Feinstein Dismisses Petreaus Resignation, Benghazi Connection

California Senator Diane Feinstein, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, dismissed the notion that the resignation of former CIA chief David Petreaus had anything to do with the investigation into the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi:

Los Angeles Times:

The suddenness of Petraeus’ resignation, and the heated political environment around the incident in Benghazi, has stoked conspiratorial speculation.

Feinstein said there was “absolutely not” a connection between the resignation and consulate attack, but that hasn’t halted other members of Congress from engaging in speculation.

“I have real questions about this, I think the timeline has to be looked at. I’m suggesting there’s a lot of unanswered questions,” Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

King, the House Homeland Security Committeechairman, said the current timeline “just doesn’t add up.”

But NBC News reporter Andrea Mitchell, who broke the story, said on “Meet the Press” that “the White House did not know about this until Wednesday.”

As for Petraeus’ immediate future, the former CIA director may end up being requested to testify on Benghazi as a civilian, with King deeming him “an absolutely necessary witness,” and Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, “would not rule out” calling Petraeus in.

Note that Andrea Mitchell appears to be running interference for the administration by claiming they were unaware of Petreaus’s troubles until after the election. If true, someone in the FBI should be fired. The director of the CIA is involved in an extramarital affair thus exposing him to blackmail from anyone who can hack his email account, and the FBI doesn’t inform the president of the danger?

Sorry, Andrea, either you didn’t ask the right person at the White House or you’ve been taken for a ride. (Perish the thought you’re simply lying. You wouldn’t do that, would you?)

King is right to question the CIA timeline, but he may be on a wild goose chase if he thinks Petreaus would contradict the White House or his former colleagues in the CIA. After all, Washington has an historically short memory. Today’s scandal is soon forgotten and another job will open up for which Petreaus will be considered.