Boehner Taps Trey Gowdy To Head Benghazi Panel

by JASmius

It's official:

House Speaker John Boehner has tapped South Carolina-4 Representative Trey Gowdy to head a special committee investigating the deadly 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya.

Boehner made the announcement in a statement on Monday. Boehner called the two-term congressman — who is a former prosecutor — dogged and focused.

It was inevitable if Boehner (1) wanted to have the best chance of fully airing the Regime's bloody laundry on the Benghazi affair and (2) wanted to retain the Speaker's gavel even until the fall.

It was also a no-brainer if there was to be any chance of making the Democrats collectively wet themselves - and gentles, they are:

Democrats have pointed to the multiple investigations, including a bipartisan Senate Intelligence committee probe, and insist that the GOP plans for a select committee is merely designed to energize the GOP base ahead of midterm elections.

Collaterally, actually.  Rather like Democrats exploited Watergate to make massive gains in the 1974 midterms, used Iran-Contra to make big gains in the 1986 midterms, and the weaponized scandalization of every aspect of the Iraqi front of the War on Terror to make large pickups in the 2006 midterms.  Sauce for the goose really ought also to be sauce for the gander that the goose can choke on at the same time, don't you agree, my "Democratic friends"?

And they know just how hot that sauce really is:

Gowdy said Friday that he has evidence of a "systematic, intentional" effort by the Obama administration to withhold documents from Congress about the 2012 Benghazi attacks that killed four Americans.

"I have evidence that, not only are they hiding it, there's an intent to hide it," the South Carolina-4 Republican told "On the Record With Greta Van Susteren" on Fox News. "I can't disclose that evidence yet, but I have evidence that there was a systematic, intentional decision to withhold certain documents from Congress — and we're just sick of it."

Motivation, indignation, talent and skill, and a boatload of devastating evidence is an awfully potent combination.  No wonder Dems are pulling out all the stops to try and discredit the House Select Committee on Benghazigate while it's still in the starting blocks.

As to why the Speaker waited this long to take this next big step, I have a thought about that:

Boehner, as recently as earlier this month, had resisted appointing a special committee. He told Fox News on April 8 that such a panel might be needed at some time but “at this point, it’s not.”

The e-mails changed that thinking, according to multiple aides who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Boehner was furious that the e-mails were withheld, the aides said, and is irritated by what he considers evasion and obstruction by the White House.

Translation: The emails transformed a House Select Committee on Benghazi from an indeterminate fishing expedition much more easily characterized as a "partisan witchhunt" into a credible scandal investigation the public will take seriously.  That's why the term "smoking gun" is so metaphorically appropriate; it's the difference between going into battle - in this case, as a "reconnaissance in force" - armed and going unarmed.

Boehner held his fire until Judicial Watch pried loose the whites of Regime eyes.  Now it will be "fire at will" - and the pickings will be rich, indeed.