President Barack Obama and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton honor the victims of the Benghazi terrorist attacks at Andrews Air Force Base on September 14, 2012.
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On September 11, 2012, the Islamic militant group, Ansar al-Sharia, attacked the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, IT expert Sean Smith and former U.S. Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods were killed during the attack.[1]
Although senior White House officials initially labeled the attack a spontaneous reaction to an anti-Muslim video made by an American that was circulating in the region, the Obama administration acknowledged on September 19, 2012, that it was a premeditated terrorist attack.[2][3]
Post-attack talking points timeline[edit]
The following timeline accounts for how events unfolded after the September 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi:[4]
- September 11, 2012
- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated, "Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet," and declared there is never "justification for violent acts of this kind."[4]
- September 12, 2012
| President Obama's September 12, 2012, statement on the Benghazi attack. |
- Then-White House Press Secretary Jay Carney withheld judgement when asked if the attack was believed to be premeditated.[6]
- An unnamed U.S. official claimed the incident "bears the hallmarks of an organized attack."[7]
- Ahmad Jibril, Libya's deputy ambassador to London, claimed the terrorist group Ansar al-Sharia was behind the attacks.[8]
- September 13, 2012
- The Libyan ambassador to the United States, Ali Suleiman Aujali, apologized at a U.S. State Department event for the "terrorist attack which took place against the American consulate in Libya."[4]
- A senior U.S. State Department official stated, "It was not an innocent mob. The video or 9/11 made a handy excuse and could be fortuitous from their prospective but this was a clearly planned military-type attack."[9]
- September 14, 2012
- When asked about the reports of it being a pre-planned attack, Carney stated, "We were not aware of any actionable intelligence indicating that an attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi was planned or imminent."[10]
- After a briefing with then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said, "I think it was a planned, premeditated attack."[11]
- September 16, 2012
- When asked about the attack on "Face the Nation," Libyan President Mohamed Yousef el-Magariaf said, "It was planned-- definitely, it was planned by foreigners, by people who-- who entered the country a few months ago, and they were planning this criminal act since their-- since their arrival."[12]
- Also on "Face the Nation," Susan Rice disputed the claim made by the Magariaf, stating, "But based on the best information we have to date, what our assessment is as of the present is in fact what began spontaneously in Benghazi as a reaction to what had transpired some hours earlier in Cairo where, of course, as you know, there was a violent protest outside of our embassy sparked by this hateful video. But soon after that spontaneous protest began outside of our consulate in Benghazi, we believe that it looks like extremist elements, individuals, joined in that-- in that effort with heavy weapons of the sort that are, unfortunately, readily now available in Libya post-revolution."[12]
| Susan Rice's interview on "Face the Nation" on September 16, 2012. |
- Note: Rice revealed in late October 2012 that she was using talking points provided by the CIA.[13] On May 10, 2013, it was revealed that emails from the U.S. State Department urged changes to Rice's talking points prior to her going on the talk show circuit.[14] Then, on May 2, 2014, Judicial Watch released the State Department emails, which revealed one of the main goals of Rice's interview was "to underscore that these protests are rooted in an Internet video, and not a broader failure of policy."[15]
- In a later interview with NPR, Magariaf responded, "The idea that this criminal and cowardly act was a spontaneous protest that just spun out of control is completely unfounded and preposterous. We firmly believe that this was a precalculated, preplanned attack that was carried out specifically to attack the U.S. consulate."[16]
- September 17, 2012
- U.S. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said, "the comments that Ambassador Rice made accurately reflect our government's initial assessment."[17]
- September 18, 2012
- On The Late Show with David Letterman, President Obama commented on the anti-Muslim video, saying, "Extremists and terrorists used this as an excuse to attack a variety of our embassies, including the consulate in Libya."[18]
- September 19, 2012
- Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Matt Olsen was the first of the administration to openly suggest it was a planned "terrorist attack." He said, "I would say yes, they were killed in the course of a terrorist attack on our embassy."[3]
- September 20, 2012
- Carney stated, "What happened in Benghazi was a terrorist attack," but also mentioned that to that point the administration had no information that significant planning took place.[19]
