House panel: State Dept. confirmed Libya threats

Updated 6:30 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON A House committee says a State Department officer told panel members there were 13 threats made against the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya during the six months before the Sept. 11 attack on the facility.

The assault left four Americans dead, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.

The panel adds that the officer told it the U.S. mission had made repeated requests for increased security.

A spokesman for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is holding a hearing on the controversy next week, says its source is Regional Security Officer Eric Nordstrom, who was stationed in Libya from September 2011 to June 2012.

• Clinton: No rest until we find Libya attackers
• GOP says White House ignored Libya warnings

According to the panel, Nordstrom has already given a private briefing to members and will be called to testify at the session next Wednesday.

Separately, The Washington Post says one of its reporters found "sensitive documents" that were "only loosely secured" in the burned-out remains of the consulate Wednesday. The newspaper says the discovery "further complicates efforts by the Obama administration to respond to what has rapidly become a major foreign-policy issue just weeks before the election."

The oversight committee has also requested testimony from a second State Department official, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Programs Charlene Lamb, who is involved in reviewing security requests.

Republicans have accused the Obama administration of being unprepared for the terrorist attack by Muslim extremists on the consulate, then allegedly issuing misinformation about it.

Initially, U.S. United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice suggested the attack was spontaneous, sparked by an anti-Islam video on the Web.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said she's committed to finding out exactly what happened leading up to the assault and whether security requests were made but denied.

"No one wants the answers more than we do here at the (State) Department," Clinton said. It has appointed a review board to investigate the controversy.

A letter to Clinton from the committee chairman, Darrell Issa (R, Calif.) and panel member Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R, Utah) had said the information came from "individuals with direct knowledge of events in Libya."

[bois-darc]

If the congress people are so concerned, where is their emergency funding bill to increase the security for diplomats??? After all, they control the purse strings!!

[ballwyllo]

When if ever is the President responsible?

[bois-darc]

BALLWYLLO>>>

The major complaint now is he is responsible if he spends too much money; especially more than congress authorizes and appropriates. Some say he spends too much money even if he stays within the limits approved by congress, and in some cases when he does not expend exactly what congress says.

The executive branch is at a minimum responsible for misuse of money or mismanagement, which is usually determined and pounced upon in hindsight by those also somewhat culpable.

[dreamymiss100]

Democrats (politicians and voters alike) will not admit to wrong-doing...that's why I'm no longer a democrat. I'm too honest.

[Rafterman11]

No, its the GOP that has a problem with apologizing. I mean, isn't that what you 'cons are always accusing Obama of - apologizing?

[JustOne-View]

Look Obama is a manufactured and marketed illusion. What he is doing is one thing. What he is say is crafted to win the hearts and minds of the masses. The Obama that the media loves and that many love is not the real man. We must look past his empty and grandiose words. That is not the man he is. That is an illusion. Obama is not who you think he is. His anger for America he keeps well concealed behind that big fake smile. This is not a nice man. This is a cold calculating user of others. He does not care about you or your group...only his power and power for his "friends" living in the shadows. Look more carefully at this man. Look beyond the media love affair. We are being mislead over the cliff. Obama is a VERY bitter and angry man wearing a mask. I see it in his eyes often when he is being questioned to forcefully. I saw it in last nights debate. When he was being really pushed by Romney Obama's eyes and face reviled that seething rage. Then RIGHT AFTER HE EXPERIENCES THAT RAGE...HE PASTE ON THE REALLY BIG PHONY SMILE. I have seen it many many times. He will not reveal who he really is. This is the master of deception. He has learned it all of his life. It got him where he is today. Be aware Obama is NOT the man you see. That is an image and an illusion. He supporters what is happening in the Middle East. This is why he went on the View. He is a deceiver. And mis-leader. He is letting the Middle East blow up. He is NOT a leader. He wants America to the a 15th world power. He is letting Roman burn. We are Rome. Oh yes, he is transforming America and he is redistributing the wealth. He IS doing just what he set out to do. And if you want to see it on steroids re-elect him. What to you think he was signalling to Putin? Any enemy of America is a friend of Obama. Watch him. Watch what he does and not what he says. Watch him more carefully. Do a little homework. Study this guy a little more closely. The words he uses are meaningless. Watch carefully what he is doing. Watch the behavior.

