Bob CorkerAs the new top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker wants an immediate “top-to-bottom review” of the State Department.
The former Chattanooga mayor’s first big moment as the No. 2 senator on the Democratic-led committee comes this morning as the panel questions Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The former first lady is appearing because of the Sept. 11 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.
“I personally have seen the security tape, and it’s … almost surreal to see how easily people came into the compound,” Corker said in a conference call with Tennessee reporters. “It really was a death trap, and I’m sure all of those things will be discussed.”
Corker cited “a lot of stovepipe, a lot of sclerosis” at the State Department, where a spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment over the senator’s remarks.
Dismissive of attempts to paint him as a partisan, Corker also hasn’t been shy about criticizing a Democratic administration that has intervened overseas more than expected. He now finds himself in a position to shape Republican thinking on America’s role in a rapidly changing world.