A Republican senator is calling for a delay in confirming President Barack Obama’s pick for CIA director until the administration provides answers on the deadly Sept. 11 assault in Libya that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said Tuesday that his support for delaying the nomination was not a reflection on John Brennan, whom Obama tapped on Monday, but rather the only recourse to get information on the raid on the diplomatic mission in Benghazi.
Graham’s full statement:
“I have not forgotten about the Benghazi debacle and still have many questions about what transpired before, during and after the attack on our consulate.
“In that regard, I do not believe we should confirm anyone as Director of the CIA until our questions are answered – like who changed Ambassador Susan Rice’s talking points and deleted the references to Al-Qaeda? My support for a delay in confirmation is not directed at Mr. Brennan, but is an unfortunate, yet necessary action to get information from this Administration.
“I have tried – repeatedly – to get information on Benghazi but my requests have been repeatedly ignored.
“We were first told the Director of National Intelligence deleted the Al-Qaeda reference in the talking points because they did not want to let al Qaeda know we were monitoring them. We were then told the FBI changed the talking points so as not to compromise an ongoing criminal investigation. Finally, during a meeting with Ambassador Rice and acting-CIA Director Morrell, I was told it was the FBI who changed the talking points. However, later in the day the clarified it was the CIA who had changed the talking points.
“This ever-changing story should be resolved. It is imperative we understand who changed the talking points just weeks before a presidential election and why. The stonewalling on Benghazi by the Obama Administration must come to an end.”
{Andy Heller-Matzav.com Newscenter}
