Administration, GOP chairman spar before debate

House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., hears from Inspector General Michael Horowitz, the Justice Department's internal watchdog, on Capitol Hill in Washington Sept. 20, 2012. / AP Photo

Updated 7:01 PM ET

WASHINGTON The Obama administration and a House Republican chairman aren't waiting for Monday's presidential debate on foreign policy to begin a contentious argument over U.S. policy in Libya.

Administration officials complained Saturday that the GOP's release of 166 pages of documents Friday on the security situation in Benghazi threatens the lives of several Libyans who are named in the documents and who worked with the U.S.

U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed on Sept. 11 in what the administration now says was a terrorist attack.

• Video: New questions about Libya attack
• Piecing together White House response to Benghazi

The documents were released by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman. Issa held a hearing this month in which a State Department official acknowledged she declined requests from U.S. officials in Benghazi for more security. The official, Charlene Lamb, said she believed before the attacks that security at the Benghazi consulate was sufficient.

The administration officials said those named could be in danger in Benghazi, a city with known al Qaeda sympathizers like the militant group Ansar al-Shariah, which is suspected of carrying out the attack.

Two administration officials said Issa failed to ask the State Department to review the documents for sensitive information before releasing them to the public. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they did not want to be quoted publicly on matters related to the ongoing investigation of the attack.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the ranking Democrat on Issa's committee, and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined in the criticism.

Frederick Hill, Issa's spokesman, said the documents were given to State Department officials and Cummings almost two weeks ago.

"That Cummings and State Department officials did not express specific concerns about Libyans mentioned in these unclassified documents obtained by the committee until three days before the presidential debate on foreign policy is telling," Hill said. He added the department has yet to directly contact the committee with any requests for specific redactions to the documents.

Hill added that the committee did make redactions in the documents, and the Libyan individuals mentioned in the records worked in positions where their interactions with westerners would not be surprising.

Kerry said in a statement, "It's bad enough that it's becoming a political sideshow presumably driven by the calendar of Monday's upcoming presidential debate, but even worse is that in their rush to make news they've exposed Libyans who were working side by side with America."

Cummings added, "There was absolutely no reason for Rep. Issa to do this other than an obviously partisan attempt to affect the upcoming presidential debate. He did not take even the most basic precautions of checking with security experts, intelligence officials, or his own committee members before he rushed to make these documents public."

[daveg426]

TROOPF4 - No one is making excuses and I seriously doubt you are a democrat, but as a typical republican you avoided answering the question.
WHAT HAVE THE REPUBLICANS DONE IN THE LAST 4 YEARS TO MAKE THIS PRESIDENT SUCCESSFUL!

[daveg426]

My condolences to the Stevens family and all that knew him, I find it hard to believe that he would appreciate this situation being politicized but apparently Romney and the entire republican party know no shame. All the more reason the entire Republican ticket needs to be defeated. Ambassador Stevens was well aware of his surroundings and made a decision to stay in Benghazi, this was an unfortunate error on his part. It was well within his authority to remove himself and his staff from Benghazi and relocate to the Embasy in Tripoli until the security needs were worked out. Perhaps Issa would also like to investigate the murder of diplomat Foley in 2002 or the events leading up to 9/11/01. There was plenty of intelligence prior to each of these events that was not acted on, this occured under the Bush administartion and the democratic party did not politicize either event. They united as one, and did what they believed was best for the country - TO ALL THE REPUBLICANS OUT THERE, SHOW ME ONE THING IN THE LAST 4 YEARS THAT YOUR PARTY HAS DONE TO MAKE THIS PRESIDENT A SUCCESS - YOUR SILENCE IS DEAFENING!

[dutch-mill-68]

Well, Holder is happy. He has an excuse to prosecute somebody now - Issa. He's already filed the papers on him. Never mind all those other cases he gave a bye to. Frivolous cases like voter intimidation, Americans killed in Libya due to leadership failure, Fast and Furious, etc.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

I hope Holder does prosecte Issa's treasonous azz.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Is Issa from Iraq or Iran?

[ongelooflijk-2009]

It became obvious to me quite some time ago as regards the Republicans plans for the economy after the recession hit and now with Romney / Ryan. You'd think that the presidents detractors in Congress would have at least given some of his legislative proposals a test run instead of 'preventing most' of them from even making it to the floor, via filibuster.

Hey, why not effect some of these policies and let the results speak for themselves? If they work, good for the Country and, if they're as bad for the economy as 'some' have been saying, they can always be rescinded and the president would have hung himself!

As it turns out, the bulk and most pertinent of the presidents policies were held up and he's getting blamed for the sorry state of the economy..............I think you get the picture. Yes, I do think it's time for a change, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Boehner, Mr. Rubio et al. MOVE, RATHER BEND OVER!!!

[habu_71]

Reps aren't the only ones unconvinced of President Obama's plans. He had two years with a Democratic Congress and couldn't get things fixed with his plans. They didn't support his ideas.

Where is the site where we can read about O's 2013 plans? BYOVBOHICA ... is that it?

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Yes and those two years with a Democratic congress is when the country made the most progress. Republicans have blocked and stopped everything since the came to power Republicans must be defeated if we are to make progress.

[Necroscope84]

Here's the problem right here: Everyone wants to blame someone. Read this, it's not about politics but it applies:

http://www.raisingarrows.net/2010/04/looking-for-someone-to-blame-in-tragedy/

[WarrenStallings]

Tell you what...........you libtards rely on the Moderator's known political leanings, I will rely on a member of congress, albeit a republican, to bring the light of truth to the playing field. How those apples tasting now?

JW Stallings
NY, NY

[sandline-limit]

"Candy" crossed the line, for sure.

Issa MAY have revealed too much, that is, now that they attack him after-the-fact.

This isn't the first time and it won't be the last

If there were strong laws about politicians revealing too much, a lot of them would already Bein jail.

[sandiegopete]

Issa's conduct is certainly reprehensible. To compromise an ongoing investigation for political gain is just about as despicable as any politician can get. Nothing Obama has done or not done approaches the reprehensibleness of Issa's actions.

[legal-equal]

Maybe not President Obama himself, but someone is guilty of allowing four Americans to die. They asked for help on his watch. Don't go off on Bush, we all recognize people on his watch were wrong (in hindsight). Anybody remember Rumsfeld, Powell, C. Rice?

[hillzagain]

No less reprehensible, pete, than screwing up and costing American lives and then covering it up in order not to lose votes in your own election. But I wouldn't expect you to ever acknowledge that.

[bluejacket2-2009]

Issa has put lives in danger, if any Americans die in Libya because of Issa he will be directly responsible and should be prosecuted... he did it to win an election for Romney... he may have blood on his hands that traitor..

[legal-equal]

OK. If that happens, we'll issue a warrant for Issa's arrest right after we arrest those who already failed the four dead Americans, then prosecute all of them for dereliction of duty and negligent manslaughter!

[cubscout09]

Send Issa to Benghazi for a fact finding tour. If anything goes wrong, Issa can always jack a car.

[sandiegopete]

Somebody below posted this "After reading some of these comments , I am truly disappointed , Really? Still Blaming Bush?"

I say, why not? In 2008 the Republicans were all, and I mean all, blaming Bill Clinton for the financial crisis. When it comes to the blame game the Republican Party has no equal.