Benghazi panel plans to interview key figures in Obama, Clinton inner circles

close

Video

Stonewalling at every turn in 'transparent' Obama admin?

Congress attempts to get to the bottom of alleged federal agency lack of cooperation with inspector general oversight

The special congressional committee investigating the response to the 2012 Benghazi terror attacks plans to interview a host of current and former officials from President Obama's and Hillary Clinton's inner circles, according to a letter obtained Friday by Fox News.

Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., chairman of the committee, made the names public in a letter to Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., top Democrat on the Benghazi panel.

He said that as early as April, he plans to start interviewing a range of figures including former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney and current Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey.

The list also includes: National Security Adviser Susan Rice; Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes; former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta; former CIA Director David Petraeus; former National Security Adviser Tom Donilon; former CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell; and key State Department officials.

"I am announcing an ambitious timeline for interviews consistent with my plan to speed-up the pace of the investigation" Gowdy said in a statement. "I intend to stay with this schedule and will issue subpoenas if necessary."

The interviews show the committee ramping up its investigation, which so far has focused on speaking with lower-profile individuals. Between February and April, the committee plans to interview Americans who survived the 2012 attacks, including State Department and CIA personnel.

Gowdy said in his letter the witnesses can "provide indispensable firsthand accounts of what happened before, during, and after the attacks." After that, the committee will interview the higher-level administration officials.

Gowdy said he and the Democratic side still want to bring in former Secretary of State Clinton to answer questions as well.

Four Americans, including ambassador Christopher Stevens, were killed in the 2012 attacks. The Obama administration has faced criticism for the security posture at the main compound in Benghazi, as well as for the response the night of the attack and the initial efforts to describe the attack as an out-of-control protest.

Fox News' Catherine Herridge contributed to this report.