerpt, Read more at: Fox News
Congress can appoint a special prosecutor by law. They do not have to wait for AG to do it.
Yeah..it worked so well with Fast and Furious...we got everything from Holder.
I just sent your picture to Boehner via Twitter.
Good points all. On a somewhat unrelated note, my brother and I really enjoyed “Olympus has Fallen,” but were cringing the whole time thinking what the current crop of idiots would act like in a similar situation.
It has changed since Nixon. And it’s changed since the change after Nixon too. In 1999 it was changed to be run through the Attorney General’s office. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Office_of_the_Independent_Counsel
Here’s what is said about the new AG entity:
U.S. Department of Justice Office of Special Counsel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other United States offices of special counsel, see U.S. Office of Special Counsel (disambiguation).
The Office of Special Counsel in the United States Department of Justice replaced the former Office of the Independent Counsel in 1999. It is charged with investigating alleged misconduct in the federal government’s executive branch. The current Special Counsel is Patrick Fitzgerald, who was appointed in 2003 by Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey.
External links
When I click on the link for other US Independent Counsel, it comes to this:
U.S. Office of Special Counsel may refer to:
United States Office of Special Counsel, an independent U.S. government agency that protects Civil Service employees from unfair personnel practices.
U.S. Department of Justice Office of Special Counsel, charged with investigating alleged misconduct in the Executive Branch.
White House Counsel, a staff appointee of the President of the United States.
The US Office of Special Counsel is under Congress’ authority, based on the Whistleblower Act, Hatch Act, etc. It would cover the retaliation done by the Obama regime but wouldn’t be authorized to investigate the crimes committed by the regime, which the whistleblowers brought forward.
And like I said before, the whistleblowers from this article are actually in the Libyan government - saying they had no idea there were so many Americans in Benghazi. The people who were there, unbeknownst to the Libyan government, would have to step forward to explain what they were there for, in order to expose what our government was doing there and hiding from the Libyan government.
So it seems like Congress, in order to be any check or balance to potential crimes by the Obama regime, would have to speak to the witnesses and get them to come forward. Kinda makes a person realize how critical it was that the DOS not allow Chaffetz to talk to anybody not being “minded” by the people who would have them assassinated if they told what was really going on there.... And why the regime refuses to give names of Americans who survived that attack on 9-11...
It also makes you realize that getting the basic information, that’ not classified - is the first step in getting something real done. The members of Congress have to find the truth out themselves, and bring the witnesses to testify before Congress. That’s why the regime has to hide everything. And as long as there is no political fallout from them doing so, that’s exactly what they will do.
The lawyer held a very high position in the administration (Bush?) in the past, so it might be possible to expedite getting a high level security clearance for this person.
The Republicans need to focus on this issue.
Also, I would like to see General Carter Ham testify/air his personal thoughts.
I cannot handle the compliments. I am unworthy of compliments. Thank You though. Shall not run from the truth though, as I know neither will you run from the truth. This will be our Nation’s finest Hour! The People who love this Land will win. I have no doubt God is with us. Think maybe have said enough for today.
Thank you ... my recall is failing. Am human, and Thank You for the correction.
Can you find a link about that? Because everywhere I’ve looked it’s saying that it goes through the AG’s office, unless it’s to investigate retaliation to whistle-blowers.
It’s actually astounding that we still have this problem. There were 2 Congressional reports (the Cox Report and Thompson Report, IIRC) in which Congress strongly recommended a special investigator/prosecutor but Janet Reno held off. Then in 1999 the law was changed so that only the AG’s office could appoint a special investigator/prosecutor. Under Bush’s administration the AG’s office appointed investigators to investigate Cheney, the Plame situation, and other issues. But Janet Reno and Eric Holder were specifically appointed by Clinton and Obama to make sure that nothing ever gets investigated. And they did what their masters told them to do.
The only way that’s going to change in the future is when Congress takes seriously the confirmation process. It can’t just be that they approve whoever the POTUS wants. They need to be sure that the person has exhibited a willingness to prosecute crimes that are AGAINST his/her own political interests. That has to become the criteria for any AG to be confirmed. Either that, or we need to have a way to go around the AG if they end up being a political hack. We can’t allow the system to be taken hostage like this.
The congressmen on the oversight committee know what is in the emails. Boehner also knows. These are, I think, UNCLASSIFIED, but not released. The administration can’t hide behind the classified notion. If Obama does not want to release the emails he would then have to go the executive privilege route. That would work for him, but only so far. Why keep an unclas message back? Sounds very suspicious and is usually interpreted that way even by the LIV’s.
If an executive privilege move is of the strong type, then that would mean that Obama was directly in the loop of the emails. If it is of the lesser type, between his underlings, then he treads on thin ice. The executive privilege thing worked so far in fast and furious, but even that one is still working its way through the court system. I read the other day that the judge who is deciding the case was not impressed by Holder’s arguments.
Something is going on here just beneath the surface and I’m eager to see what it is.
Full agreement and Thank You for the follow up. Thanks also for that Great Information.
Hmmm..was just reading your post up thread. Now I am really confused. You may be right. I wonder if a call to Trey Gowdy’s office could tell us? If anyone knows...it would probably be him.
Congress can subpoena records and testimony though, I think. Isn’t that what was done on Fast & Furious and on Benghazi? I think the only way they could actually get the records when the regime refuses to cooperate, though, is to impeach and convict the people who refuse so that executive privilege cannot be cited. But that would require an honest Senate, and God knows we don’t have that.
If I’m understanding correctly, what the members of Congress need are individuals who voluntarily choose to get the information and bring the evidence to Congress. Exactly like we’ve had to do with the eligibility issue. Once there is enough evidence they could vote to impeach and only THEN would they have the ability to legally compel records and testimony from the state or federal government entities. IOW, there has to be enough evidence above and beyond what the lawless regime is able to obfuscate on in order to justify impeachment, and only then can the official records be compelled.
Exactly like we’ve done with the eligibility issue. In order to get a federal investigation that can compel records production, we have to impeach somebody at the federal level.
Somebody please show me if I’m misunderstanding this.
I thought that Congress could file contempt of congress charges though but not sure what the penalty is if they refuse to provide records.
Some have called for defunding Holder’s office until he appoints a special prosecutor:
Give him a call at 202-224-3121 regarding this:
Can be seen here:
Boehner is an incompetent, alcoholic country-clubber. He will do all in his power not to upset his progressive masters. This man was the GOP’s biggest mistake in the last 30 years.
Yes, I think they can file contempt of Congress charges, but that just punishes them for not complying. Unless somebody had a search warrant for records so they could get the records themselves, I don’t think there’s any way that the government can force the records to be produced; they can only punish people for not producing them. And the POTUS can pardon whom he will.
Defunding Holder’s office or actually impeaching him would be the only ways we’re going to get ANYTHING resembling integrity out of him.
If anybody knows Americans who were in Libya on 9-11, they should put them in contact with Chaffetz. Sharyl Atkisson, pick up the courtesy phone....!
ROFLOL!!!
Done.
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