WASHINGTON (CBSDC/AP) — House Speaker John Boehner has tapped South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy to head a special committee investigating the deadly 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya.
Boehner made the announcement in a statement on Monday. Boehner called the two-term congressman — who is a former prosecutor — dogged and focused.
“I know he shares my commitment to get to the bottom of this tragedy and will not tolerate any stonewalling from the Obama administration. I plan to ensure he and his committee have the strongest authority possible to root out all the facts,” Boehner said in a statement. “This is a big job, but Rep. Gowdy has the confidence of this conference, and I know his professionalism and grit will earn him the respect of the American people.”
Four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, were killed in the Sept. 11, 2012 attack. Republicans have accused the Obama administration of covering up the details and stonewalling Congress on the facts for political purposes.
Democrats have pointed to the multiple investigations, including a bipartisan Senate Intelligence committee probe, and insist that the GOP plans for a select committee is merely designed to energize the GOP base ahead of midterm elections.
Rep. Adam Schiff of California said Sunday he will recommend that Democratic leaders not appoint any Democrats to the committee that Boehner has set up.
Schiff told “Fox News Sunday” that there have been multiple investigations into Benghazi and that the new committee is “a colossal waste of time.”
Schiff called the committee “a tremendous red herring” and a waste of money and believes Boehner is bowing to the GOP’s far-right faction.
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