Cummings Issues Statement on New Issa Subpoena on Benghazi

Washington, D.C. (May 15, 2014)—Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, issued the following statement in response to a new subpoena issued today by Chairman Darrell Issa to compel Secretary of State John Kerry to appear before the Committee on May 29, 2014:

"I do not understand what the House Republicans are doing on Benghazi, and apparently they don't either. Just one week after Speaker Boehner said he wanted a single select committee conducting this investigation, Chairman Issa issued a new subpoena today for Secretary Kerry to testify before the Oversight Committee. I don't know if this is Chairman Issa's attempt to reinsert himself into this investigation after the Speaker removed him, but this looks more and more like the ‘sideshow' and ‘circus' Speaker Boehner said he would not tolerate. The House Republicans can't get their story straight, and they continue to conduct political fundraising off the murders of four brave Americans—contrary to the pleas of Rep. Gowdy, their own pick for Select Committee Chairman."

At a press conference on May 7, 2014, Speaker Boehner said: "It was time for us to bring this together into one place and to focus our efforts. This is all about getting to the truth. This is not going to be a sideshow, it's not going to be a circus. This is a serious investigation."

On Fox News Sunday on May 11, 2014, Speaker Boehner said: "It was time to bring all of these investigations into one place. … All the committees that have worked on the investigation are going to be required to turn over all of their documents, committee records, notes, work product to the select committee. So all the documents will be in one place. And it will be up to the select committee to review all those documents and to make decisions about how to proceed."

And during Speaker Boehner's speech on the House floor on May 8, 2014, he said: "In my view, these discoveries compel the House to respond as one institution, and establish one select committee. A committee with robust authority. A committee that will do its work while the House continues to focus on the people's priorities."