FOXNews.com: BENGHAZI 'TRAP': Whistle-Blower Tells of 'Being Baited' Into an Ambush

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BENGHAZI 'TRAP': Whistle-Blower Tells of 'Being Baited' Into an Ambush May 8th 2013, 17:37 Republican Rep. Darrell Issa said Wednesday, as the oversight committee he chairs launched into a high-profile hearing on the Benghazi attacks, that the whistle-blowers giving their version of events are "actual experts" on what happened -- who could challenge the administration's narrative.  As the hearing began, one whistle-blower questioned Wednesday why more military assets were not deployed sooner during the Benghazi terror attack.  Mark Thompson, a former Marine and official with the State Department's Counterterrorism Bureau, said he was rebuffed by the White House when he asked for a specialized team -- known as a FEST team -- to be deployed. This is a unit made of special operations personnel, diplomatic security, intelligence and other officers.  Suggesting that some were hesitant to deploy because they were unsure what was happening, "One definition of a crisis is you do not know what's going to happen in two hours," he said. Thompson spoke at the start of a major hearing where three whistle-blowers are testifying and expected to shed new light on that deadly assault.  Issa, chairman of the oversight committee holding the hearing, called them "actual experts on what really happened before, during and after the Benghazi attacks," who "deserve to be heard."  The three witnesses are Greg Hicks, deputy chief of mission in Libya who became top U.S. diplomat in the country after Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed in the terror attack; Eric Nordstrom, a diplomatic security officer who was formerly the regional security officer in Libya; and Thompson.  "I am a career public servant," Hicks said. "Until the aftermath of Benghazi, I loved every day of my job."  Nordstrom choked up as he began to testify Wednesday.   The administration has parried Republican allegations lately by arguing that the attack is old news, that the State Department already has investigated it and that Republicans are engaged in a political witch hunt.  Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., top Democrat on the oversight committee, also said Wednesday that Republicans are using the witnesses' statements for "political purposes." He said he's glad the whistle-blowers are testifying and would ensure they are protected, but pre-emptively challenged some of their claims -- including the claim that U.S. military could have responded sooner to the site of the attack.  But a series of carefully timed leaks on the whistle-blowers' testimony indicates House Republicans could have the goods to at least merit a second look at the administration narrative.  "The question is, where's the accountability for lying to the American people?" Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, told Fox News. "The American people were lied to."  The witnesses are expected to cover a breadth of material in their testimony Wednesday. Lawmakers have questioned to what extent security requests were ignored before the attack, whether the military could have done more to respond the night of the attack and whether talking points were intentionally changed for political reasons after the attack to downplay terrorism. The witnesses could address all three areas on Wednesday.  The Obama administration has adamantly denied several of the latest charges, including a claim that then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a key aide tried to cut the department's own counterterrorism bureau out of the chain of reporting and decision-making on Sept. 11. The administration also denied that the whistle-blowers in question were intimidated -- while behind the scenes questioning the credibility of the witnesses.  A "fact sheet" released by the department ahead of the hearing reiterated its denials. The statement also said the department has "demonstrated an unprecedented degree of cooperation with the Congress" on Libya, and rejected claims that the military was in a position to help that night but was told to stand down. Citing its internal review, the statement noted the review "found no evidence of any undue delays in decision making or denial of support from Washington or from the military combatant commanders."

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