Corker, Isakson still waiting for information from State Department on Benghazi attack

By Ramsey Cox - 10/04/12 11:59 AM ET

Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton didn’t provide them with the information they requested regarding the terrorist attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Last month, the two senators from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee sent a letter to Clinton requesting additional information on the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks, which resulted in four American deaths, or a timeline for when that information would be made available to members of the committee.

Corker and Isakson said Wednesday that they received a letter of response from Clinton, but that it did not contain the information they requested.

“[W]e hope that in the next few days you follow through with transmitting information requested by members of Congress,” Corker and Isakson wrote in a letter to Clinton Wednesday. “In particular, we renew our request for all communications between the diplomatic mission in Libya and the State Department related to the security situation to be transmitted to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee without delay.”

In the wake of conflicting reports from the administration about the events leading up to the attacks, including reports that U.S. ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, who was killed during the attacks, kept a diary chronicling his concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Benghazi, Corker and Isakson sent a letter to Clinton on Sept. 25 demanding that the State Department provide all communication relevant between the U.S. mission to Libya and the State Department leading up to the attacks, including any communications from Stevens.

In Clinton’s response, she said she hopes Congress waits to take action until after the Accountability Review Board (ARB) issues its report. She said the ARB, which she established, would start its work this week.

The senators said they appreciated Clinton forming the ARB, but that Congress should also be involved.

“We thank you for your response to our recent letters regarding the attack on our consulate in Benghazi that led to the tragic loss of four patriotic Americans,” Corker and Isakson wrote in response on Wednesday. “We appreciate your efforts to quickly establish the Accountability Review Board, but hope you will work with Congress on our investigations of the situation and attempts to collect information.”