New reaction to house hearing on deadly Libya terror attack

This transcript is automatically generated

That is true American fact that's just one of the big developments in the investigation into the Libya attack on 9/11 the senate is planning.

An independent and they wanted to be a bipartisan inquiry after a contentious hearing by a house oversight committee just this past week.

Joining me now is Republican congressman Peter.

He is the chairman of the house homeland security committee congressman welcome you also sits on the House Intelligence Committee.

Virginia good to be great to have you here because there's still a lot of people that want to know.

What the administration knew that night of the attack.

-- were -- watching in real time.

-- Robin was that was testimony during the week the State Department knew what was happening or getting direct reports in real time from the consulate from being Ghazi.

And the course that they had to know there was no demonstration.

So when the president says that the intelligence community.

Told him that this was all the demonstration than it was it was spontaneous arising out of the video if he had just spoken to his own secretary of state.

If -- it's the saying Hillary Clinton knew that night that it was a terror attack I would have to assume and if not I mean again -- -- regarding Hillary Clinton but when something this important happens.

And the State Department was directly involved on the ground you would think the State Department officials.

Would talk to the people laugh and say what to -- see what India how -- was a demonstration was their demonstration.

When to get out of control and that he would have found out there was no demonstration.

-- weekly thereof are -- so whether or not there were -- request because at that house hearing it seemed pretty clear that even the ambassador who was slaughtered that night.

Was in fact making a request for additional security why is it that vice president Joseph Biden at the vice presidential debates said.

Flatly that there were never any request for additional security.

I think is just one more example Joseph Biden's erratic behavior during that debate and willing to say whatever you had to say to cover up the issue the fact is it was sworn testimony -- the regional security officer saying that more security was as for.

And it was turned out in the military -- lieutenant colonel from the Utah National Guard.

Who say they needed more security there to Joseph Biden to say that more security was not requested is absolutely wrong and why the Obama administration.

Continues with this car broke just -- to the -- in glorious moment for the -- think it's a deliberate cover.

I think it started as political spin and how they -- their own spin and then and how to get out of it I listen real politics is politics and you talk about deficits -- tax cuts there's always enough facts and figures that you can go back and forth in the debate and try to make -- case.

If your children about the deaths of Americans.

That that this is just beyond spin it should be -- facts what they -- said the first day.

We're not certain exactly what this was we know there was every terrorist presence we know there are terrorist threats.

And we may not have had enough security that we're gonna see what happened but instead rather than say that.

They just denied there was any terrorist involvement this it was all -- courses video and they never mentioned that there was inadequate security why does -- matter.

It matters -- for for the memory of those who lost their lives Americans representing us overseas were killed.

Because of this secondly it goes.

Against the president's narrative -- shows al-Qaeda is still very active in North Africa and the Middle East.

And we can't just returned to the Pacific we have a real continuing threat.

-- Qaeda and its affiliates the Middle East it also shows we have to look at security at all or embassies and consulates in -- part of why are they.

-- -- -- -- is a lot we don't know if -- still denying that there was -- for security and Benghazi -- in Libya then god knows what they're doing with -- consulates around the world.

Does Vice President Biden blame the Republicans for cutting the budget to provide that security you know there are false false because under that -- sworn testimony after hearing the State Department office who turned down the request she said it was not -- what -- reasons it was for their own security reasons they turned it down.

It was a judgment call -- nothing to do with the budget.

Use it on to if you're concerned about national security as many of us are after experience especially 9/11 in this happened on 9/11.

The most important committees.

Homeland security and intelligence.

Are you being provided because now the senate call -- for a bipartisan investigation.

Are you convinced that you will have access for example to the information that night of the attack on the Libyan consulate did you get that information as a Republican.

No Mike -- -- -- -- Intelligence -- -- -- dropped from the start -- we're the first to say this had all the appearances all the earmarks of a terrorist attack.

So far we have not gotten very much information at all about to -- the chairman Rogers -- -- check in almost every day with intelligence committee.

Also check of the -- -- national counterterrorism set up.

I am overall though has pat as a Republican who's on the Homeland Security you're the chairman.

Do you feel that this administration is provided you Indian from it -- it's hearing after hearing investigation after investigation taxpayers are paying for that.

Are you getting the information you need to truly keep us safe.

I don't think anyone -- -- when -- -- -- and performed a real service having his hearing this week and people say was partisan it -- to be an aggressive hearing.

To shake loose the administration and so -- -- -- announces hearing.

The state department's almost nothing and certainly the night before because you -- invited you -- from fox but all the other meteorologists were given a whole story by the State Department is different.

What they've been saying for the previous two or three weeks.

-- that's interesting alone but I'll leave that one.

In terms of the future.

I wonder how we can protect our people -- our embassies do you think if governor Romney were president Romney he would do anything different.

I think governor Romney -- I know the governor Romney or do whatever he had to do to protect Americans at these outposts and some are really outpost.

Governor Romney is put.

National security homeland security and the protection of American lives.

First we can't be worrying about offending people's feel -- Gibbs on television.

Saying that -- the president's responsibility but it was also the Libyans are we saying the -- who outsource to protection of Americans who unarmed.

Libya Libyan security guards great if they can back felt they can fill in.

Fine but the main responsibility is always with the United States.

And aren't these inside attacks in Afghanistan.

Killing our own troops an indication of what could happen.

If al-Qaeda continues to be able to invade our interest overseas.

I'm very concerned tried to -- constituent.

Let's go to Buckley in the Marine Corps was killed and one of these green on blue attacks.

And I think it's because as the president is pulling out troops I believe too fast.

They're back filling with Afghan troops without.

Adequately vetting them and that's why -- getting -- people in the Afghan army and the Afghan police who have not been thoroughly vetted.

Because in the rush to fill in the numbers the president and the vice president wanna say what was in many troops on the ground -- -- before we of these -- Afghan troops well too many of those Afghan troops coming in have not been sufficiently -- they've have backgrounds -- not onscreen and that's -- the killing Americans.

Locally security forces and many of these countries that you have hate for America are the ones that are in charge of our security.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- It's great seeing -- things.

Watch Live

New reaction to house hearing on deadly Libya terror attack

Details

Clips

Editor's Picks

Are drones necessary to prosecute war on terror?

Will prosecutors drop the death penalty in Jodi Arias trial?

Growing concern over IRS' role in implementing ObamaCare

College students open up on campus hook-up culture

Bridge collapse sends cars into water

President Bush rides with wounded vets

Damage control? President orders DOJ review

Michael Bolton kicks off All-American Summer concert series

Sen. Rand Paul: Obama's speech is a 'misdirection campaign'

Franklin Graham: How the IRS targeted my religious charities

Obama’s foreign policy address

Obama shifts focus to counterterrorism policies

Transcript

Recommended