The U.S. State Department has so far prevented key first-hand witnesses of the 9/11 Benghazi attacks from testifying before a House committee due to concerns that doing so would jeopardize their safety.
"We understand the committee's interest in interviewing these agents and I'm sure the committee does not want to take any action that would create risks to their personal safety or their ability to do their jobs," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joel Rubin during his opening statement at a Benghazi Select Committee hearing on Tuesday, Breitbart reported.
The State Department is looking for a safe way for the witnesses to speak to the committee "without endangering these men and their families," Rubin said.
Also of concern for the State Department is the potential for interference with an ongoing Justice Department investigation being led by Attorney General Eric Holder.
"We want to avoid interfering with the Department of Justice's ongoing investigations and prosecutions," Rubin said, adding that he was "hopeful" that an arrangement could be made with the committee.
Committee chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., questioned why the Accountability Review Board and the Best Practices Panel have already been allowed to conduct interviews with the witnesses, while his committee has still not been granted access.
"Can you tell me specifically how our interviewing witness is going to jeopardize the prosecution?" Gowdy asked.
"Sir, I'm not an attorney, I'm not a prosecutor," Rubin responded. "What I am is the chief liaison to the House for the State Department, and what I am conveying is that the Justice Department has said that this could have an impact and they would like to have a conversation with you and your committee about that."
Gowdy shot back, saying, "There are 12 people up here that may not agree on another single solitary thing, but every one of us agrees that we don't want to do anything to jeopardize the physical security of anyone who works for this government, nor does anyone on this dais want to do anything to jeopardize an ongoing prosecution. Can we stipulate those things?"
"Certainly," Rubin replied.
"Will you also stipulate that you can talk to witnesses while preserving their identify and not jeopardize an ongoing prosecution?" Gowdy asked.
"I'm confident that in the conversations between the Justice Department and the committee that those modalities can be discussed," Rubin responded.
Gowdy finished his line of questioning by saying that his committee has no issues with the Justice Department, claiming that Rubin "just cited a reason to deny access to witnesses that even the Justice Department hasn't cited.
"So what I want you to do is help this committee gain access to precisely the same witnesses that everyone else [...] had access to," Gowdy said.
The State Department quickly responded to Gowdy's request, saying on Wednesday that officials could meet "as soon as today" to begin scheduling interviews with up to 22 witnesses, The Associated Press reported.
Because many of the witnesses work overseas, the State Department "will need flexibility as to which precise order they appear...but can commit to dates," Assistant Secretary of State Julia Frifield said.
