Rep. Rogers Says More Benghazi Whistleblowers Coming



WASHINGTON–Rep. Mike Rogers (R., Mich.), the head of the House Intelligence Committee and a Republican looking into the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, said more “whistleblowers” have volunteered to supply information that could be valuable to a GOP-led investigation.

Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Mr. Rogers said the whistleblowers have been emboldened by testimony delivered last week by State Department officials, including one who told House lawmakers that the U.S. military could have done more to help personnel on the ground in Libya.

“I do think we’re going to see more whistleblowers,” Mr. Rogers said, without elaborating on the new information might be. “I know certainly my committee has been contacted. I think other committees have as well.”

Mr. Rogers was among a series of Republicans who spoke on Sunday news programs about the need to push investigations forward into the assault. Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) called for a special select committee to probe the attack, but Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) said she suspects the investigation is aimed at damaging former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is frequently mentioned as a 2016 presidential candidate.

During a hearing last week at the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Gregory Hicks, the former deputy chief of mission in Libya, said he inquired about the availability of military aircraft within hours of learning about the attack in Benghazi. Mr. Hicks said he was told the nearest jets were based in Italy, two to three hours away.

Defense officials later have said it would have been hours longer before the aircraft could reach Benghazi, and that they weren’t the correct solution to the problem there.

Mr. Hicks said at that same hearing that he was “embarrassed” to hear United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice assert that the attack stemmed from protests relating to an anti-Islamic video. Mr. Hicks alleged he was demoted for challenging that assertion. The State Department has responded it doesn’t tolerate retaliation against whistleblowers and that Mr. Hicks wasn’t punished for his internal dissent.

The Sept. 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Republicans are vowing to continue an investigation.

Rep. Adam Smith (D., Wash.), senior Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said on Fox News Sunday that the inquiry “has just become a very, very partisan focused, scandal focused attack by the Republicans investigating this.”


http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2013/05/12...blowers-coming/