- September 21, 2012
- Clinton stated, "what happened in Benghazi was a terrorist attack."[20]
- September 24, 2012
- Making an appearance on The View, President Obama was asked whether the attack was an act of terrorism. He responded, "Well, we're still doing an investigation."[21]
- September 26, 2012
- When asked why the president hadn't acknowledged the attack specifically as a "terrorist attack," Carney stated, "The president — our position is, as reflected by the NCTC director, that it was a terrorist attack. It is, I think by definition, a terrorist attack when there is a prolonged assault on an embassy with weapons. So, let’s be clear, it was a terrorist attack and it was an inexcusable attack."[22]
- September 27, 2012
- Defense Secretary Leon Panetta did not mention when a conclusion was reached but stated, "It took a while to really get some of the feedback from what exactly happened at that location. As we determined the details of what took place there, and how that attack took place, that it became clear that there were terrorists who had planned that attack."[23]
- A spokesperson for the director of national intelligence stated, "As we learned more about the attack, we revised our initial assessment to reflect new information indicating that it was a deliberate and organized terrorist attack carried out by extremists."[24]
- October 3, 2012
- Clinton told reporters: "There are continuing questions about what exactly happened in Benghazi on that night three weeks ago. And we will not rest until we answer those questions and until we track down the terrorists who killed our people."[25]
- October 10, 2012
- After testifying before the United States House of Representatives, U.S. State Department Under Secretary for Management Patrick Kennedy said, "We’ve always made clear from the very beginning that we are giving out the best information we have at the time we are giving it out. That information has evolved over time."[26]
- U.S. State Department memos were released in which Charlene Lamb denied requests for increased security. Lamb testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform stating, "We had the correct number of assets in Benghazi on the night of 9/11."[27]
- October 15, 2012
- Clinton said, "I take responsibility. ...In the wake of an attack like this, in the fog of war, there's always going to be confusion. And I think it is absolutely fair to say that everyone had the same intelligence."[28]
- October 23, 2012
- A Reuters report showed an email titled "Update 2: Ansar al-Sharia Claims Responsibility for Benghazi Attack" was sent from the State Department's Operations Center about two hours after the attack.[29]
- October 24, 2012
- Clinton said that the email report was "cherry picking one story here or one document there," and that it was important to see the information in its totality.[30]
- Carney backed up Clinton's statement, saying Ansar al-Sharia denied responsibility within hours of the attack, and that "Neither should be taken as fact — that’s why there’s an investigation underway."[31]
American presence in Benghazi[edit]
U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens was sent to Benghazi as the Obama administration's liaison to the opposition to Moammar Gaddafi in March 2011, shortly after the uprisings began.[32] That was shortly after the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) began setting up their Benghazi covert intelligence operation in February 2011, in order to collect intelligence on Ansar al-Sharia and the Al-Qaeda affiliate known as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The CIA also assisted in attempts to locate chemical weapons and train the new Libyan intelligence service.[33] To many Benghazi citizens, Ambassador Stevens was a well-liked figure and participant in public events.[34]
Regional instability[edit]
Militants began seriously organizing against former dictator Moammar Gaddafi in February 2011.[35] Gaddafi was forced from his compound in Tripoli in August 2011 by rebel militias, before being killed on October 20, 2011, by rebels while he was on the run outside of Sirte, Libya.[36] Following the death of Gaddafi, the militia's began fighting amongst themselves in some cases. Armed Ansar al-Shariah members in Benghazi traveled through the city calling for an Islamic state in mid-2012.[34]
September 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi[edit]
On September 11, 2012, Ambassador Stevens was in Benghazi meeting with Libyan officials in search of Moammar Gaddafi's weapons stockpiles. He was also there to open a cultural center.[37]
The attack on the U.S. mission started around 9:40 p.m. when gunshots and an explosion were heard. The militia overpowered the main gate and burned the barracks building. At about 10:00 p.m., the militia broke through the compound wall and the ambassador went to the safe room with information officer Sean Smith. The CIA annex, located approximately a mile away, was notified of the attack. While Stevens and Smith were in safe room, the building was set on fire using diesel fuel causing smoke to fill the building. The CIA agents and 16 Libyan security guards regained control of the compound and began searching for Stevens and Smith.[37]
