Oversight Dems Ask Issa to Call Off Benghazi Investigation

All 17 Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee have called on Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) to end the “partisan” investigation into the Benghazi attack “and begin focusing instead on conducting responsible oversight to implement constructive reforms.”

The Dems, led by ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), charged that the probe “has been characterized by wild and unsubstantiated political accusations that turn out to be completely inaccurate.” They proceeded to outline those instances in the five-page letter.

“Continuing this reckless pattern of launching wholly unfounded accusations on national television — and racking up more and more Pinocchios in the process — is undermining the credibility of our Committee and the seriousness of our work,” they wrote. “Your approach repeatedly has called into question the integrity of our military and diplomatic personnel who are charged with executing our nation’s missions and policies overseas.”

“…The Committee has held three hearings, conducted 27 transcribed interviews and depositions, organized several partisan delegations to Libya, issued two Republican staff reporters, and reviewed tens of thousands of pages of documents… We believe it is time for the Committee to turn to constructive efforts to ensure that the [Accountability Review Board’s] recommendations are fully implemented in order to protect our diplomatic corps overseas.”

Reaction to the Oversight Dems’ call spilled over into the Senate, where proponents of a hearty Benghazi investigation said Americans are still entitled to a full accounting of the Sept. 12, 2012, attack.

“I wish Democrats would show some interest in how and why President Obama and Susan Rice got it so wrong about the true nature of the Benghazi attack. I wish Democrats would show a little interest about why Secretary Clinton was clueless about the multiple security requests coming from Benghazi and how she allowed our mission to become a death trap,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). “I wish Democrats would show a little interest in finding out whether Mike Morell, the former #2 at the CIA, lied to Congress and the American people about a protest that never happened. Democrats seem to be more interested in protecting the Obama Administration than they are in getting the truth.”

“If Republicans win a Senate majority in 2014, one of the first things I will insist on is hearings that actually get to the bottom of what happened before, during, and after the Benghazi attack. The families of those who lost loved ones, and the American people, deserve nothing less than a full accounting.”