[Rafterman11]

Mitt Romney's campaign is in trouble, but he does not realize it. The reason Romney thinks everything is fine is the same reason the GOP is failing in general against Barack Obama. That's because Romney thinks he's running against the same imaginary Obama that the GOP only thinks exists.

Romney and the GOP have invented an imaginary Obama, similar to the one sitting in Clint Eastwood's chair - a "foreign born socialist who hates America". So, Romney has crafted his campaign to run against this imaginary Obama.

But the real Obama isn't the "foreign born socialist who hates America" that the right created. Obama is a left of center politician who has been below average in economy, average in domestic matters and above average in foreign policy. Not unlike any number of politicians in the last fifty years - an average president. If Romney recognized and ran against this Obama, he might have a chance.

But Romney and the GOP continue to run against their imaginary Obama, continuing to dwell on the ridiculous and, if its not ridiculous enough, they alter or take the mundane out of context to make it ridiculous. They, in effect, are trying to make Obama into what they want him to be, not what he actually is.

It is one thing to create a fantasy. Its another to actually start believing it and run a political campaign around it.

[ammo17]

did you ever notice something about this administration they never tell you the truth until the news networks and the papers tell the public what really happened.four years after he is gone and thy still bring up bush`s name for everything that goes wrong.look up the words "pathological liar"

[Rafterman11]

I thought the "liberal media" was covering up for Obama? Now they aren't?

[lifeduringwartime]

Of course Bush was swatting flies, with all the B.S. and human turds like Rove around him he had to be very busy.

[PNMMM]

ENOUGH ABOUT BUSH!!!!! the guy sucked.... he's gone... get over it.. now what about our current loser in the White House. you going to elect him again America?

[PNMMM]

Using the Bush Administration's mistake, even though it happened in a different time - before 9/11 as justification for Obama/Clinton not taking security seriously is tantamount to say two wrongs make a right.... that's just dumb. As an American who works in the Middle east I can tell you it is a deliberate policy by this current Administration to "keep a low profile"... that means shooting in the air when they attack or better yet don't do anything at all and let them kill our Ambassador. This Policy is an example of what happens when their is a lack of leadership. France lead the liberation of Libby, Turkey is the only one standing up to Assad, We gravel to Egypt's muslim brotherhood, Israel better have "their own back" with Iran, and we'er running for the door in Afghanistan (the Taliban and our coalition know it). Look America, we need some Hope and Change!

[JustOne-View]

When will John Q. Public WAKE UP!?
No one that loves this guy in our White House wants to open their eyes and see clearly what is going on. And they hated Bush?

[Rafterman11]

Another committee. LOL. Keep fishing, GOP. I'm sure you'll be able to pin something on Obama just before the election.

[JustOne-View]

It is not hard to pin something on him. The media will not make it stick. He is the best at deception I have seen in a long long time.

[CrazyforYeshua]

PIN something on Barry?? We don"t NEED to PIN anything on Barry, his last 3 1/2 years speak for themselves...he's done nothing but ruin this country, and will continue to do so if the kool aid drinkers vote him back in.

[mstrdiver]

Why hasn't this 'crime scene' even been secured and sensitive materials protected from further exposure? It is appaling that as of 2 October, sensitive, and possibly classified, materials are still blowing around freely for anyone to view or exploit. How is that moving forward with an investigation? The way I see it, the Libyan government has done a much better job than we have by going after the various militias in the city. So far, I'm NOT impressed by our official response.

[izzyis1]

Why is there no comment on the fact that Britain, France and the U.S. all had warnings from reliable intelligence and only the U.S. chose to ignore and insult the messenger and who is going to "investigate". Maybe the media?