House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is set to make the announcement official at 2 PM ET, but Associated Press
reports she's picked the five Democrats who will sit on the GOP's new #Benghazi committee:
The Democrats who will join seven Republicans are Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, Adam Smith of Washington state, Adam Schiff of California, Linda Sanchez of California and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.
Welcome to the circus, folks.
We'll post an update after Pelosi makes it officially official.
10:58 AM PT: If you're so inclined, Pelosi's press conference is on C-SPAN3.
11:11 AM PT: Schiff was one of those who called on Democrats to skip the panel, so he's not going to be shy about calling out Republicans for stepping over the line. Cummings, as you may recall, has repeatedly run circles around Darrell Issa on the House Oversight Committee. Smith is the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee and has in the past called out Republicans for wasting money on the Benghazi investigation. Sanchez is the second-ranking Democratic on the Homeland Security Committee, and Linda Sanchez is the top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee. Tammy Duckworth, of course, will bring her perspective as a combat veteran to the committee.
11:15 AM PT: Pelosi says the committee is "not necessary." Says she "had hoped" the committee would be fair, but "regrettably we were not able to achieve an agreement." So, she says, she is sending Democrats to fight—to the extent possible—against the GOP's efforts to politicize Benghazi with their panel.
11:19 AM PT: Elijah Cummings echoes Pelosi's concerns about "abusive" Republican tactics. And says he will see his role as fighting for "fairness and transparency."
11:19 AM PT:
Fake witches need defending RT @ByronYork: Dem Rep Adam Smith, new Benghazi select committee member: Benghazi investigation is 'witch hunt.'
— @markos
11:21 AM PT: For what it's worth, I'm looking forward to the GOP faceplant after they hold hearings in September in October on Benghazi.