Using Twitter Sunday afternoon, Adam Housley, a senior correspondent at Fox News, pointed to what looks like coordination between the Obama Administration and The Washington Post to do an end-run around a story Housley was working on that was critical of the administration’s post-Benghazi security for American diplomats overseas.
Housley’s tweets are embedded in chronological order below, and lay out a scenario where his inquiries to the State Department about diplomatic security resulted in him being stalled with only an official statement. Just a few days later, Housley says, The Washington Post published a pro-administration, nothing-to-see-here puff-piece that makes it look as though the State Department’s security training has been ramped up to where we no longer need to worry.
Apparently, knowing Housley was working the story, the Obama administration stalled the Fox News reporter with the claim that it could only release a statement and, according to Housley, that “it would take a while for an on camera comment or access to training.”
“Yet, amazingly just days after I got only a statement,” Housley writes.”[T]he Washington Post comes out with an article highlighting DS [diplomatic security] training.”
And the Post was given all kinds of access to the training Housley was denied seeing and reporting on.
The Post article Housley references was published Friday, June 6. Richard Leiby reports uncritically and at times glowingly on an intense increase in the State Department’s diplomatic security training, which includes simulated attacks.
Reading Leiby’s piece you would be left with the impression that the lessons of Benghazi have been learned and we can all movie on. Obama’s got this.
Housley says not so fast. Contrary to the Post’s reporting, Housley tweets, “If you know a Diplomatic Security Agent…ask them about their job. How much it has changed. How tough it has become.” He adds, “Ask them about their training. Their demands. Ask them about what changes have been made since Benghazi…if any.”
Housley blasted “the blatant ridiculousness of some in my industry these days…and the PR maneuvers of our government” as “Complete bull.”
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Wow…so I am working on a story about Diplomatic Security and how training needs to be adjusted, especially in light of Benghazi
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) June 8, 2014
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I was told we could only get a statement. That “bureaucracy” meant it would “take a while” for an on camera comment or access to training
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) June 8, 2014
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Yet amazingly…just days after I got only a statement…the Washington Post comes out with an article highlighting DS training
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) June 8, 2014
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That is such crap. A complete joke. However I believe in what goes around comes around.Those protecting our people overseas know the truth
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) June 8, 2014
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I am just over the blatant ridiculousness of some in my industry these days…and the PR maneuvers of our government. Complete bull.
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) June 8, 2014
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If you know a Diplomatic Security Agent…ask them about their job. How much it has changed. How tough it has become.
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) June 8, 2014
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Ask then about their training. Their demands. Ask them about what changes have been made since Benghazi…if any.
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) June 8, 2014
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Oh…I am still covering the story. And the official statement will be featured. You can bet my story will be full of truth on all sides
— Adam Housley (@adamhousley) June 8, 2014
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Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC
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