Arizona representatives Paul Gosar, Kyrsten Sinema, Matt Salmon, Trent Franks, David Scwiekert, and Ron Barber voted in favor of a resolution that creates a select committee to investigate the September 11, 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi.
The resolution passed the House by a vote of 232 to 186.
The Select Committee will investigate and provide a report on all matters contributing to the attack, the response to the attack, security of US facilities, and lessons learned. The Select Committee will cease 30 days following the release of the final report.
“I am deeply saddened by these tragic events and believe the American people deserve to know what took place on that fateful day,” said Sinema. “People in my district and all across the country demand answers, and this committee will help provide a full and accurate explanation of what took place. The individuals who allowed these security failures to occur should be held accountable and action should be taken to ensure the safety and security of Americans serving overseas.”
Salmon said, “As a longtime cosponsor of legislation to establish this committee, I am glad we are swiftly moving forward to get to the bottom of this awful attack that tragically took the lives of four Americans.”
“Had the Obama administration told the truth about Benghazi, there wouldn’t be a need for this select committee,” said Congressman Gosar. “But the President and his team decided to lie about the cause of the attack. They decided to blame America first and give a pass to the terrorists. Hillary Clinton infamously dismissed the deaths of four brave Americans killed in a terrorist attack by hysterically yelling ‘what difference does it make.’
“It makes a big difference. The truth always matters.” Gosar asked, “Why didn’t we have intelligence about the attack? Why was the diplomatic mission so lightly guarded in such a dangerous area? Why did the President and Mrs. Clinton refuse to call for military back up? Why did they create a lie about an Internet video instead of just telling the truth? Why did they lie to Congress about responding to a subpoena? The American public deserves the truth. The truth, Mrs. Clinton, always matters.”
“The fact that the White House was forced to release the smoking-gun emails to a watchdog group after Congress has been requesting these documents for nearly two years makes me wonder what else they’re hiding. The administration’s unwillingness to tell the truth about the events that occurred before, during and after that tragic night is completely unacceptable,” concluded Gosar. “The American people and the families of the four heroes who died in Benghazi deserve no less than the whole truth, and it is my hope that this select committee will, at last, provide it.”
Arizona representatives Raul Grijalva, Ed Pastor, and Ann Kirkpatrick voted against the resolution.