Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Clinton faces continued criticism in afternoon Benghazi hearing


In one of her last acts as America’s top diplomat, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hit back hard Wednesday at fierce Republican criticisms over the deadly Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya. Clinton, delivering long-awaited congressional testimony, alternately choked up, pounded the table in anger, laughed and offered clinical replies while vowing to do her utmost to prevent similar tragedies in the future as she was hammered by combative Republicans.
"You let the consulate become a death trap, and that’s national security malpractice," Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., said during the afternoon House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing. He asked Clinton to define what taking responsibility for the attack means to her.
"I think I've made that very clear, congressman," Clinton responded testily.
Duncan added that the American people felt misled by the way the administration handled the dissemination of information surrounding the attacks—a comment that had been repeated throughout the day of hearings, which started in the morning when Clinton appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Clinton also faced repeated criticism from some on the House Foreign Affairs Committee for not being interviewed by the Accountability Review Board investigating the attack.
"I think that’s outrageous," Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., said after questioning why Clinton was not interviewed.