Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suggested Ambassador Chris Stevens was joking when he sent an email requesting more security at the Benghazi, Libya, diplomatic compound.
During questioning Thursday by the Benghazi Select Committee Rep. Susan Brooks, an Indiana Republican, asked Clinton about a December 15, 2011 email in which Stevens, still in the United States at the time, asked a State Department official who was in Benghazi about the state of security.
"Interesting. Has security improved in Benghazi in recent weeks?" Stevens' email read. "Also curious what you guys decided to do regarding future of the compound."
"Ambassador Stevens, your soon-to-be-ambassador, didn't know what was going to happen with the compound in Benghazi? How is that possible?" Brooks asked.
"Well, congresswoman, one of the great attributes that Chris Stevens had was a really good sense of humor, and I just see him smiling as he is typing this," Clinton replied, "because it is clearly in response to the email down below, talking about picking up a few, quote, fire sale items from the Brits."
Brooks pointed out that those "fire sale items" were barricades to help secure the facility, and that they are being offered by the British because they were shutting down their own embassy and pulling their personnel out of Libya.
"That's right," Clinton agreed.
"That's what the fire sale was, because we weren't providing enough physical security for the compound. Isn't that right?" Brooks said. "So they're picking up a fire sale because other consulates are pulling out. Other countries are pulling out."
"I think that showed their entrepreneurial spirit, congresswoman, and I applaud them for doing so," Clinton said.
Actor James Woods tweeted his thoughts on Clinton's response:
Brooks pressed Clinton on how Stevens did not know in December whether the embassy was going to remain open, "or do you think that was a joke?"
Stevens and three other Americans were killed when the U.S. diplomatic facilities were attacked on September 11, 2012.