Phony Scandal? Real Indictment

So the so-called "phony" scandal has led to and indictment. Hmmm, guess that You Tube story was a bit off the mark. There has got to be consequences for this. Government officials should not have free passes to palm off crap as the truth and then just walk away as if nothing happened.

First criminal charges filed in Benghazi attack probe

By Evan Perez, CNN Justice Reporter

updated 11:35 AM EDT, Wed August 7, 2013

Benghazi suspect denies involvement

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• FIRST ON CNN: Charges filed against Libyan militia leader Ahmed Abu Khattala, others
• Attack last September killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans
• Authorities would not detail counts as charges remain under seal
• The Benghazi attack has become a political flashpoint in Washington

Program note: Was there a political cover up surrounding the Benghazi attack that killed four Americans? Erin Burnett anchors a CNN special investigation: "The Truth About Benghazi," Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET.

Washington (CNN) -- Federal authorities have filed the first criminal charges in the investigation of the deadly terror attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, people briefed on the matter said.

Several suspects charged in the armed assault last September 11 include prominent Libyan militia figure Ahmed Abu Khattala, the sources said. Other identities were not disclosed.

The counts initially sought months ago in New York are still under seal, according to the sources.

The investigation of the attack that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans continues, these people said, as investigators try to build their case against Khattala and others who authorities believe were involved.

If CNN can interview Benghazi suspect, why can't FBI?

Photos: Attack on U.S. Consulate in Libya

First charges in Benghazi attack

Benghazi almost 1 year later

What is the truth about Benghazi?

Benghazi polygraphs

Justice Department spokesman Brian Fallon declined to comment as did FBI spokesman J. Peter Donald in New York.

But word of the development comes as the Justice Department has come in for sharp criticism from congressional lawmakers about the pace and progress of the investigation.

Attorney General Eric Holder had earlier this year promised them that the Justice Department would soon make public what actions it would take.

Republicans have demanded more aggressive steps from the incoming FBI Director James Comey.

But people close to the case said the investigation has moved significantly in recent months.

In that time, the FBI has released photos of what it called persons of interest who were present during the attacks, seeking tips from the Libyan public.

It couldn't be learned when the United States plans to announce the charges or whether there is any intention to try to detain Khattala or the others.

None of those briefed on the matter would discuss the precise counts.

Benghazi attack timeline

In a recent interview with CNN's Arwa Damon, Khattala acknowledged being at the Benghazi mission after the attack but denied any involvement.

Benghazi has become a political flashpoint in a long-running battle between the Obama administration and Republicans, who accuse it of not bolstering security before the attack, of botching the response to it and of misleading the public for political gain less than two months before the November election.

The investigation is led by agents from the FBI in New York and has included some members of the Washington field office, who have traveled to Libya to interview hundreds of witnesses, those briefed on the investigation said.

Khattala told CNN that he had not been questioned by either Libyan authorities or the FBI.

U.S. law enforcement officials said it's not unusual for the FBI not to seek to interview defendants in a case while they collect other evidence.

The Benghazi attack involved scores of militants using rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons.

Stevens took refuge behind a fortified door with heavy metal bars to keep the attackers from breaking in. But they set fire to the mission -- a villa -- with diesel fuel. Stevens was overcome by smoke.

U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, said in an interview on "The Lead with Jake Tapper" that he would not describe the investigation as proceeding rapidly.

"It's been frustrating for many of us that it hasn't moved faster, but it is a very difficult working environment for our agents," said Schiff. "Gathering evidence in Libya, you might imagine, is very difficult, finding, interviewing witnesses, extremely difficult."

But Schiff said there has been progress.

"We have identified many of the parties involved. We're still trying to identify what the command-and-control structure would be. A lot of missing pieces still, but we are finally making progress," said Schiff.

King: Why Benghazi matters

Newsource | License Footage

Obamacare Train Wreck Rolls On

 

• Edition:
  U.S.

