A Fox News report published Tuesday claims defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel failed to disclose “at least two recent speeches on the subject of the Arab-Israeli conflict”:
Obama administration sources and lawmakers said Hagel was required to declare to the Senate Armed Services Committee any “formal speeches” he had given since the start of January 2008. That Hagel appears not to have declared the two speeches from 2008 could further jeopardize his nomination with Senate Republicans, who have already threatened to block the nomination because they believe Hagel has not turned over enough financial data.
An Obama administration official who has worked with the senator during his confirmation process maintained that Hagel has gone “above and beyond” the Senate’s requirements, by supplying to the Armed Services Committee whatever evidence he could find – prepared remarks, transcripts and the like – for both formal and “informal” speeches.
Obama administration officials contend that Hagel’s omitted speeches were not “formal” and therefore were not required to be disclosed to the committee.
“It’s simply not true to suggest there was any attempt to hide anything,” an Obama aide told Fox News. “One event was at an academic institute – Georgetown, a Jesuit university. The other was with an organization that combats discrimination.”
Detailing what they claim his past anti-Israel positions, Republican senators on Monday threatened to postpone Hagel’s confirmation through a series of holds before a full Senate vote expected later this week.