The first drones were sent over the site as President Obama began to meet with the secretary of defense and the chair of the joint chiefs. An email indicating the group Ansar al-Sharia claimed the attack was sent from the U.S. State Department to the White House.[37]
At about 1:15 a.m. on September 12, a rescue team from Tripoli arrived in Benghazi. Those rescued from the mission were at the CIA annex, including Stevens. Deputy Mission Chief Gregory Hicks notified Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Americans in Benghazi needed to be evacuated at 2:00 a.m. At about 4:00 a.m., the militants attacked the CIA annex and killed Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods. The bodies of Stevens, Smith, Doherty and Woods were on the final plane out of Libya at 10:00 a.m. on September 12.[37]
Reactions to the attacks[edit]
Libyan reaction[edit]
Thousands of Libyans marched through Benghazi on September 21, 2012, in protest of the increasingly violent militias formed in opposition to Libya's former dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi, one of which was Ansar al-Sharia. The protesters captured the headquarters of multiple militia headquarters and handed them over to the Libyan army.[34]
U.S. reactions[edit]
Rice and the anti-Muslim video[edit]
The administration was unclear about what led to the attack on the U.S. embassy in the days following the attack, insisting that an investigation was underway. However, initial comments by the administration pointed to the release of an anti-Muslim video on Youtube, which led to many demonstrations around the region.[4] During a talk show circuit, then-U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice said, "based on the best information we have to date, what our assessment is as of the present is in fact what began spontaneously in Benghazi as a reaction to what had transpired some hours earlier in Cairo where, of course, as you know, there was a violent protest outside of our embassy sparked by this hateful video."[12]
Rice said she gave responses based on the intelligence she had received to that point, even though the interviews were five days after the attacks.[38] Rice was a leading candidate to be nominated to succeed Hillary Clinton as U.S. Secretary of State, but it wasn't believed she would pass through confirmation due to her comments about the Benghazi attacks. She withdrew from consideration in December 2012.[39]
Pre-planned militant action[edit]
While early statements by the administration reported that the attack could have been spontaneous due to the release of the anti-Muslim video, unnamed officials began coming out suggesting the attack was planned. The first official speak out said that the attack "bears the hallmarks of an organized attack."[7]
The administration did not suggest it was a terrorist attack until September 19, 2012, when Matt Olsen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, suggested that it was a planned attack.[3]
Security criticism[edit]
The U.S. State Department acknowledged on October 10, 2014, that recent requests for additional security at American facilities in Libya were denied. However, later that day, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said, "There is no question that the security was not enough to prevent that tragedy from happening."[40] Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Charlene Lamb said, "We had the correct number of assets in Benghazi at the time of 9/11 for what had been agreed upon."[41]
During a congressional oversight committee about the "Security Failures of Benghazi," Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) stated, "Washington officials seemed preoccupied with the concept of normalization." He criticized the U.S. State Department's lack of action in response to the requests for increased security, and suggested that the administration wanted to give the image of an improving relationship in the region. Democrats on the committee responded by pointing out that Republicans voted to cut funding to diplomatic security. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) insisted that Republican leadership needed to support an increase in diplomatic security to replace previous cuts.[40]
| The handling of the Benghazi attacks discussed during the second Presidential Debate in 2012. |
2012 Presidential election[edit]
During the second presidential debate in 2012, Mitt Romney challenged President Obama about the attack, suggesting that it took the president 14 days to call it an "act of terror." Obama responded by saying, "Get the transcript." The moderator, Candy Crowley, then stepped in, saying the president indeed called the attack an "act of terror" the day after the attack. It was unclear whether the president used the phrase "acts of terror" the day following the attacks specifically referencing the Benghazi attack or in a more general sense, since the administration continued to suggest that the attacks could have been a spontaneous result of the release of the anti-Muslim video.[42] Romney largely avoided the topic for the remainder of his presidential campaign.[43]
Charges filed[edit]
