Ben Rhodes Won’t Attend House Hearing on Iran ‘Narratives’ By Carol E. Lee

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/05/16/ben-rhodes-wont-attend-house-hearing-on-iran-narratives/

The White House and congressional Republicans are once again sparring over the Iran nuclear deal, with the House Oversight Committee chairman calling on one of President Barack Obama’s top aides to testify at a hearing about how the administration sold the agreement to the public.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R., Utah) plans to convene the hearing Tuesday to look at “White House narratives on the Iran deal” and the administration’s public message on the negotiations and final agreement.

Mr. Chaffetz had asked Ben Rhodes, one of Mr. Obama’s top foreign policy advisers who led the White House communications effort, to testify. The request followed a New York Times Magazine story in which Mr. Rhodes discussed the administration’s media strategy, leading to charges the White House misled the public on aspects of the Iran negotiations and eventual agreement.

The White House has said it didn’t provide misleading information on the deal and that the House hearing is politically motivated.

Mr. Chaffetz said later Monday that the White House informed him Mr. Rhodes wouldn’t testify. “Talks to reporters and his ‘echo chamber’ but not Congress. Disappointing but typical,” Mr. Chaffetz said, in a Twitter message.

Comments are closed.