Critical Benghazi, Libya report intensifies pressure for Hillary Clinton to testify

An independent report that faulted the State Department leadership for "systemic failures" leading up to the Benghazi attack is intensifying GOP calls for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to testify on Capitol Hill. 

The report, by the Accountability Review Board (ARB), led by retired Ambassador Thomas Pickering and former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen, laid the blame of the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on State's leadership, finding officials relied too much on Libyan guards at the consulate and that security was "grossly inadequate." 

The report did not blame Clinton and singled out State leadership at the assistant secretary level, yet Republicans said they're not satisfied with Clinton's vow to quickly adopt the report's 29 recommendations. 

"While I appreciate the board's hard work, I am deeply concerned that the unclassified report omits important information the public has a right to know. This includes details about the perpetrators of the attack in Libya as well as the less-than-noble reasons contributing to State Department decisions to deny security resources," Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who has subpoena power, said in a statement Wednesday. "At some point Secretary Clinton will need to personally address the remaining issues."

The incoming and outgoing leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee echoed those sentiments.

"Looking to the next Congress, the House Foreign Affairs Committee has much work to do to dig deeper and correct the management deficiencies at the State Department to make our diplomats more secure," said Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.). "Two State Department deputies will fill in for Secretary Clinton tomorrow. We look forward to her testimony in the new Congress."

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