Lawmakers question why they weren't told of Petraeus probe

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-- investigation right now the resignation of CIA director David Petraeus lawmakers want to know why they were not informed of the matter with.

Many finding out to the media on Friday afternoon plus General Petraeus was set to testify this week and Ben Ghazi.

And many still want to hear from him will day.

-- storm -- Republican congressman member of the House Intelligence Committee sir good morning to you let's go through this as quickly and efficiently as we can.

You found out about it on television.

Is that the proper course to resist something that you need to know before the public time.

Well I think it's unusual that is the way I found out.

As as you heard a few moments ago this is not the director official while lot this is a top national security official on the questions we're gonna have his.

Was the timing related to the election and that's that's what we're -- -- be and I wonder how you prove that let's -- let's look at a couple of possibilities here.

Eric Holder apparently was informed late in the summertime.

Did he or should he have notified the president at that corner in the days or weeks after.

A -- think absolutely anytime you have something in touching on.

A sensitive position like the director of CIA the president needs to be notified immediately.

And I would suggest that at least the chairman and ranking member of the congressional Intelligence Committees need to be.

Notified immediately and it turns out it was months later on both counts from -- CF BI director Mueller.

He meets with the president once a week driver two in the informs him of sensitive information.

-- -- this scandal rise to that level.

When you're talking about the potential as we know now the reality for your CIA director to go down on this.

Well and in my view is that it immediately when there's an investigation that could touch on.

Your CIA director of the -- needs to know immediately he needs to know that they they having complete facts that may not amount to anything.

But it is such a sensitive position.

That that the president and the top -- people in congress need to know as soon as -- -- -- general Allen is running the war in Afghanistan he took over for David Petraeus to run the war.

And why do we now know intimate maybe there's a distinction maybe there's not here but why he's under investigation.

At a time when General Petraeus was under investigation and and the -- was kept on that what's the difference.

Well I think that now this matter has become public and -- more aspects of it are.

Are becoming public.

After obviously they have the election is over you know that this thing gets more bizarre and when we're all focused on the personal interactions here.

But there are serious questions of national security that also have to be examined.

And I think that's what you're gonna see congress really hone in on in the days and weeks to come OK now you want to talk to betray us I'm sure right.

Absolutely and I think that'll happen and it.

I I I think it should happen.

Especially about what is what he knew and what he ordered related to the big Ghazi affair where we're still focused on.

How that came about what the lapses -- what we can learn to prevent it from happening in the future and then in addition -- that now we've got the possibility.

The national security information could have been compromised and obviously -- Will want to find out what the FBI finds out in the other investigation.

Where that leads and in that part of -- you know David Petraeus you know him at least professionally.

Sure it strikes me that he would want the truth to come out.

Absolutely and I think it needs to be said that the way he has handled this once it became public has been incredibly honorable.

Very consistent with a lot of time of service and and so I have.

No doubt about that if you know he's he's gonna have to consider his legal situation if any of those reports -- are actually true.

But but the key is we need to learn the lessons as it affects the country's national security not just as it affects the -- Opera aspects of this story on the soap opera aspect Joseph Kelly 37 years old lives in Tampa Florida.

How does a private servicing get the FBI to investigate email us.

But on the surface were said to be threatening but if you look at -- what we know now there were somewhat innocuous.

I think those are part of the questions we don't know the answer to pout -- did this investigation began.

Who all knew about it how long did -- go particularly touching on the individuals that we now know were involved and we may not know the whole story yet.

So there are lots -- questions to pursue here both from an FBI investigative standpoint and from -- -- For national security I think you're exactly right there's a lot we do not know yet the president -- president held a press conference on Friday at 1 o'clock.

This news on Petraeus was held until 3 o'clock that afternoon so.

The reporters did not have a shot to ask about this at some point soon they will Mac storm -- thank you for your time good to have you -- our.

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Lawmakers question why they weren't told of Petraeus probe

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