 This is pretty serious stuff, folks. We're not talking about minor glitches here. If this security is not in place to coincide with the opening of the exchanges, there is going to be chaos. I fear that the egos of our leaders are going to get in the way and will hamper them from admitting that this legislative regulatory monstrosity is not ready for prime time. If they had any brains (clearly a questionable issue), they would roll it out in selected test markets to work out the kinks before going national. 

Obamacare months behind in testing IT data security: government

By Sharon Begley

NEW YORK | Tue Aug 6, 2013 4:24pm EDT

(Reuters) - The federal government is months behind in testing data security for the main pillar of Obamacare: allowing Americans to buy health insurance on state exchanges due to open by October 1
The missed deadlines have pushed the government's decision on whether information technology security is up to snuff to exactly one day before that crucial date, the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general said in a report.
As a result, experts say, the exchanges might open with security flaws or, possibly but less likely, be delayed.
"They've removed their margin for error," said Deven McGraw, director of the health privacy project at the non-profit Center for Democracy & Technology. "There is huge pressure to get (the exchanges) up and running on time, but if there is a security incident they are done. It would be a complete disaster from a PR viewpoint."
The most likely serious security breach would be identity theft, in which a hacker steals the social security numbers and other information people provide when signing up for insurance.
The inspector general's report, released without fanfare last Friday, found that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services or CMS - the agency within HHS that is running Obamacare - had set a May 13 deadline for its contractor to deliver a plan to test the security of the crucial information technology component.
A test was to have been performed between June 3 and 7. But the delivery deadline slipped and the test - assessing firewalls and other security elements - is now set for this week and next.
"CMS," concludes the inspector general's report, "is working with very tight deadlines."
The delays mean that the ruling by CMS's chief information officer certifying the Obamacare IT system as secure will be pushed back from September 4 to September 30, a day before enrollment under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the law that established Obamacare, is supposed to start.
"Several critical tasks remain to be completed in a short period of time," the report concluded.
Any additional delays could mean CMS would not have the information it needs to authorize use of the system by October 1, the inspector general found.
CMS spokesman Brian Cook said the agency is confident the Obamacare exchanges will open on time. "We are on schedule and will be ready for the marketplaces to open on October 1," he said.
IDENTITY THEFT?
When people try to enroll in health insurance starting on October 1 for insurance plans taking effect in 2014, their identity, income and other information they furnish with their application will be funneled through a federal "data hub."
The hub is like a traffic circle for data. It does not itself store information, but instead has digital spokes connecting to the Internal Revenue Service and other agencies that will allow it to verify information people provide. Opponents of Obamacare have repeatedly raised concerns that sensitive personal information could be stolen.
Before the hub or any other federal information system can open, a 2002 law requires that it obtain a "security authorization package," which is essentially the roadmap for keeping out hackers and preventing security breaches.
The first component of the package provides an overview of the system's security requirements and describes the controls the contractor has installed. It covers access controls and authentication, for instance, so that hackers cannot ping the hub and access IRS data.
A second component is a risk assessment that identifies vulnerabilities and determines the probability of a data breach.
The final component is an assessment by an independent testing organization that proper security controls have been implemented correctly, are operating as intended, and are meeting security requirements.
"CMS has extensive experience building and operating information technology systems that handle sensitive data" as a result of its experience with Medicare and Medicaid, the agency said in a statement.
Despite the tight IT deadlines Obamacare faces, the 2002 federal law on information security might provide an important loophole. The requirement that CMS's chief information officer make a "security authorization" decision does not mean the CIO has to conclude that the data hub is impregnable. He can decide that, despite identified security risks, the hub can operate.
Health privacy expert McGraw said "the worst case scenario" of not meeting the IT security deadline is that the government will not be able to bring the data hub online on October 1. In that case, people will be able to apply for insurance starting on that date but will not be told if they have been accepted or whether they are eligible for government subsidies to pay their premiums.
(Editing by Julie Steenhuysen and Doina Chiacu)