The Obama administration specifically requested that the
Senate Armed Services Committee postpone a planned briefing today on the Fort
Hood massacre, The Cable has learned,
in another clear sign that the White House is pushing Congress away from doing
its own investigative work into the tragedy.
The briefing, which had been announced last week to include
Secretary of the Army John McHugh
and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George
Casey, was to be for members and staff only.
The development shows the administration is following up on
remarks made by Obama over the weekend encouraging Congress to hold off
pursuing independent action on the case while the government is still
investigating.
"I know there will also be inquiries by Congress, and there
should," Obama said in his weekly address on Saturday traveling around Asia.
"But all of us should resist the temptation to turn this tragic event into the
political theater that sometimes dominates the discussion here in Washington.
The stakes are far too high."
A spokesman for the committee confirmed to The Cable that the briefing was
postponed at the administration's behest. The meeting was set to be closed, but
knowing how Congress leaks like a sieve, the administration may not have wanted
to risk giving lawmakers who want to try Hasan in the press any more
ammunition. General Casey cautioned
last week that too much public speculation could lead to a "backlash" against
Muslim soldiers.
Several members of the committee have been out in front of
the administration in making statements about the alleged shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan and his alleged links
to extremists, which may or may not have been overlooked by the military.
Among the committee members who are working actively on the
"Hasan is a terrorist" angle is Joseph Lieberman, I-CT, who has pledged
to use his Homeland Security committee to launch an investigation into Hasan's
motives.
Committee ranking Republican John McCain might also be looking for evidence to support his
statements regarding Hasan. During a question-and-answer session following
his speech at the University of Louisville, McCain said of the incident, "I
believe it was an act of terror."
A White House spokesman did not respond to a request for
comment.
UPDATE: "Tomorrow morning, an interagency briefing team will
go to the Hill to brief House and Senate leaders and committee chairs and
ranking members. This is the latest in a series of engagements with the Hill
since the horrific events at Fort Hood, and further evidence of the
administration's commitment to appropriately inform Congress without
interfering in the prosecution of this case," said White House spokesman Tommy
Vietor.
Read More
(0)
HIDE COMMENTS LOGIN OR REGISTER REPORT ABUSE