Second State employee refuses GOP questions on Clinton server
John Bentel is a former employee who managed IT security issues.
By RACHAEL BADE 03/13/16
A State Department staffer who oversaw security and technology issues for Hillary Clinton is refusing to answer Senate investigators’ questions about the former secretary of state’s use of a private email server — marking the second time an ex-State employee has declined to talk to lawmakers.
John Bentel, a now-retired State employee who managed IT security issues for the top echelon at the department, declined to be interviewed by GOP staff on the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO.
Story Continued Below
The chairmen of both committees, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), are now threatening to consider other ways to compel him to discuss the matter.
“We are troubled by your refusal to engage with the committees even after repeated overtures of accommodation,” the letter to Bentel and his lawyer reads. “We need to speak with you. … We would, of course, prefer that you meet with us in a voluntary and informal manner, but we will consider other options if faced with a continuing lack of cooperation.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/hillary-clinton-emails-state-department-220689#ixzz42tjS8weU
State IT official threatened with subpoena
By Julian Hattem - 03/14/16
Senate Republicans are threatening to subpoena a State Department IT official who has refused to answer their questions about Hillary Clinton’s private email server.
The leaders of the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees earlier this month told the official, John Bentel, that he was “an integral figure” in the State Department and should be able to answer questions about the unusual setup that Clinton used while serving as secretary of State.
Yet more than three months after lawmakers reached out, he has refused to talk.
“In order to properly exercise our constitutional oversight functions, we need to speak to you,” Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) wrote to Bentel’s lawyer. The letter was sent on March 4 but released on Monday.
The lawmakers threatened to issue a subpoena if Bentel continues to avoid their questions.
Bentel was the director of information resource management in the State Department’s Office of Executive Secretariat, and as such “may have specific knowledge relating to Secretary Clinton’s private server and email arrangement,” the lawmakers wrote. They suggested he also could talk about IT issues connected to the BlackBerry that Clinton used while in office.
Another State Department IT official, Bryan Pagliano, had previously refused to comply with Republican lawmakers’ efforts to interview him.
Earlier this month, however, news leaked that he had struck a deal for immunity in the Justice Department probe connected to Clinton’s email server. Following that report, which Attorney General Loretta Lynch has refused to discuss, Grassley and Johnson reached out to Pagliano to encourage him to testify on Capitol Hill.
Clinton, who is now the Democratic presidential front-runner, has repeatedly called the use of a private server a “mistake,” though she denies breaking any laws.
Bentel had previously voluntarily answered questions in the House’s Select Committee on Benghazi, Grassley and Johnson noted in their letter.
http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/272897-senate-gop-pressures-second-it-official-over-clinton-email
John Bentel is a former employee who managed IT security issues.
By RACHAEL BADE 03/13/16
A State Department staffer who oversaw security and technology issues for Hillary Clinton is refusing to answer Senate investigators’ questions about the former secretary of state’s use of a private email server — marking the second time an ex-State employee has declined to talk to lawmakers.
John Bentel, a now-retired State employee who managed IT security issues for the top echelon at the department, declined to be interviewed by GOP staff on the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO.
Story Continued Below
The chairmen of both committees, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), are now threatening to consider other ways to compel him to discuss the matter.
“We are troubled by your refusal to engage with the committees even after repeated overtures of accommodation,” the letter to Bentel and his lawyer reads. “We need to speak with you. … We would, of course, prefer that you meet with us in a voluntary and informal manner, but we will consider other options if faced with a continuing lack of cooperation.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/hillary-clinton-emails-state-department-220689#ixzz42tjS8weU
State IT official threatened with subpoena
By Julian Hattem - 03/14/16
Senate Republicans are threatening to subpoena a State Department IT official who has refused to answer their questions about Hillary Clinton’s private email server.
The leaders of the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees earlier this month told the official, John Bentel, that he was “an integral figure” in the State Department and should be able to answer questions about the unusual setup that Clinton used while serving as secretary of State.
Yet more than three months after lawmakers reached out, he has refused to talk.
“In order to properly exercise our constitutional oversight functions, we need to speak to you,” Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) wrote to Bentel’s lawyer. The letter was sent on March 4 but released on Monday.
The lawmakers threatened to issue a subpoena if Bentel continues to avoid their questions.
Bentel was the director of information resource management in the State Department’s Office of Executive Secretariat, and as such “may have specific knowledge relating to Secretary Clinton’s private server and email arrangement,” the lawmakers wrote. They suggested he also could talk about IT issues connected to the BlackBerry that Clinton used while in office.
Another State Department IT official, Bryan Pagliano, had previously refused to comply with Republican lawmakers’ efforts to interview him.
Earlier this month, however, news leaked that he had struck a deal for immunity in the Justice Department probe connected to Clinton’s email server. Following that report, which Attorney General Loretta Lynch has refused to discuss, Grassley and Johnson reached out to Pagliano to encourage him to testify on Capitol Hill.
Clinton, who is now the Democratic presidential front-runner, has repeatedly called the use of a private server a “mistake,” though she denies breaking any laws.
Bentel had previously voluntarily answered questions in the House’s Select Committee on Benghazi, Grassley and Johnson noted in their letter.
http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/272897-senate-gop-pressures-second-it-official-over-clinton-email
