CNN is alleging that the CIA is acting in an “unprecedented attempt to keep Benghazi secrets from ever leaking out.” Apparently, CIA agents have been frequently polygraphed in relation to the Benghazi disaster and repeatedly questioned about the possibility of media leaks of sensitive information. The reporter describes the entire situation as “pure intimidation.”
The report contains allegations related to “exclusive correspondence obtained by CNN” that sound like Tony Soprano-styled suggestions that anyone who leaks could not only “jeopardize yourself, [but] you jeopardize your family as well.”
Former CIA operatives have told CNN that the repeated polygraphing typically means that CIA officials are on a “fishing expedition,” but monthly or bi-monthly tests were absolutely “not routine.”
The Director of the CIA’s Public Affairs office, Dean Boyd, issued a statement that said “The CIA has worked closely with its oversight committees to provide them with an extraordinary amount of information related to the attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi.”
The statement went on to say “CIA employees are always free to speak to Congress if they want… The CIA enabled all officers involved in Benghazi the opportunity to meet with Congress. We are not aware of any CIA employee who has experienced retaliation, including any non-routine security procedures, or who has been prevented from sharing a concern with Congress about the Benghazi incident.”
The CNN news report reveals that the number of Americans on the ground at the time was 35, with 7 seriously wounded during the attack. The CNN source reports 21 Americans were working in the CIA’s Annex building at the time.
Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA), who’s district includes the CIA’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia, has repeatedly gone to the House demanding a committee to investigate the failures of Benghazi. No Democrats have signed on, but Wolf says that people tied to contractors initially wanted to talk.
“People wanted the opportunity, and they wanted to be subpoena’d, which sort of protected them for testifying in Congress,” Wolf said. “Now, that’s all changed.”
Conor Friedersdorf over at the Atlantic joined the fray, jumping in on the side that wants to know what’s really going on: “… if CNN’s report is correct, the CIA is at minimum trying to hide something huge from Congress, something that CIA agents might otherwise want to reveal — itself a reason for Congress to press hard for information. And if speculation about moving weapons is grounded in anything substantive, that would be an additional reason to investigate what the CIA is doing in Libya. Dozens of CIA agents were apparently on the ground in Benghazi, Libya last September… What I want to know is why.”
Congressman Wolf also believes a cover-up took place, all in spite of the White House’s and CIA’s repeated denials of all accusations of any kind of cover-up. If you want to watch the CNN special report for yourself, here it is.