On August 7, 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation announced that charges were filed against several suspects in the Benghazi attack. The only name made public was Ahmed Abu Khattala, a Libyan militia member. The announcement came following heavy pressure from Congress due to the lack of progress.[44]
Khattala's arrest was announced on June 17, 2014. Obama issued the following statement acknowledging his capture: "We will continue our efforts to bring to justice those who were responsible for the Benghazi attacks." Khattala was captured outside Benghazi in a joint operation conducted between the U.S. military and the FBI.[45] Debate then sparked among U.S. politicians about whether he should be sent to Guantanamo Bay for interrogation or brought into the country and tried before a federal court. The administration decided to bring him to the U.S. for trial. Many Republicans said that the administration would miss out on an opportunity to gather valuable intelligence by reading Khattala his Miranda rights, instead of interrogating him in Guantanamo Bay. Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R-S.C.) stated, "If they bring him to the U.S., they will Mirandize this guy, and it will be the biggest mistake for the ages to read this guy his Miranda rights."[46]
Khattala was initially charged with "providing material support to terrorists resulting in death, using a firearm in a crime of violence and killing a person in an attack on a federal facility." U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder suggested more charges could be added.[46] Khattala's initial hearing was held on July 1, 2014, during which it was determined by the federal magistrate hearing the case that he would be detained throughout the trial. Khattala's defense team did not argue for his release during trial, but they did not rule out attempting to get his release at a later date.[47]
On October 14, 2014, Khattala was "indicted on 17 new charges by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C.," according to NPR.[48]
Benghazi attack investigations[edit]
Senate investigation[edit]
The investigation report released on January 15, 2014, by the Senate Intelligence committee said that the "State Department failed to increase security at its mission despite warnings, and blamed intelligence agencies for not sharing information about the existence of the CIA outpost with the U.S. military," according to the Washington Post.[49]
The Senate Intelligence Committee released the following statement along with a 58-page declassified report on the Benghazi attack: "The committee found the attacks were preventable, based on extensive intelligence reporting on the terrorist activity in Libya — to include prior threats and attacks against Western targets — and given the known security shortfalls at the U.S. Mission."[50]
House Select Committee on Benghazi[edit]
On May 8, 2014, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) was chosen to lead a special committee investigating the attack in Benghazi and the administration's actions regarding the attack. The committee was made up of seven Republicans and five Democrats.[51] When asked if the U.S. State Department would comply with the committee's requests, Secretary of State John Kerry stated, "We’ll respond because we have absolutely nothing to hide whatsoever and I look forward to complying with whatever responsibilities we have."[52]
The twelve members named to the House Select Committee on Benghazi were:[53][54]
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Then-Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) formed the special committee to determine how the attacks happened and what could be done to prevent future attacks on diplomatic outposts. The committee was given a budget of $3.3 million to conduct their investigations. When asked what the investigations would consist of, committee chair Trey Gowdy said the first step would be the reorganization of all of the existing documentation and evidence in order to locate the previous gaps in knowledge. He stated, "No one [has] defended the five-minute questioning [process] as the most calculated way of eliciting the most amount of information,” Gowdy said in an interview. “There is most assuredly a place for hearings but not if your primary focus is to gather facts." The investigation was not given a deadline to conclude.[55]
Investigating Hillary Clinton[edit]
- See also: Hillary Clinton email investigation
On September 29, 2015, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) appeared on Fox News where he tied the House Benghazi panel's work to the decreased support for Hillary Clinton. McCarthy said, "Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right? But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. Why? Because she's untrustable. But no one would have have [sic] known any of that had happened had we not fought and made that happen."[56] McCarthy's comments were heavily criticized by his Republican colleagues, and he later sought to clarify that the committee had nothing to do with politics.[57] McCarthy acknowledged that his Benghazi comments did not help his campaign to replace Boehner as House speaker. He dropped out of the race October 8, 2015.[58] He said he would remain majority leader.
