Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes has been facing justifiable backlash after a New York Times piece last week exposed how he and the rest of the Obama administration knowingly misled the public to gain support for the Iranian nuclear deal. Rhodes and other members of the White House knew Iran was not as moderate as they claimed, but the narrative worked for their agenda.
Rhodes is the perfect candidate to testify before Congress at Tuesday morning’s Iran hearing on Capitol Hill, but, unsurprisingly, the White House is doing everything it can to make sure he escapes any accountability.
Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), who sits on the House Oversight Committee, had something to say about that on Fox News on Tuesday ahead of the committee hearing.
Rhodes “had an awful lot to say to reporters,” Gowdy argued, so why can’t he offer the same courtesy to Congress?
“If you have time to talk to a reporter, you have time to talk to Congress,” Gowdy continued. “You don’t get to have it both ways.”
In The New York Times piece that exposed the White House’s Iran Deal strategy, Rhodes admitted he spun a story that was “politically useful” to the administration. The Times called that “innovative.” Most others would call it lying.
“His background is in creative writing - that’s great if you’re working for the Hallmark channel,” Gowdy quipped. Drafting documents that deal with our national security? Not so much.
Rhodes can’t get away with only taking questions he likes. Americans don’t want colorful stories – they want the truth.
Gowdy indicated that he and his fellow lawmakers may consider sending Rhodes a subpoena to testify.