Boehner’s Staff Saw Revised Benghazi Emails in March
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Alex Wong/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — News of the Obama administration’s role in the extensive editing of CIA talking points regarding last year’s attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, rocked the political world last week and prompted a demand from Speaker of the House John Boehner for the release of all related White House emails. But it should not have been a revelation to the speaker.
The White House first briefed the House leadership on the talking point revisions on March 19. The briefing was given to the House Intelligence Committee, but the White House also invited Speaker Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to attend or to send a senior staff member.
Boehner did not attend, but he did send staff, according to the speaker’s office. Those attending the closed briefing were permitted to view the emails but not copy them.
The speaker made no public reference to the emails — or the news of the State Department’s role in removing references to terror warnings in Benghazi — until the story became public last week.
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