On October 14, 2015, Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) said that the House Select Committee on Benghazi was partially created to damage Hillary Clinton politically. He said, "This may not be politically correct, but I think that there was a big part of this investigation that was designed to go after people and an individual, Hillary Clinton." Clinton’s campaign responded with the following statement: "House Republicans aren't even shy anymore about admitting that the Benghazi Committee is a partisan farce. After failing to produce any new information on the tragic 2012 attacks at Benghazi despite a 17-month investigation, John Boehner has reportedly urged the committee to shift its focus to Hillary Clinton's emails in an ongoing effort to try to hurt her politically. Hillary Clinton will still attend next week's hearing, but at this point, Trey Gowdy's inquiry has zero credibility left."[59]
Public opinion[edit]
On June 3, 2014, a Washington Post-ABC News public opinion poll revealed that 51 percent of Americans supported a congressional investigation into the Benghazi attack, while 42 percent said the matter had been investigated enough. The same poll showed 50 percent thought Clinton handled the situation poorly, while only 37 percent approved of her actions.[60]
Recent news[edit]
This section links to a Google news search for the term Benghazi + attack + 2012
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
- H.Res. 36 forming the House select committee on Benghazi
- Senate Intelligence Committee report on Benghazi
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ CNN, "Benghazi Attack Timeline," August 7, 2013
- ↑ Wall Street Journal, "Flashback: What Susan Rice Said About Benghazi," November 16, 2012
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Foreign Policy, "Obama Official: Benghazi was a Terrorist Attack," September 19, 2012
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 FactCheck.org, "Benghazi Timeline," October 26, 2012
- ↑ The White House, "Remarks by the President on the Deaths of U.S. Embassy Staff in Libya," September 12, 2012
- ↑ The White House, "Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en route Las Vegas, NV, 9/12/2012," September 12, 2012
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Reuters, Obama vows to track down ambassador's killers," September 12, 2012
- ↑ BBC, "Did Ansar al-Sharia carry out Libya attack?" September 12, 2012
- ↑ CNN, "4 hours of fire and chaos: How the Benghazi attack unfolded," September 13, 2012
- ↑ The White House, "Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 9/14/2012," September 14, 2012
- ↑ Roll Call, "Senators Question Leon Panetta About Syria, Libya," September 14, 2014
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 CBS News, "Face the Nation transcripts, September 16, 2012," September 16, 2014
- ↑ New York Times, "After Benghazi Attack, Talk Lagged Behind Intelligence," October 21, 2012
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Benghazi Talking Points Revisions Pushed By State Department," May 10, 2013
- ↑ Judicial Watch, "FOIA requested documents," accessed May 22, 2014 Note: Page 14
- ↑ NPR, "Consulate Attack Preplanned, Libya's President Says," September 16, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Department of State, "Daily Press Briefing - September 17, 2012," September 17, 2012
- ↑ Washington Post, "President Obama's interview on the 'Late Show with David Letterman'," September 19, 2012
- ↑ The White House, "Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en route Miami, FL, 9/20/2012," September 20, 2012
- ↑ Fox News, "Sec. Clinton: 'What Happened in Benghazi Was a Terrorist Attack," September 21, 2012
- ↑ USA Today, "Team Romney: Obama fails to call Libya incident terror," September 26, 2012
- ↑ The White House, "Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney Aboard Air Force One en route Ohio, 09/26/2012," September 26, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Department of Defense, "DOD News Briefing with Secretary Panetta and Gen. Dempsey from the Pentagon," September 27, 2012
