Panetta and Morell endorse the select committee investigation of Benghazi

The case against a Select Committee investigation of Benghazi took a hit when former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell agreed that the investigation is a good idea. Panetta was Defense Secretary at the time of the Benghazi attack; Morell was Deputy CIA Director at that time.

Speaking at a press conference, Panetta said there needs to be an investigation to lay out the full story to the public. “The problem has been sometimes bits and pieces of information keep coming out” that raise more questions, he explained. Panetta added that he hopes House Democrats participate.

Morell, speaking at the same press conference, concurred. He stated:

It might be surprising for you to hear me say this, but I am a supporter of the creation of this committee because I want all the facts to come together in one place and be presented. . .as one thing, so the American people can see all of this.

Panetta and Morell are saying, in effect, that they have nothing to hide — Panetta in terms of the lack of a military response; Morell in terms of an intelligence failure and/or an intelligence doctoring.

Can the same by said for then-Secretary of State Clinton and for the White House? Or do they have things they want to hide? If they don’t, then they too should welcome the Select Committee investigation, or at least not bad-mouth it. And House Democrats should be willing to participate.

It has always been a bad idea for the Dems to boycott the Select Committee investigation. Now that Panetta and Morell have endorsed that investigation, it’s a terrible idea.

Via Ed Morrissey.

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