TVOI News, Boise, Idaho
On June 8th, TVOI News submitted six questions and their follow-ups to the Office of Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo and Representative Raul Labrador. Those questions were based on the investigations of the TVOI staff reporters and analysis based on several years of background in the national security and defense fields. At the time of the writing of this column, no actual response to any of those questions has been received.
Each office was followed up 3 times via phone and emails seeking response/answers and to ensure that all aspects of the effort were understood by th Congressmans’ staff. The last request was issued to all on Thursday July 2nd, for a requested response before Close-of-Business Friday July 3rd.
The last request included the video link and story to FoxNews which highlighted that FoxNews staff has also confirmed what the TVOI News team has provided on the potential criminal nature of administration officials, Congressional leaders and others of both parties. Given that nearly a month has passed since the original submission, it did not seem an unreasonable request from TVOI News.
Dan Popkey, Rep. Labrador’s recently hired press secretary, and former Idaho Statesman political writer, first returned a short email on June 28th wherein he sent along an earlier Labrador, “letter from the congressman to his constituents.” The letter generally addressed Labrador’s position on the Benghazi investigation in the House and support for the enabled committee.
Next, Mr. Popkey’s email asserted that “With Congressman Labrador not being a member of a relevant committee, we’re not going to be able to answer your questions specifically.” TVOI readers will likely note that TVOI News did not ask for any output from any Committee hearing in our questions but specifically asked questions relevant only to Labrador’s official position on those areas related to Benghazi in his capacity as the District 1 elected representative. The same positions asked of each of the state’s delegation.
Then, on July 2nd, in response to a follow-up inquiry from TVOI’s Justin Goodman, requesting an interview from Representative Labrador with Michael Emry similar to the interview Emry had with Senator Crapo, Mr. Popkley sent this, demanding: “How long you’ve been around, where you’re based, audience figures, staff size, education and professional background, business model, investors, related outlets, platforms, etc.? A lot of new media out there and I’d like to be able to fully inform the congressman.” All of a sudden it apparently became necessary for Mr. Popkey to question TVOI’s media credentials.
Lindsay Nothern, of Senator Mike Crapo’s office sent a June 25th email in which he asserted, “The Senator addressed some of these concerns during his interview with Mr. Emry…,” referring to an earlier Skype interview with TVOI News. However, the questions asked of Senator Crapo and his answers in that interview went to none of the specifics or positions asked in the later questions sent to his office and posted on TVOINews.
Mr. Nothern also enclosed several press releases discussing Senator Crapo’s work and assistance on the IRS abuse of small business owners and that of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in surveillance of private citizens’ financial records. Unfortunately, none of those actions in those areas related to the seriousness or criminal nature of the events surrounding the September 11, 2012 Benghazi attacks and subsequent administration narrative and false testimony in front of Congress and the media.
Nor do they relate to the positions requested on the current security breaches and the loose weapons that are now floating around the world potentially threatening any US citizens, including Idahoans, and particularly those that fly in/out of US airports. The US government has most recently been maintaining the “highest” alert status in and around airports, specific to ISIS/ISIL. ISIS/ISIL “rebels” were the most likely recipients of the missing missiles and armament from Benghazi in 2012. That would seem to indicate the government has the same concerns as TVOI News of the dangers now afield.
Suzanne Wrasse, of Senator Risch’s office, promised in a June 15th email to “….do my best to get you either answers or some time with him.” However, she has not replied to any of the following 3 email or voicemail requests from TVOINews since. No answers have been received as of this writing. The lack of response from Senator Risch is of critical importance due to his position on the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Senator Risch and Representative Labrador have been far less than open to answer questions concerning specific issues of national security and surveillance of American citizens going back to 2013. The tactics used on the part of both appear to be misdirection and never acknowledging the questions were ever asked.
America is not in a business-as-usual situation. We now face two different dangers; one from without, one from within. As more and more information releases are made or obtained, it appears that both dangers were created from within. It is extremely disconcerting that at least two of Idaho’s Congressional delegation appear to be attempting to either obscure or cover for other Republicans as well as administration officials including the sitting President and former Secretary of State. Why? That’s the $64,000 question only they can answer.
It becomes more evident with each news cycle that the actions of the United States government have precipitated the creation of ISIS/ISIL, originally as a tool to attack the Assad regime in Syria and, perhaps also, Iran. The whole misadventure appears to have backfired in the extreme and resulted in the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and Sean Smith of the State Department, CIA contractors Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. There is now a long list of non-Americans who have also died at the hands of ISIS/ISIL. How many more will it be in America?
In the nearly 3 years since the attack, no one has been held responsible, no one has been fired, no one has been impeached, no criminal charges filed and no real answers of what happened that night and since has been provided by any branch of our government. The Department of Justice has ignored Benghazi for obvious reasons, the military has released no report or even truly investigated, for all we know. The administrations has Trey Gowdy’s congressional committee stifled and stalled. Our own Congressional delegation is doing what, exactly? We can’t find out.
America has a well-documented, long history of ham-fisted attempts, through clandestine operations, to initiate foreign intrigues and interventions that have dissolved into egregious “blowback” for America. It would appear the rise of ISIS/ISIL is yet one more gone seriously wrong.
The inability to get specific answers to questions surrounding those disclosures from our own Congressional delegation should worry and anger every Idahoan. The lack of apparent interest or decisive actions and simply throwing up their hands and attempting to ignore or misdirect obtaining those answers should frighten and sicken every Idahoan as well.
Where are the missiles and weapons that were taken? What exactly was taken and who took them? Are they the reason we are in the highest terror alert status now? Who made the decisions to start a secret war with Assad and provide the weapons and arms to the “Rebels” that became ISIS/ISIL?
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We know our readers at TVOI News are not the type to simply sit idly by and allow this to continue. It will only be through your help and support that we will be able to force our elected officials to answer up for the potential Treason, high crimes and misdemeanors that have most apparently been committed. America needs us, most of all, now. Will you answer the call?
The post The National Security and Constitutional Crisis (Idaho) – Jeff L. Wright – TVOI News appeared first on The Voice of Idaho.