Congressman Frank Wolf Calls for Subpoenas of CIA, Others About Benghazi Attack

Northern Virginia Congressman Frank Wolf (R-10th), Thursday called for Congress to subpoena CIA, White House and State Department officials and other employees to testify about what happened in the Benghazi attack.

On Sept. 11, 2012, the U.S. consulate and again the next morning a CIA annex, came under attack and four Americans, including Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, were killed.

Family members of those who were killed testified before members of Congress Thursday in the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

"No one in the government has told me anything," said Patricia Smith, the mother of Sean Smith, whose body was the first one found at the diplomatic compound in Benghazi on Sept. 11, 2012, USA Today reported. "Everything I've found, and I mean anything, I found by going on the Internet and asking questions."

"It's been true hell living through this without any answers," Smith said.

Accountability Review Board Chairman Ambassador Thomas Pickering and Vice Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen testified Thursday about their groups' findings on the attack.

Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-11th), sits on the committee and was at Thursday's hearing, which aired on C-SPAN. He asked if there was an order to stand down. "An order to stand down was never given," said Adm. Michael Mullen (Ret.), former vice chairman of the review board.

The chairman of the committee, Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said Thursday he authorized subpoenas to two State Department regional security officers who were in Libya at the time of the attack.

Wolf said in a statement Thursday that although he was glad to hear about the subpoenas, Congress needs to do more to find out about the Benghazi attack.

“Why has it taken more than a year for these first subpoenas to be issued?" Wolf asked. “Will another year go by before the next subpoenas are issued? 

“That is why I am calling on the committees of jurisdiction – preferably as part of a formal, dedicated Select Committee on Benghazi – to follow suit and immediately subpoena all of the other nearly 30 survivors of the Benghazi attacks for public hearings," said Wolf. "These federal employees must have ‘friendly subpoenas’ to empower them to testify openly without fear of retaliation from agency leadership. 

“Among these additional subpoenas must be the CIA employees and contractors who have reportedly been asked to sign additional Non-Disclosure Agreements and have reportedly been subjected to regular polygraphs since the Benghazi attacks.

“In addition to the survivors, the committees also must immediately subpoena the key eyewitnesses from the State Department, Defense Department, CIA and White House officials who were involved in monitoring the attack and making decisions about the response that night."