In what some say is a change of earlier testimony, DNI Clapper now says “The Intelligence Community” and no other part of the Obama Administration changed the CIA’s draft talking points. Make no mistake about it --- the Benghazi cover-up is now getting into the highest levels around the White House, nearer and near to President Barack Obama
According to a Monday evening report by CNN's Pam Benson and Dana Bash, a spokesperson for DNI James Clapper has stated, “The intelligence community - not the White House, State Department or Justice Department - was responsible for the substantive changes made to the talking points distributed for government officials who spoke publicly about the attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi.”
Spokesman for Office of the DNI, Shawn Turner, has indicated that the unclassified talking points on Libya, developed several days after the deadly attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, were not substantively changed by any agency outside of the intelligence community.
According to CNN, the Republican criticism of the talking points had intensified after the testimony of former CIA Director David Patraeus last Friday following a closed door hearing. Following a closed meeting of the House Intelligence Committee, Long Island Republican. Peter King, told reporters that the original talking points drafted by the CIA had been changed and it was unclear who was responsible. Said Congressman King, “The original talking points were much more specific about al Qaeda involvement and yet the final ones just said there were indications of extremists."
Over the weekend, some Republicans in Congress had suggested the changes to the CIA version of the talking points had came from within the Obama administration, either at the White House, at the Justice Department, or at another government agency. Turner, the spokesman for National Intelligence Director James Clapper, now indicates that was not the case; "The intelligence community made substantive, analytical changes before the talking points were sent to government agency partners for their feedback," Turner added, "There were no substantive changes made to the talking points after they left the intelligence community."
Obviously, Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee are not satisfied with Turner's conclusory statement. Committee spokeswoman Susan Phalen said , "The statement released this evening by the DNI's spokesman regarding how the Intelligence Community's talking points were changed gives a new explanation that differs significantly from information provided in testimony to the Committee last week.... Chairman Rogers looks forward to discussing this new explanation with Director Clapper as soon as possible to understand how the DNI reached this conclusion and why leaders of the Intelligence Community testified late last week that they were unaware of who changed the talking points."
Spokesman for Office of the DNI, Shawn Turner, has indicated that the unclassified talking points on Libya, developed several days after the deadly attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, were not substantively changed by any agency outside of the intelligence community.
According to CNN, the Republican criticism of the talking points had intensified after the testimony of former CIA Director David Patraeus last Friday following a closed door hearing. Following a closed meeting of the House Intelligence Committee, Long Island Republican. Peter King, told reporters that the original talking points drafted by the CIA had been changed and it was unclear who was responsible. Said Congressman King, “The original talking points were much more specific about al Qaeda involvement and yet the final ones just said there were indications of extremists."
Over the weekend, some Republicans in Congress had suggested the changes to the CIA version of the talking points had came from within the Obama administration, either at the White House, at the Justice Department, or at another government agency. Turner, the spokesman for National Intelligence Director James Clapper, now indicates that was not the case; "The intelligence community made substantive, analytical changes before the talking points were sent to government agency partners for their feedback," Turner added, "There were no substantive changes made to the talking points after they left the intelligence community."
Obviously, Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee are not satisfied with Turner's conclusory statement. Committee spokeswoman Susan Phalen said , "The statement released this evening by the DNI's spokesman regarding how the Intelligence Community's talking points were changed gives a new explanation that differs significantly from information provided in testimony to the Committee last week.... Chairman Rogers looks forward to discussing this new explanation with Director Clapper as soon as possible to understand how the DNI reached this conclusion and why leaders of the Intelligence Community testified late last week that they were unaware of who changed the talking points."
No comments:
Post a Comment