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May 9, 2013

State Dept. Official Claims Demotion for Criticism of Benghazi Response 
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A State Department official appeared before Congress Wednesday as part
of the ongoing hearings into last year's deadly attack on the U.S.
consulate in Benghazi. Gregory Hicks, the former deputy head of the U.S.
mission in Libya, gave the first public testimony of an official who was
in Libya when U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and two others were
killed. Hicks described his last conversation with Stephens from his
post in Tripoli, and said he was disappointed by the White House's
initial description of the attack.

Rep. Trey Gowdy: "When Ambassador Stevens speak to you perhaps minutes
before he died, as a dying declaration what precisely did he say to
you?"

Gregory Hicks: "He said, Greg, we're under attack."

Rep. Trey Gowdy: "So fast forward, Mr. Hicks to the Sunday talk shows
and Ambassador Susan Rice. She blames this attack on a video and in fact
she did it five different times. What was your reaction to that?"

Gregory Hicks: "I was stunned. My jaw dropped and I was embarrassed."

Hicks told lawmakers he believes he has been demoted for criticizing the
Obama administration's response to the Benghazi incident. Republicans
have seized on his testimony as part of their effort to accuse the
administration of a cover-up. At the White House, Press Secretary Jay
Carney said Republicans are politicizing the issue.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney: "This is a subject that has,
from its beginning, been subject to attempts to politicize it by
Republicans ... That review board — issued a report that was
unsparing and highly critical in some areas — and was led by two
highly respected non-partisan experts in the field of national security,
Admiral Mullen and Ambassador Pickering. And that report issued —
contained within in it a series of recommendations — every single
one of which has been acted on, or is being acted on by the State
Department."

 

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