Obama counter-attacks on scandal front

It looks like President Obama is on the counter-attack against Republicans claiming scandal and Democrats who say his response has been too tepid.
In a flurry of activity late Wednesday, Obama aides released talking points developed in the days after the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi, while the president announced the dismissal of the acting director of the Internal Revenue Service.
Just for good measure, the Obama team -- also attacked for the Justice Department seizure of Associated Press telephone records in a news leak investigation -- announced support for a federal "shield law" to help reporters protect confidential sources.
In denouncing the IRS admission that it targeted conservative groups over their tax-exempt status, Obama said: "We're going to have to make sure that the laws are clear so that we can have confidence that they are enforced in a fair and impartial way."
And while pledging to work with Congress, Obama also had a warning for the GOP: "Congress, Democrats and Republicans, owe it to the American people to treat that authority with the responsibility it deserves and in a way that doesn't smack of politics or partisan agendas."
For their part, congressional Republicans have vowed more hearings and investigations over the IRS and Benghazi.
GOP members have accused the Obama administration of trying to cover up poor security and terrorist activity involved in the Sept. 11 attack on a U.S. facility in Benghazi, Libya.
The administration initially attributed that attack to a protest over an anti-Islam film, but later acknowledged an organized terrorist operation. On Wednesday, officials released some 100 pages of e-mails tracing the development of "talking points" used by United Nations ambassador Susan Rice on television talk shows five days after the attacks.
The e-mails reflected State Department and CIA concern that there was no direct evidence of terrorist group involvement in the days right after the Benghazi attack. Officials also noted that the anti-Islam film had triggered protests at other U.S. facilities in the Middle East. Officials also indicated they did not want to make too many details of the attack public because of concern about undermining the FBI investigation of the attack.
"Collectively, these e-mails make clear that the inter-agency process, including the White House's interactions, were focused on providing the facts as we knew them based on the best information available at the time and protecting an ongoing investigation," said White House spokesman Eric Schultz.
Congressional Republicans said the e-mails also showed State Department concern over being criticized for ignoring threats in Libya.
"The seemingly political nature of the State Department's concerns raises questions about the motivations behind these changes and who at the State Department was seeking them," said Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
As for IRS and harassment of conservative groups, there is one basic question: Was there any connection to the White House or the Obama re-election campaign?
The White House says no.
Congressional Republicans have vowed to investigate.
"If the President is as concerned about this issue as he claims, he'll work openly and transparently with Congress to get to the bottom of the scandal," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "No stonewalling, no half-answers, no withholding of witnesses."
Vowing to work with Congress, Obama said: "The government generally has to conduct itself in a way that is true to the public trust. That's especially true for the IRS."