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CIA director's resignation before hearings on Libya terror attack sparks suspicions
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Do you think it's a coincidence CIA director -- -- resigned just days before -- was supposed to testify about Ben Ghazi on Capitol Hill.
President's chief intelligence correspondent Catherine Herridge joins us -- take expect about 3 o'clock this afternoon and tell us tell me the facts we have right now.
Program what we've learned over the chain of events is that it actually set into motion on Thursday -- told -- that the CIA director had a very important meeting.
At a CIA headquarters people were coming in from out of town in just a couple of hours before it was canceled abruptly.
We now know that on Thursday he went to the White House and talk specifically to the president about resigning from his position for personal reasons.
Then on Friday that resignation was accepted by the present so it's really been a chain of events over the last 48 hours.
Do we have any information about whether -- not the White House or anyone else learned about this before yesterday.
And -- -- Wednesday when the public statements from the White House is that they learned about it.
Wednesday but I had a conversation this evening with someone who's very familiar with the notification process to Capitol Hill.
And what we were told is that once someone of the director statue.
Comes even within the scope of an FBI investigation not the subject but the scope there has to be -- media briefings.
To the ranking members and the chairman of the house and Senate Intelligence Committees.
-- -- clear in the east tonight.
That that happened to -- When -- lose a fair begin because when the affair is still secret from the tide began to all the time until today is a time when someone is potentially blackmail material.
Do we know when this began and when this actually it's not the pilot and and it's a point when -- when it's gone the public domain.
We don't -- specific information on when the affair began.
But once the story broke that the CIA director was resigning.
Within the first half hour several people here at fox got multiple phone calls pointing to this author -- abroad well.
And specifically to the timeframe in Afghanistan.
When this biography was being written by -- well and CIA director David Petraeus at that time.
Was the ice -- commander so we're talking about 2010 and then into 2011 just before he took this position at the CIA I take it when he got to the CIA like getting government -- -- head of the Central Intelligence Agency there's some sort of security check -- you fill out forms under -- saying that you're you're not black military have nothing that's gonna create a problem for national security.
Any information about that.
CIA told fox this evening.
That -- are responsible not the FBI but that they are responsible for the background check and also for the security clearance check.
This is very significant because again what this tells us and our reporting.
Is that this investigation by the FBI with separate it was not.
In connection to that original clearance investigation or the background investigation -- something happened within the last fourteen months to trigger.
Could take a look at -- cost of of stuff I put together problem.
September 11 was attacked within 24 hours according the Associated Press CIA station chief in Libya reports -- evidence is carried out by militants not a spontaneous -- upset about American made video CIA so CIA within 24 on the ground says it's a video.
September 13 which -- two days later Thursday represented the FBI and National Counterterrorism Center they go to Capitol Hill.
They say evidence support -- was -- Qaeda or al-Qaeda affiliated -- that an attack that they'd intercepted can they have intercepts claiming responsibility by a particular group.
The next day September 14 CIA director Petraeus goes to Capitol Hill.
He makes a report he raises the video and the protests in direct conflict.
To what the scene the day before the FBI and CTC said and even what the CIA station chief said within.
Who -- in Libya on the day and attack.
These are critical events in that first week of September because this sets up the conflict.
And lawmakers saw between what director Petraeus was saying as the cause have been -- -- With Fox News was told by lawmakers in -- -- that he was very much wedded to this narrative of the administration that it was some kind of flash mob.
Where was connected to the video and this was in direct conflict.
With what the FBI was dating to lawmakers and this was the first time in our reporting at Fox News that we really heard lawmakers expressed anger and frustration.
With director Petraeus because this is someone who in many respects until this point.
Had been untouchable are you supposed to testify next week -- -- -- the director of the CIA but they're all these hearings I'm Ben Ghazi is he going to -- not -- it's -- -- subpoena miss a civilian.
Let's say with a CAA told fox is tonight is that he's gone.
He's he's out like the movers are coming to get his stuff now he is out and the expectation is that -- -- the acting director who testified.
But while fox was told by members on the hill is that they really have a couple of options they can request David Petraeus to come testify as a civilian.
They can subpoena him if he does not wish to come and what they would anticipate is that he -- lawyer up in this situation.
Given the circumstances but we heard from congressman king.
This evening on fox that he feels that is essential that the CIA director.
