Cummings Issues Statement on Closed-Door Deposition With Ambassador Pickering

Jun 4, 2013
Press Release
Cummings Issues Statement on Closed-Door Deposition With Ambassador Pickering

Washington, DC (June 4, 2013) – Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued the following statement regarding the Committee’s closed-door deposition of Ambassador Pickering regarding the Accountability Review Board’s review of the attacks in Benghazi:

“It is a shame that the public did not get to hear directly from Ambassador Pickering today, who put to rest Chairman Issa’s baseless claim that the Accountability Review Board was part of a ‘whitewash.’ In their desperate search for political scandal, Republicans have spent their time investigating the investigator—a seven- time U.S. ambassador– instead of focusing on improving security at many dangerous diplomatic posts around the world.

“Today’s deposition was the political price Chairman Issa demanded in exchange for a public hearing.  The Committee now needs to make good on its promise by scheduling a hearing within the next two weeks.

“My hope is that we will now turn to the real work of this Committee, which is ensuring that the Department implements the ARB’s recommendations to improve the security of our diplomatic officials serving overseas.”

 

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113th Congress