Portman, Senators Call for Senate Select Committee to Investigate Benghazi

Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) joined 37 of his colleagues in urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to establish a Senate Select Committee to investigate Benghazi.

“In light of the recent decision by Speaker Boehner to form a Select Committee to investigate the Benghazi terrorist attacks, we ask you to reconsider your decision not to create a similar committee in the Senate,” wrote the Senators. “This approach would bridge jurisdictional gaps and allow us to better understand what happened. The American people, and especially the families of the fallen, deserve to know more.

“The attacks on our compounds involved multiple parts of our government. The Department of State, Department of Defense, and several intelligence agencies were involved. While we appreciate the recent bipartisan review of the Benghazi terrorist attacks by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which included both majority and minority views, unfortunately, Congressional oversight committee action has been largely confined to jurisdictional bounds. As a result, the committees only have a partial view of the facts.”

Portman is also an original cosponsor of a resolution calling for a joint select committee on Benghazi.

The Senators’ letter is below and full text with signatures can be found here.

Dear Leader Reid:

Since the terrorist attacks on our compounds in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012 that killed four brave Americans, there have been numerous hearings and requests for information by Congressional oversight committees. Congressional oversight is crucial to understanding what happened before, during, and after the attacks, so we can be sure we do everything in our power to prevent future attacks.

The attacks on our compounds involved multiple parts of our government. The Department of State, Department of Defense, and several intelligence agencies were involved. While we appreciate the recent bi-partisan review of the Benghazi terrorist attacks by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which included both majority and minority views, unfortunately, Congressional oversight committee action has been largely confined to jurisdictional bounds. As a result, the committees only have a partial view of the facts.

Equally important, last week’s disclosure of an email from Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes dated September 14, 2012, serves as reminder that the investigation is far from complete. This email, highlighting the Administration’s effort to shape the narrative, should have been provided to the appropriate oversight committee months ago, but sadly was released on April 18, 2014, only following a judicial order. The release of this document, almost 20 months after the attacks, illustrates why there is doubt in Congress that the Administration has provided all relevant information to the oversight committees.

In light of the recent decision by Speaker Boehner to form a Select Committee to investigate the Benghazi terrorist attacks, we ask you to reconsider your decision not to create a similar committee in the Senate. This approach would bridge jurisdictional gaps and allow us to better understand what happened.

The American people, and especially the families of the fallen, deserve to know more.

We urge you to act now.