Testify.
And that these events because he was the operations guy credit he was the nuts and bolts the Director of National Intelligence is the manager not the nuts and bolts guy here.
-- thank you thank you.
Former mayor city Mary can't Giuliani smells -- cover up -- the bank and Gaza attack he has said that from day number one so what does he think now mayor Giuliani joins us -- means there.
-- and -- Sir -- you have any thoughts about -- today's development.
Well I do think the plot -- Is becoming more and more.
Ridiculous.
What's going on here that we find out it was a drone attack on November 1.
That was clearly suppressed by the Obama administration -- 56.
Days.
Now this has to have been suppressed also -- -- first find out about this today or yesterday the FBI apparently is investigating this.
And also you know General Petraeus Petraeus to me I feel heartbroken about this.
If I'm always be a truly exceptional American hero he's kind of like an Eisenhower but you might remember Eisenhower had an affair -- that he didn't reside.
And the idea that David Petraeus.
Can be blackmailed because he has a woman friend it's totally ridiculous.
Dismantle -- what is this this -- sort of life at risk for his country over and over again.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- You've been given a secret broken -- -- wife have a girlfriend come off well I got into I was -- -- we have to grow up get our president would have to have resigned over this.
Definitely let me tell you -- Let me -- down a seven -- -- -- if he's vulnerable.
Enough to want to hide something.
Wyatt who I mean the reason why it -- the reason why you tell on these in these investigations when you get these jobs you want to disclose them.
Is so that you don't become materiel for black -- there's also the added problem that is in a man of his great stature it doesn't.
It does send a message to others in the military about death about honor trust and -- -- which is its own.
Important but then it's.
But but Greta there's also only been going on for the last 2000 years and under this standard we probably would -- -- have our general and have our president.
So we're operating revenue to Maine I -- I got -- spotted on a new standard.
I don't know we've been gone because the case summit would be during the Second World War -- a -- right before the battle of because -- case some -- and.
We're telling me it was explained to me I mean I think of many he's glad I -- I say that's a whistle some level of sarcasm talk about growing up.
Explain to me.
Within 24 hours attack on September 11 the FB can be CIA station chief in Libya reports as evidence has carried out by militants.
Not a spontaneous smiled when there's nothing about a video.
That I'm today's and the next day September 13 reprises of the FBI and National Counterterrorism Center.
Go to Capitol Hill and they say that it looks like -- al-Qaeda they haven't supports our tighter now Qaeda affiliated -- That they're intercepts of a group claiming responsibility.
The next stage September 14 now it's for the first time -- -- -- -- -- on the time like it CIA director but Tre yes.
Who comes up when -- who talks about to the in this briefing about a video and a group and clear conflict -- what is on CIA station chief.
Said on within 24 hours what what happened.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- And and in fact if they did find -- -- -- we know about this a week ago two weeks ago because I think when you get a timeline here they must've known about this affair.
You know 234 weeks 234 weeks ago just like the -- mean they knew about the drone on November 1.
How they -- that I mean this this is an administration.
That is practicing now -- serial deception.
I made it its almost like you know when first you practice to deceive.
You just can't stop he's been a web of lies that started from the first moment that this happened.
Now it's getting more and more more more complicated.
Plot.
So you can understand our -- that extreme curiosity here because fox has been pursuing -- since it happened and -- fox is excluded.
Box and the only news organization was excluded from a briefing by the CIA or so minutes -- and you -- -- -- -- -- CIA director was not who former director now.
Who was answering questions about Ben Ghazi.
He's not -- testify -- at a hearing from fox is excluded from a brief rain and the timing of the resignation is and you show.
You know so -- you can understand our extreme MacBook criteria pretty.
It'll totally it's totally justified and it's in the national interest -- -- now we're gonna have a hearing next week and a man who knows the facts David Petraeus.
He's the only man who can really tell us what -- CIA knew what they -- why they did it how they did it he's not gonna -- And this is a very convenient way to get the administration out of a very very difficult a very difficult situation but put.
This is inevitable this was like Watergate.
This is inevitable it is all gonna come out it may take a month of may take five months that is all over the coming out and every every single new.
Cover up they do just makes it much much much worse well.
But there's nothing to prevent him from test -- of course he can't -- classified information so maybe he will mayor thank you sir.
Thank your -- they guests thanks very.
