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The Benghazi hearings

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    Will we finally get answers on terror attack?

  • Duration 8:52
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This is a Fox News alert tonight Washington is reeling after one of the nation's top intelligence officials abruptly resigned hello I'm Liz Cheney in tonight for Sean.

The director of central intelligence David Petraeus stepped down today from his post citing an extramarital affair is a reason for his departure.

In a letter to CIA employees he wrote quote after being married for over 37 years -- showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extra marital affair.

Such behavior is unacceptable both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours.

General Petraeus who is one of America's most respected and decorated military leaders served as the agency's head since April of last year.

And tonight Fox News has now learned that the woman Petraeus had an affair with is Pollock rob well.

Rob well wrote a biography I'm Petraeus titled call in but it is unclear when the affair actually began.

Fox is also learned that their relationship was uncovered by the FBI during an investigation and related to this matter.

Miss -- was interviewed on his very program back in March take a look.

I love David Petraeus how -- did you get to know.

I could to numb pretty well I spent three years on my research project -- -- is my dissertation and it turned into book when he went to Afghanistan and -- basically allowed to embedded the headquarters and follow him around and got some strategic leadership lessons and -- of the book is.

Pretty amazing.

The timing of his bombshell announcement is garnering a lot of attention of course -- only a few short days removed the presidential election.

We also happen to be his days away from a series of explosive closed door hearings related the bank -- cover up.

As you can see Petraeus was among the group of high level administration officials slated to appear before both house and Senate Intelligence Committees.

However Fox News -- confirm the Petraeus will no longer be in attendance next week.

So what impact will this unexpected resignation have on the inquiry into the -- got the terror attack.

Joining me with the answer to that question and more is someone who's been at the forefront of this investigation.

House oversight committee member congressman Jason -- -- thank you so much for being here congressman.

-- -- -- Let's start with this really jaw dropping news about General David Petraeus and we've learned to today that there was an FBI investigation under way.

You know I think that there are number of questions raised including.

You know at what point did -- director of the FBI become aware of this why was this just announced today talk a little bit about your perspective on the implications of this announcement.

Broadly speaking -- our nation's intelligence efforts as well as on the Ben -- investigation.

Well first volley it it's sad fall from grace I feel for his wife and nobody should have to go through that.

But this is highly suspicious is in its timing it comes days after an election a very important election.

It comes days before he set to testify before the house intelligence committee.

And it really begs the question of what did the FBI know and when did they know it.

How long -- they sit on that information I recall that General Petraeus ten.

Briefed the senate.

About what happened in Ben Ghazi.

Did he have this looming over his head what what -- when what is the real timing here -- is.

That's the real question that I think -- going forward is is so imperative that we get to the bottom.

Well and also the issue as well of whether or not General Petraeus -- testify now you know.

Obviously he's no longer object to the CI AA.

But there's no reason at all and it would seem to be quite clear that he still got information to be very important for the committee's to have so what's your sense of that will he be called.

Felt he should absolutely totally testified there is no reason no excuse.

That mr.

Petraeus should not testify before that the house -- intelligence committee it's a closed briefing.

He has intimate personal firsthand knowledge that has not excluded people from testifying previously.

He was the person in charge the annex was attacked he's been in that position for a year he he should know and understand what was happening in Libya.

Absolutely.

General Petraeus should testified next week had a -- also learn.

Today that that secretary of state Clinton has said she'll be unavailable next week when she's been called to testify.

Do you anticipate that the committee will try to come with arrangements to have a new date so that the secretary of state will in fact be able to to clear her schedule and and testify and let folks know what she knew and when.

There's only so long this administration is going to be able to hide in and duck and cover that the hard ducked questions.

-- ambassador rice Secretary Clinton there's a host of people that need to come before congress and testify about what they knew.

And when they knew what I set my first letter over -- Secretary Clinton on September 20 and they have the gall to send to be a response to that.

By photo copying literally photo copying.

Things that are found on the Internet as that was suppose -- evidence an answer to my questions.

They have been ducking and covering up at.

Let me be crystal clear list.

This administration.

Is engaged what I believe in one of the biggest cover ups we've ever seen in this nation.

And normally the coverup is worse than the crime but the crime itself what happened on the day of that event.

I think when we get to the bottom of this this country will not believe what actually happened.

Yeah I yeah I think you're exactly right all the evidence here points to the fact that not only did they not provide the security that was requested before the attack.

But -- we had this seven hour period of an attack where they failed to provide any kind of a support for the folks on the ground as well as then -- words the continuing misleading the American people.

You know part of what's key here you pointed out before is the timeline of exactly when did the attack began and what happened.

And I understand -- -- committees received in fact different time lines from the key agencies involved in this.

-- non official responses but we got a verbal timeline from the State Department.

We have one from that this CIA that was printed in the Washington Post again not given to congress.

And then late today of course laid on a Friday Department of Defense puts out about a page and a half timeline.

Here's the problem I have that you take one example.

The good the State Department says that the firefight at the annex there and Ben -- started at 4 AM but the Department of Defense says it started -- 5:15 AM.

It's been nearly two months they can't even get together and understand so it's this degree of incompetency that is just stunning about -- -- And then to what degree are they covering these things up because you look at these documents.

Big big more questions -- every day -- caused by I have more questions about what happened truly in Libya.

And it's just inexcusable there's no excuse for it looks kind of there's so much.

Year and as you said I mean it is really unprecedented that we had our consulate attacked that we had our ambassador and -- other Americans killed.

How will your committee determine what the focus should be where exactly they're -- you -- you know point in direct their efforts because in a way there's so much you can you imagine the administration's hoping people will just be confused by.

The amount of information that's out there that clearly is misleading and wrong.

Look at some point the president of the United States is gonna have to make a determination as to what the truth is.

Because he's tried to have it both ways and it's it none of that can be true they it just possibly couldn't possibly be true.

There are three parts of this what happen in the lead up in why they didn't get more security what happened during the attack itself and who responded and was the president correct when he said I directed everybody to go in and protect those people -- -- Ghazi.

-- I don't think he did.

And then the third part is the cover up itself and how this administration for literally weeks was misleading the American people and the world to fit their political agenda all three of those things.

Our committee will continue to pursue.

-- that I don't lose the effort today asking about the upcoming fiscal cliff negotiations yet you said today we've got a quote.

You talked about the fact that the president may think he's got a mandate that the Republicans in the house certainly have one as well.

How much do you think -- you'll see compromise going on here how much do you think the Republicans will stick to their principal.

And I think we were somewhat vindicated when the Bob Woodward book verdict came out.

But this president is gonna have to engage he's gonna have to come back to the reality.

That house Republicans were also reelected and elections have consequences but we have the majority in the house that.

But we'll reach our hand out no one person's gonna get everything they want we understand that.

But we will come to the table but we need the president to come to the table as well.

Not just with some rhetoric not run -- offices -- age says he's gonna do we got to hope we all these prices is going on -- he's gone over to Asia so.

-- we're going to -- the table we need the president there as well well great thank you so much for being with us that he's.

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