Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki faces potential congressional subpoena as Representative McCaul accuses her of inadequate response to interview requests by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Rep. McCaul sets three interview dates and warns of repercussions if no response is given within a week.
“I hope Ms. Psaki chooses to appear voluntarily; otherwise I will be forced to turn to compulsory process,” he said.
“Your client Jen Psaki has failed to adequately respond to my letter dated May 21, 2024, requesting that she appear before the Committee for a transcribed interview relating to my investigation into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan,” McCaul said.
“As you know, I requested a response from Ms. Psaki by May 28, 2024, which has now passed,” he said. “Your client’s disregard for my request is an affront to this Committee and the U.S. House of Representatives.”
Psaki to be interrogated by committee on U.S. Afghanistan withdrawal. Initial response to interview request seen as dismissive, citing White House Counsel’s Office concerns.
“I have reviewed the email that was addressed to my staff on May 28, 2024,” he wrote. “I am troubled by your and Ms. Psaki’s stated ‘deference’ to outdated ‘concerns’ from the White House Counsel’s Office.
“Further,” he added, “Ms. Psaki is a private citizen, who has published her insight into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan for public consumption and personal profit. Ms. Psaki’s duty to appear before Congress is manifest, and her former employer’s desire to avoid congressional oversight is not relevant.”
McCaul hints at discrepancies in Psaki’s book regarding Biden’s actions at Afghanistan ceremony, prompting further investigation by House Foreign Affairs Committee. USCENTCOM revises report on Afghanistan withdrawal following committee’s scrutiny and testimonies.
“While I’m pleased my investigation forced the Biden administration to reopen their investigation into the Abbey Gate attack that led to the deaths of 13 U.S. servicemembers and the injury of 45, it should not have taken this long to get answers. In addition, if congressional Democrats had fulfilled their constitutional obligations and conducted oversight of what happened more than two years ago, much of this information could have come to light then and saved years of anguish and speculation for many. I hope this updated report provides some level of clarity to the families of those who were killed, those who were injured in the attack, and all veterans, especially those who served in Afghanistan.”
“This report confirmed what witnesses have told this committee: the Taliban was executing civilians outside the airport. The executions caused mass chaos around the airport as large and desperate crowds of civilians sought to flee, creating a deadly operating environment for U.S. servicemembers at the gates amid significant ISIS-K threats. The report also finally reveals the identity of the Abbey Gate bomber as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an ISIS-K terrorist who was freed from the Bagram prison by the Taliban.”
“With this report revealing the Biden administration has been sitting on critical information about what happened during the emergency evacuation from Afghanistan, it is clear there are many more questions to be answered. I am absolutely determined to see this investigation through to completion and will leave no stone unturned.”
