BACKGROUND: As the right prepares to launch a propagandist eBook by the SuperPAC America Rising falsely attacking Hillary Clinton’s time as Secretary of State and Republicans gear up for political theater with a Congressional Select Committee, yet another disgraceful tactic has entered into the public ether on the Benghazi tragedy, “The Benghazi Truth SuperPAC.”
FACTS:
- If the right-wing politicization of the Benghazi tragedy has not been enough of a shameful spectacle already, there is a new SuperPAC dedicated to raising money off the tragedy in Benghazi with the sole purpose of playing politics on the backs of four dead Americans.
- The Benghazi Truth PAC even describes the tragedy at Benghazi as “part of the war for the heart and soul of America” in terms of 2016 electoral politics.
- The Benghazi Truth PAC was not created by diplomats or public officials looking for solutions to prevent the tragedy from happening again.
- Instead, this Political Action Committee was created by “Buzz” Jacobs, a Republican ad maker and “presidential campaign veteran,” with Douglas Brown who touts his 30 years of experience “producing entertainment” for television media.
- Politics and entertainment, that is what the right is making of the ultimate sacrifice made by four Americans in service to their country.
- And this right-wing Political Action Committee promotes that it will “defend members of the Select Committee.” But if their motives were genuine, from what would these committee members need defending?
- The right wing is trying desperately to shift focus from the facts: as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton took responsibility, she took action, and she has been transparent about what happened.
Secretary Clinton took responsibility: In interviews, testimony and in her book, Secretary Clinton has taken responsibility repeatedly. She was determined to leave the State Department and our country safer, stronger, and more secure.
Secretary Clinton took action: Secretary Clinton appointed a non-partisan, independent Accountability Review Board to review what happened and began the process of implementing the 29 recommendations put forth by the ARB before leaving the State Department. She took these steps in order to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again.
Secretary Clinton was fully transparent: Secretary Clinton fully and publicly answered questions before Congress. The report of the Accountability Review Board is just the second to be made public, making it one of the most transparent internal reviews in State Department history. In addition to a House Select Committee, eight congressional committees have participated in the investigations into the Benghazi tragedy, which have included more than 50 senior level staff briefings, 13 public hearings, at least 3 independent/bipartisan reports, dozens of interviews, and the disclosure of more than 25,000 pages of documents.