Issa: Kerry using Oversight appearance to avoid Benghazi panel

WASHINGTON, May 30 (UPI) -- House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa said Friday he released Secretary of State John Kerry from a subpoena to testify before his committee on the Benghazi attacks.

Issa, R-Calif., accused Kerry of trying to use the June 12 hearing to avoid appearing before the House select committee on Benghazi, announced last month.

"It's been disappointing to watch a long serving former Senator, like Secretary Kerry, squirm his way to what I'm doing today -- releasing him from the upcoming hearing commitment he made only after we issued him a subpoena," Issa said in a statement.

When Kerry agreed last week to appear before the Oversight Committee, he said he and other staff would only appear once before Congress.

Issa said he was also reassessing his panel's ongoing investigations of the September 2012 attacks, now that a special panel had been convened. Still, it will likely be some weeks before the Benghazi committee begins its work.