Blinken Fails for Second Time to Comply With Congressional Subpoena to Produce Cable From Afghan Withdrawal

State Department Fails to Comply with Congressional Subpoena for Afghan Dissent Cable

The State Department has once again failed to comply with a congressional subpoena, this time for a dissent cable from the time of the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The deadline for the handover was May 1, but as The Epoch Times has learned, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has not complied.

This is the second time the State Department has failed to comply with a subpoena over the matter, the first happening on April 20. After that, the deadline was extended to May 1.

McLaurine Pinover, the deputy communications director for the Republican side on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which issued the subpoena, told The Epoch Times that the State Department has not sent over the cable.

State Department Offers Briefing and Written Summary

During the May 1 State Department press briefing, in response to a question from The Epoch Times about the cable, State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel echoed what he has said numerous times: the department is open to giving the committee a briefing and written summary about the cable. An April 28 briefing the State Department did with the committee about the cable did not satisfy committee members.

What the Cable Reveals

The committee subpoenaed Blinken in March for the cable, which, as The Wall Street Journal first reported, showed the U.S. Embassy in Kabul warning Foggy Bottom about the Taliban quickly gaining ground and the Afghan forces falling apart. They gave suggestions on how to expedite an evacuation and alleviate the situation.

“The cable, dated July 13, also called for the State Department to use tougher language in describing the atrocities being committed by the Taliban,” reported WSJ, citing a person familiar with it. The withdrawal was completed at the end of the following month.

Committee Empowered to Conduct Oversight

“This committee is empowered by the U.S. Constitution to conduct oversight of the State Department,” said committee chairman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) in announcing the subpoena on March 28.

“We have made multiple good faith attempts to find common ground with the State Department on this matter, but to no avail. The American people and the families of those who lost their lives in Afghanistan deserve answers.”

What’s Next?

It remains to be seen what the consequences will be for Blinken and the State Department for failing to comply with the subpoena. But one thing is clear: the committee is not backing down and will continue to push for answers.

• The State Department has failed to comply with a congressional subpoena for a dissent cable from the time of the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
• This is the second time the State Department has failed to comply with a subpoena over the matter.
• The committee subpoenaed Blinken in March for the cable, which showed the U.S. Embassy in Kabul warning Foggy Bottom about the Taliban quickly gaining ground and the Afghan forces falling apart.
• The committee is empowered to conduct oversight of the State Department and will continue to push for answers.