The Cable is reporting that Senator McCain has hired Elizabeth O’Bagy, the former analyst at the Institute for the Study of War who was forced to resign after it was learned she lied about her credentials. Being discovered as a liar did not stop McCain and others in the Senate from using her ‘analysis’ to support their desire for military intervention in Syria. Bunkerville has the details on O’Bagy’s ouster at the Institute and also The Syrian Emergency Task Force.
Sen. John McCain has hired Elizabeth O’Bagy, the Syria analyst in Washington who was fired for padding her credentials, The Cable has learned. She begins work Monday as a legislative assistant in McCain’s office.
O’Bagy was a young but well-respected adviser at the Institute for the Study of War and had emerged quickly as an important voice among those arguing in favor of intervention in Syria. McCain and others had cited her work publicly before her nascent reputation collapsed when it was discovered that her claims to having a combined masters/PhD were false and that in fact she had not yet defended her thesis.
“Elizabeth is a talented researcher, and I have been very impressed by her knowledge and analysis in multiple briefings over the last year,” McCain told The Cable in a statement. “I look forward to her joining my office.” McCain’s office said there would be no further comment on the matter.
O’Bagy quickly emerged as a lead analyst on Syria after McCain praised an op-ed she had written in the Wall Street Journal, which argued that moderate rebels were able to keep U.S.-supplied weapons from falling into the hands of extremist groups. McCain, who has been the leading voice in Congress for arming moderate rebels, called O’Bagy’s analysis “important” during a hearing in September about possible U.S. military intervention in Syria.
Bunkerville has the details on O’Bagy’s ouster at the Institute and also The Syrian Emergency Task Force. Apparently, being fired for lying about your credentials is irrelevant to Senator McCain if the documentation you create helps him with his position on the use of military force in Syria. The fact that she was a lobbyist for the Syrian rebels was never mentioned when McCain and others were quoting her work on the Senate floor to support their positions. McCain’s office has said there would be no further comment on the matter. They obviously know there will raised eyebrows over his obvious political back-scratching.
I would ask what McCain is thinking, but I’m about convinced he doesn’t think at all.
Indeed. And to think this man was almost president. Definitely would have been better than the one we have, but not by much.
Thanks for the link. I could not believe this when first I read your post. A double wow on this one.
It’s actually not all that surprising for McCain.