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Carney 2013 Statement: No Detainee Transfer ‘Without Consulting With Congress’

By JM Rieger and Steven T. Dennis and Niels Lesniewski

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Amid charges from Speaker John A. Boehner that the Obama administration intentionally kept the swap of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban officials from Congress, new criticism emerged regarding a statement last year by White House Press Secretary Jay Carney. When asked by NBC News’ Kristen Welker about the potential of exchanging the five officials for Bergdahl on June 21, 2013, Carney said the White House would follow the law and consult with Congress before making any decisions. “We would not make any decisions about transfer of any detainees without consulting with Congress,” Carney said. “At this time we’ve made no decisions about the transfer of detainees. And in accordance with law, we would be consulting with Congress should we make any decisions about that … [but] on these specific issues about individual detainees, that would be a process that is done in accordance with law.”

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