One Day After Releasing Partisan Report, Republicans Schedule Another Interview

Jun 29, 2016
Press Release
Anti-Clinton Air Base Mechanic Flown to Washington D.C. at Taxpayer Expense for Interview Today

Washington, D.C. (June 29, 2016)—After more than two years and $7 million, and one day after releasing what they claimed would be the “definitive accounting” of the Benghazi attacks, Select Committee Republicans have scheduled yet another interview today with a mechanic from a U.S. air base in Europe who posted allegations on Facebook that planes could have been deployed to Benghazi sooner.

This individual included on his Facebook postings the hashtag “#ifyouvoteforhillaryyouarebeyondstupid.”  It appears that the hashtag was removed from his Facebook page within the past 24 hours.  He questioned in this Facebook posting whether fighter jets did not provide air support in Benghazi because “we have a corrupt government with disregard to human life, that looks at us as tools on the physical side of their political battles.”

In response, Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings issued the following statement: 

“Republicans are addicted to Benghazi and to exploiting this tragedy for political reasons.  If we needed any more evidence that this investigation was a partisan charade, now we have it.  One day after issuing their ‘final’ report, Republicans are requiring yet another witness to be flown to Washington so they can investigate his postings on social media.  Why in the world should the American taxpayers be forced to continue paying millions of dollars for Republicans to chase down unsubstantiated conspiracy theories against Secretary Clinton?”

On April 28, 2016, the Department of Defense sent a letter to Chairman Gowdy explaining that it was trying to locate this individual even though it was an unnecessary request: 

“The Committee requested to interview an individual who claimed on his Facebook page that he had been a mechanic at an air base in Europe the night of the attack and alleged that planes at his base could have been deployed to Benghazi in time to make a difference.  The Department maintains that locating these types of individuals are not necessary since such claims are easily dismissed by any one of the multiple high-level military officials already interviewed.”

Press outlets and editorial boards around the country have now concluded that the Republican report found no new evidence to substantiate their baseless allegations about Secretary Clinton: 

  • AP:  Final Benghazi Report:  No ‘Smoking Gun’ Pointing to Clinton
  • Bloomberg:  Benghazi Report Has No Major Revelations About Clinton’s Role 
  • Boston Globe Editorial Board: Republicans hit dead end on Benghazi
  • CNN:  Benghazi Panel Caps 2-Year Probe:  No Bombshell, Faults Administration
  • Los Angeles Times:  Republicans Release Benghazi Report With No New Evidence Against Hillary Clinton
  • Los Angeles Times Editorial Board:  After Two Years and $7 Million in Tax Dollars, the Latest Benghazi Report Tells the Same Old Story
  • New York Daily News:  Benghazi Attack Report Brings No Bombshells on Hillary Clinton’s Role, But Partisan Blame Continues
  • New York Times:  House Benghazi Panel Finds No Evidence of Wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton
  • New York Times Editorial:  Time to End the Benghazi Witch Hunt
  • Roll Call:  What We Know Now about Benghazi –Nothing Important That We Didn’t Know Years Ago
  • Washington Post:  House Republicans Issue Report on Benghazi Attacks But Find No New Evidence of Wrongdoing by Clinton
  • Washington Post Editorial Board:  Republicans’ Benghazi Goose Chase Comes Up Empty 
114th Congress