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John Kerry will testify at House committee's Benghazi hearing John Kerry will testify at House committee's Benghazi hearing
(3 months later)
Republican efforts to maintain pressure on Hillary Clinton over her response to the killing of the US ambassador and three other Americans in Benghazi received another boost on Friday as John Kerry, Clinton's successor at the State Department, agreed to testify at a new hearing.Republican efforts to maintain pressure on Hillary Clinton over her response to the killing of the US ambassador and three other Americans in Benghazi received another boost on Friday as John Kerry, Clinton's successor at the State Department, agreed to testify at a new hearing.
Kerry's decision to appear before the House oversight committee follows the reluctant appointment by minority leader Nancy Pelosi of five senior Democrats to sit on a separate select committee recently formed to conduct its own investigation into the September 2012 attack on a diplomatic compound in Libya.Kerry's decision to appear before the House oversight committee follows the reluctant appointment by minority leader Nancy Pelosi of five senior Democrats to sit on a separate select committee recently formed to conduct its own investigation into the September 2012 attack on a diplomatic compound in Libya.
Kerry, who was chair of the Senate foreign relations committee at the time of the incident and not directly involved, insisted in a letter to the Republican congressman Darrell Issa, who heads the oversight committee, that his agreement to give evidence should exempt him from also taking part in the select committee. Kerry, who was chair of the Senate foreign relations committee at the time of the incident and not directly involved, insisted in a letter to the Republican congressman Darrell Issa, who heads the oversight committee, that his agreement to give evidence should exempt him from also taking part in the select committee.
“We believe the secretary's appearance before the [House oversight and government reform committee] will eliminate the need for the secretary to appear a second time before the select committee,” State department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday.“We believe the secretary's appearance before the [House oversight and government reform committee] will eliminate the need for the secretary to appear a second time before the select committee,” State department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday.
That position may have been an attempt to divide House Republicans, who were already split over the decision to form the select committee. Issa has been leading his own investigation for some time, and is reportedly reluctant to cede control – or the spotlight – to the select committee and its head, Trey Gowdy. On Friday afternoon, Issa accepted Kerry’s offer and scheduled his testimony for 12 June.That position may have been an attempt to divide House Republicans, who were already split over the decision to form the select committee. Issa has been leading his own investigation for some time, and is reportedly reluctant to cede control – or the spotlight – to the select committee and its head, Trey Gowdy. On Friday afternoon, Issa accepted Kerry’s offer and scheduled his testimony for 12 June.
Republicans believe the issue has been given fresh momentum by recent State Department disclosures of email traffic with the White House around the time of the terrorist attack.Republicans believe the issue has been given fresh momentum by recent State Department disclosures of email traffic with the White House around the time of the terrorist attack.
Issa wants to question Kerry on why such emails were not disclosed earlier and whether they support Republican allegations that the Obama administration deliberately misled Americans about the cause of the attack in the first few days after it, by downplaying terrorist involvement.Issa wants to question Kerry on why such emails were not disclosed earlier and whether they support Republican allegations that the Obama administration deliberately misled Americans about the cause of the attack in the first few days after it, by downplaying terrorist involvement.
Issa, who had been trying to get Kerry to attend earlier, previously accused him of ducking subpoenas by citing diary clashes.Issa, who had been trying to get Kerry to attend earlier, previously accused him of ducking subpoenas by citing diary clashes.
“With State's slippery tactics, it's no wonder our friends in the world are losing faith in us and our adversaries doubt our credibility,” Issa said in a tweet last week.“With State's slippery tactics, it's no wonder our friends in the world are losing faith in us and our adversaries doubt our credibility,” Issa said in a tweet last week.
On Friday, an irritated-sounding Psaki said Kerry had a “world of diplomacy to attend to” but had now found space in his diary.On Friday, an irritated-sounding Psaki said Kerry had a “world of diplomacy to attend to” but had now found space in his diary.
“We still believe there are more appropriate witnesses but in an effort to be co-operative, we have offered some dates,” said Psaki.“We still believe there are more appropriate witnesses but in an effort to be co-operative, we have offered some dates,” said Psaki.