State Department accuses House GOP of calling Blinken to testify about Afghanistan when he’s away

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department has lashed out at House Republicans over a subpoena for testimony about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, accusing them of repeatedly calling for hearings when they know Secretary of State Antony Blinken is unavailable to appear. The withdrawal has become a hot-button issue in the election campaign between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul  had first set a hearing for Thursday, while Blinken was in Egypt and France. He then changed the date until next Tuesday when Blinken will be at the U.N. General Assembly. McCaul says his committee asked the State Department to pick a date in September but it declined.