- ↑ Office of the Director of National Intelligence, "Statement by the Director of Public Affairs for ODNI, Shawn Turner, on the intelligence related to the terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya," September 28, 2012
- ↑ CBS News, "Clinton: No rest until we find Libya attackers," October 3, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Department of State, "On-The-Record Briefing by Under Secretary Kennedy," October 10, 2012
- ↑ Foreign Policy, "Lamb to the slaughter," October 10, 2012
- ↑ CNN, "Clinton: I'm responsible for diplomats' security," October 16, 2012
- ↑ Reuters, "White House told of militant claim two hours after Libya attack: emails," October 23, 2012
- ↑ Politico, "Hillary Clinton: 'Cherry picked' Libya emails prove little," October 24, 2012
- ↑ The White House, "Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en route Davenport, Iowa, 10/24/2012," October 24, 2012
- ↑ ABC News, "US Names Chris Stevens Liaison to Libyan Opposition," March 14, 2011
- ↑ New York Times, "Deadly Attack in Libya Was Major Blow to C.I.A. Efforts," September 23, 2012
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 New York Times, "Angry Libyans Target Militias, Forcing Flight," September 21, 2012
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedNYTlibyanprostesters - ↑ Washington Post, "Moammar Gaddafi is captured, killed as last loyalist holdout in Libya falls," October 20, 2011
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 CNN, "Benghazi attack timeline," August 7, 2013
- ↑ The Atlantic, "Susan Rice Blames Bad Benghazi Intelligence for Her Misleading Version of Events," October 16, 2012
- ↑ CNN, "Susan Rice withdraws from consideration as secretary of state," December 13, 2013
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Washington Post, "State Dept. acknowledges rejecting requests for more security in Benghazi," October 10, 2012
- ↑ CNS News, "State Dept. Security Chief: ‘We Had Correct Number of Assets in Benghazi at Time of 9/11 For What Had Been Agreed Upon’," October 10, 2012
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Mitt Romney Benghazi Exchange Allows Obama To Dodge Questions Until Third Debate," October 17, 2012
- ↑ Time, "Why Romney’s Not Talking About Benghazi Anymore," November 2, 2012
- ↑ CNN, "First criminal charges filed in Benghazi attack probe," August 7, 2013
- ↑ Yahoo News, "Obama: Captured Key Benghazi suspect will face 'full weight' of U.S. justice," June 17, 2014
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 The Hill, "Benghazi suspect won't be sent to Gitmo," June 18, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "Benghazi suspect ordered held without bail," July 2, 2014
- ↑ NPR, "Benghazi Suspect, Ahmed Abu Khattala, Is Indicted On 17 New Charges," accessed November 7, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Senate report: Attacks on U.S. compounds in Benghazi could have been prevented," January 15, 2014
- ↑ The New York Times, "Benghazi Attack Called Avoidable in Senate Report," accessed November 7, 2015
- ↑ Roll Call, "Republicans’ Benghazi Panel Appointments Likely Friday," May 8, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "John Kerry: I’ll comply with House GOP’s Benghazi request," May 6, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Democrats appoint 5 members to Benghazi select committee," May 21, 2014
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "These 7 Republicans Will Serve On The Benghazi Select Committee," May 9, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "Benghazi panel ramps up," July 7, 2014
- ↑ NBC News, "McCarthy Links Benghazi Panel, Clinton's Sinking Poll Numbers," September 30, 2015
- ↑ CNN Politics, "House Republicans repudiate McCarthy comments on Benghazi probe," October 2, 2015
- ↑ [http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/08/politics/house-speaker-republican-vote-mccarthy-webster-chaffetz/ CNN Politics, "Kevin McCarthy drops out of House speaker race," October 8, 2015
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Second GOP Congressman Admits Benghazi Committee Is All About Hillary Clinton," October 14, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Poll: 51 percent say probe Benghazi," June 3, 2014
