Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

OKNancy

(41,832 posts)
Wed Jun 17, 2015, 12:53 PM Jun 2015

Psst. The Benghazi committee's only interested in taking down Hillary Clinton

http://www.vox.com/2015/6/17/8795707/Benghazi-Committee-Blumenthal-Gowdy

---------------------

Republicans finally stripped away any pretense that they are more interested in the Benghazi attack than in attacking Hillary Clinton.
--------
With the nine-hour interrogation of bit player Sid Blumenthal Tuesday, they jumped the shark.

The House Select Committee on Benghazi deposed the Clinton confidant in a closed hearing room in a sub-basement of the Capitol. Blumenthal’s never been to Libya. He doesn’t know anything special about the Benghazi attack. He did sometimes forward "intelligence" memos from an ex-CIA officer to his longtime friend Hillary Clinton.

Not surprisingly, the committee — tasked with investigating the Benghazi assault — learned absolutely nothing from Blumenthal about the terrorist attack that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, in September 2012.

However, by spending all that time on Blumenthal, they met someone who does know something about Hillary Clinton. Indeed, Blumenthal’s appearance on Capitol Hill — where he was last a prominent figure during Bill Clinton’s impeachment saga — felt like part of a national time warp in which Americans are forced to relive the partisan warfare of the 1990s, when Republicans summoned Clinton aides to testify about an endless string of investigations. A Clinton confidant testifying before Congress is the only thing more '90s than a Bush and a Clinton running for president.

rest at link.

Summary of rest of article:

The Dems are calling for release of the transcript because it makes the Repubs look bad/partisan.
There’s no smoking gun said Rep. Elijah Cummings
14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

randys1

(16,286 posts)
2. Plenty, and when you look at what the GOP likes to investigate and what they dont, you find
Wed Jun 17, 2015, 12:58 PM
Jun 2015

a group of completely biased, lying, hypocritical criminals.

The GOP is a criminal organization.

We treat them like a viable political party and not as the organized crime operation they are.

We do this at our peril.

 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
4. And this is why there is no reason to think a GOP Congress will work any better
Wed Jun 17, 2015, 01:15 PM
Jun 2015

with Hillary than they would with Bernie. They are already going after Hillary, and she is not even in any office.

 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
8. Nobody is saying that, no one has said that.
Wed Jun 17, 2015, 01:29 PM
Jun 2015

What I am speaking to is that the "But Congress won't work with a Democrat!!!!" seems to only be mentioned as a reason why Hillary would be a better candidate to support. Only mentioned as an obstacle for Bernie.
I do think that the GOP has been sharpening their knives for any Clinton for a very long time.

Hekate

(90,690 posts)
7. They've been going after Hillary since the 1990s. Spinning lies is a cottage industry for the GOP.
Wed Jun 17, 2015, 01:25 PM
Jun 2015

So why should anybody on our side want to enable the GOP to take down another Dem?

I can certainly see liking another Democratic candidate, and that's fine with me.

What I can't understand is why anyone would fall for anything the GOP has to say about any Democrat, much less either Clinton, whom they've hated forever. With Hillary, the hatred started with her trying to talk to members of Congress about a national health care plan while she was FLOTUS. We really do have to remember that part. Hillary Hatred --> Health Care Proposal.

Sorry, this isn't about what you said, just the tenor of things.

karynnj

(59,503 posts)
10. The biggest surprise in this article is that anyone would have thought there was any other goal.
Wed Jun 17, 2015, 01:36 PM
Jun 2015

By and large, within days of the tragedy, we knew what had happened. An ambassador and three other Americans in a not very secure consulate were killed in a completely unstable country. HRC's study was asked to determine what could have done better to make our diplomats more secure. The results of that were out - I think - before she left office and the State Department has worked on this.

Every other committee has tried to answer POLITICAL questions - like did the administration make up the "cover story" that everything happened due to a movie. In fact, both Obama and Clinton spoke of it as an act of terror -- even if they didn't use the special magic words the Republicans wanted.

That said, of course it is political ..... and of course they will not limit themselves to Benghazi - any more than Ken Starr limited himself to Whitewater.

Yesterday, there goal was to either get proof that there were emails - already under FOIA that HRC wiped from her server - OR further attack the SD as "covering up for HRC".

In fact, they might be doing a conscientious job in sorting emails, digitizing them, and redacting as needed before they can be put on the web.The people assigned to do this are not partisan, but career professionals. Note this is NOT coming from the Republican demands, but because HRC promised this to get people off her back. While doing that, the SD also is responding to FOIA. Given the emails came in as 55.000 pages of paper and then had to be scanned in, it is absolutely understandable if they missed some that should have gone to the committee. THEY have been given a no win job -- where as hard as they work (they have 12 people committed full time) they will be called too slow -- likely by both the Republicans and HRC. Not to mention, no matter how careful they are -- there will be something that they should have redacted that was missed.

madokie

(51,076 posts)
11. All they're interested in is taking down Sec. Clinton
Wed Jun 17, 2015, 01:42 PM
Jun 2015

only a fool would believe otherwise. its despicable but thats how they do things. Wrong headed and criminal the way they are going about all this. There never was any there there.

madokie

(51,076 posts)
13. They don't care about the cost
Wed Jun 17, 2015, 05:32 PM
Jun 2015

in money nor in lives. all they care about is furthering whatever their cause is. Truth be damned. I really dislike the 'CONs and that sentiment is growing with each new scandal they throw at us.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Psst. The Benghazi commit...