There was a brutal hearing that featured Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
He and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) had a rather heated exchange.
Not in temperament, but in the allegations levied against the Defense Department.
I Don’t Believe You
There was legislation on the floor related to Iranian proxy fighters.
While the legislation was on the floor, an attack happened at a base by proxy fighters that ended up injuring several service personnel as well as killing an American contractor.
Cotton believes the information about the attack was withheld so as not to impact the legislation.
Cotton stated, “Do believe that you should have notified us that morning while we were voting on amendments directly related to this kind of attack?”
Austin responded, “Again, there is no connection between when we notified you, Senator, and your vote.
“The chairman and I were testifying that morning as well.
“So as soon as we came out of testimony, we began work on crafting response options.”
Cotton came right back, stating, “Secretary Austin, I don’t believe you.
“I believe that your office specifically withheld notification of this deadly strike against Americans because the Rubio amendment on which we voted midday directly touched on exactly this scenario: Not repealing these use of force resolutions if the president couldn’t certify that Iran was no longer attacking us in Iran and Syria.
“That’s what I believe.
“Nothing you can say is going to change my belief about that.
“And I got to say, I think I speak for a lot of my colleagues.”
After more pushback by Austin that he did not do that, Cotton stated, “Maybe you didn’t personally do it.
“Maybe you didn’t personally do it.
“But I believe entirely that people in your office did that.
“You have a vast legislative operation, as Sen. Wicker pointed out.
“Do you really expect us to believe that they didn’t know that we were voting on a Rubio amendment, that directly, directly covered exactly this kind of attack? I don’t believe that. I don’t believe it.
“I believe there was a conscious decision made not to inform Congress because you fear that it might lead to the passage of the Rubio amendment, which would kill the entire bill.”
Very strong allegations, and if he can prove them, Secretary Austin should be forced to resign immediately.
Source: Fox News
