In Washington on Tuesday, Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee advanced contempt of Congress charges against Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The move follows a heated exchange over Blinken’s testimony regarding the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The vote, which split 26-25 along party lines, marks another point of contention between the GOP and the State Department this Congress. For the past 18 months, Republicans have aimed to hold the Biden administration accountable for what they describe as a “stunning failure of leadership” after the Taliban took Kabul in August 2021.
Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas expressed frustration, accusing Blinken of avoiding accountability. “Rather than take responsibility, the secretary hides from the American people. He prefers to avoid this committee today,” McCaul stated. “The Secretary’s willful indifference has brought us to this moment.” The resolution now heads to the full House, which may vote to hold Blinken in contempt and refer the matter to the Justice Department.
In response, Blinken conveyed his disappointment in a letter to McCaul. He urged for a resolution in “good faith” and highlighted his willingness to testify, offering several alternative dates. Blinken wrote on Sunday, “I have made clear that I am willing to testify and have proposed several reasonable alternatives to the dates unilaterally demanded by the Committee while I am fulfilling the President’s foreign policy objectives.”
Secretary Blinken chose to DEFY Congress and SKIP today’s hearing on the failed Afghanistan withdrawal.
Instead, he chose to wine and dine with UN diplomats in New York rather than answer our questions.
This empty chair is enough reason to hold him in contempt. pic.twitter.com/ogIS5wTfP9
— Rep. Brian Mast (@RepBrianMast) September 24, 2024
McCaul defended his actions on Tuesday, stating he had “patiently asked for and waited” on Blinken’s availability. He criticized the department for being “disingenuous” in declining requests to schedule Blinken’s testimony in September. Initially, McCaul set a hearing for the previous Thursday while Blinken was in Egypt and France, later rescheduling to Tuesday during the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
As is customary, Blinken is spending the week in New York, engaging in meetings with global counterparts, focusing this year on the Middle East and the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Democrats on the committee condemned the contempt efforts as partisan, pointing out the timing just before a presidential election. Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the committee, termed it “political theatre” and an attempt to taint another senior Biden official.
Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised the Afghanistan exit in his campaign, attempting to link it to Vice President Kamala Harris. However, watchdog reviews and a lengthy investigation by House Republicans found no evidence of Harris’s direct involvement in the decision-making process regarding the withdrawal.
Secretary of State Blinken close to ignore a congressional subpoena and not show up to testify on the shameful Afghanistan withdrawal by the Biden-Harris admin
The current administration is still unwilling to take responsibility for its incompetence
— Beyond Headlines (@Headline_Beyond) September 24, 2024
Blinken has testified about Afghanistan 14 times, including four appearances before McCaul’s committee. Blinken expressed readiness to testify again, pending a mutually convenient time, though Congress will recess from the end of this week until after the November election.
Earlier this month, House Republicans issued a critical report on their investigation into the withdrawal, attributing the blame to the Biden administration while downplaying Trump’s role. The report detailed the final months of failures following Trump’s February 2020 withdrawal deal, which allowed the Taliban to seize control even before the last U.S. officials departed on 30 August 2021. The chaotic exit left many Americans, Afghan allies, female activists, and others vulnerable to Taliban reprisals.
What Other Media Are Saying
- Fox News reports on the House GOP’s move to hold Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt, citing his refusal to comply with subpoenas on the Afghanistan withdrawal, emphasizing Republican oversight and potential legal implications. (Read more)
- PBS News reports House Republicans advancing contempt charges against Antony Blinken over Afghanistan withdrawal testimony, with Blinken expressing disappointment and Democrats criticizing the move as partisan. (Read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Why are Republicans advancing contempt charges against Antony Blinken?
Republicans claim Blinken has avoided accountability for the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
What is Antony Blinken’s response to the contempt proceedings?
Blinken expressed disappointment and urged for a resolution in good faith.
What did Rep. Michael McCaul say about Blinken’s testimony scheduling?
McCaul accused Blinken of being disingenuous and not cooperating with scheduling requests.
How have Democrats responded to the contempt efforts against Blinken?
Democrats criticized the efforts as partisan and political theater.
Has Blinken testified about the Afghanistan withdrawal before?
Yes, he has testified about Afghanistan 14 times, including four times before McCaul’s committee.
