Politics

Benghazi Committee: The White House Is Still Stonewalling Us

Scott Greer Contributor
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The Select Committee on Benghazi released its interim report Friday, and while it documented the progress of the investigation into the terror attack, there apparently remains one problem — the White House’s refusal to fully cooperate with the committee.

According to Republican South Carolina representative and committee chairman Trey Gowdy, the Obama administration is dragging its feet when it comes to releasing requested documents for the investigation.

“This Committee has interviewed eyewitnesses never before interviewed, obtained tens-of-thousands of pages of documents never before provided, and reviewed new information central to the investigation such as FBI reports specific to the interrogation and prosecution of Abu Khattala,” Gowdy stated in the report. “But while progress has been made, the greatest impediment to completing this investigation in a timely manner has been the level of cooperation by the executive branch.”

The committee has taken particular issue with the fact that the State Department has failed to release all of the requested emails and documents from then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her staff relating to the Benghazi attack.

“[On] November 18, 2014, the Committee sent a request for documents to the State Department, including seeking emails to and from Secretary Clinton and her senior staff. The request was the result of a review of the record provided by the previous House committees and the lack of email traffic among these individuals,” Gowdy said.

“However, the State Department has yet to produce a single document pursuant to the remaining portions of the November request. The Committee emphasized the importance of this request by issuing its second subpoena on March 4, 2015 — seeking the emails and documents relating to the ten senior State Department officials. These officials were the same ones referenced in the November 2014 document and communication request, except for the former Secretary. Despite the document request and the subpoena, the State Department has yet to comply.”

But Gowdy remains optimistic that the investigation will succeed in its task and complete “our work in manner that is worthy of the sacrifice made by the four men who died and trust of our fellow Americans.”

In March, the Benghazi committee officially requested access to the email Clinton used during her tenure as secretary of state. It appears that the request has yet to be fulfilled by the State Department. (RELATED: Benghazi Committee Officially Requests Hillary’s Email Server)

Additionally, Gowdy has requested that Clinton testify before the committee. The former secretary of state has tentatively agreed to give a testimony to the committee. (RELATED: MAY DAY: Gowdy Asks Clinton To Appear Before Benghazi Committee ‘No Later Than May 1’)