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Benghazi investigation chair says he is not targeting Hillary Clinton Benghazi investigation chair says he is not targeting Hillary Clinton
(about 21 hours later)
The Republican head of the congressional investigation into the Benghazi attack said on Sunday he was not targeting the Democratic presidential frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, and such talk was damaging to the inquiry.The Republican head of the congressional investigation into the Benghazi attack said on Sunday he was not targeting the Democratic presidential frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, and such talk was damaging to the inquiry.
Related: Hillary Clinton: Republicans' Benghazi committee strategy 'deeply distressing'Related: Hillary Clinton: Republicans' Benghazi committee strategy 'deeply distressing'
Clinton was secretary of state in September 2012 when US facilities in Benghazi, Libya, were attacked, killing four Americans including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.Clinton was secretary of state in September 2012 when US facilities in Benghazi, Libya, were attacked, killing four Americans including Ambassador Christopher Stevens.
Democrats have said the Republican-controlled committee is more interested in damaging Clinton’s reputation than uncovering the truth about the attacks. But the committee’s chairman, Representative Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, said on Sunday he was focused on finding out what security failures led to the incident – not on Clinton.Democrats have said the Republican-controlled committee is more interested in damaging Clinton’s reputation than uncovering the truth about the attacks. But the committee’s chairman, Representative Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, said on Sunday he was focused on finding out what security failures led to the incident – not on Clinton.
“She is an important witness but she is one witness,” Gowdy, chairman of the House select committee on Benghazi, said on CBS.“She is an important witness but she is one witness,” Gowdy, chairman of the House select committee on Benghazi, said on CBS.
Clinton is due to testify before the committee on Thursday. The committee questioned her senior aide, Huma Abedin, for six hours in a closed session on Friday.Clinton is due to testify before the committee on Thursday. The committee questioned her senior aide, Huma Abedin, for six hours in a closed session on Friday.
Democrats have argued that the 17-month-old probe is a political tool to damage Clinton as she seeks her party’s nomination in the November 2016 presidential election. Representative Kevin McCarthy, the majority whip and No 2 House Republican, stoked that view last month when he said in an interview that the panel’s work may be hurting Clinton’s poll numbers. Democrats have argued that the 17-month-old investigation is a political tool to damage Clinton as she seeks her party’s nomination in the November 2016 presidential election. Representative Kevin McCarthy, the majority whip and No 2 House Republican, stoked that view last month when he said in an interview that the panel’s work may be hurting Clinton’s poll numbers.
Last weekend, a former committee staffer told the New York Times and CNN he was fired because he protested the overtly political nature of the committee’s work. Last weekend, a former committee staffer told the New York Times and CNN he was fired because he protested against the overtly political nature of the committee’s work.
On Sunday, Gowdy advised fellow Republicans not involved in the committee’s work to stay quiet.On Sunday, Gowdy advised fellow Republicans not involved in the committee’s work to stay quiet.
“I have told my own Republican colleagues and friends, ‘Shut up talking about things that you don’t know anything about,’” he said. “And unless you are on the committee, you have no idea what we have done, why we’ve done it.”“I have told my own Republican colleagues and friends, ‘Shut up talking about things that you don’t know anything about,’” he said. “And unless you are on the committee, you have no idea what we have done, why we’ve done it.”
Clinton has said she considers the committee to be politically motivated.Clinton has said she considers the committee to be politically motivated.
“I think it’s pretty clear that whatever they might have thought they were doing they ended up becoming a partisan arm of the Republican National Committee,” she said in a CNN interview broadcast on Friday.“I think it’s pretty clear that whatever they might have thought they were doing they ended up becoming a partisan arm of the Republican National Committee,” she said in a CNN interview broadcast on Friday.
Representative Elijah Cummings, the leading Democrat on the Benghazi committee, told Face the Nation that the 18-month-old investigation had lost its focus: the events that led to the Benghazi deaths.Representative Elijah Cummings, the leading Democrat on the Benghazi committee, told Face the Nation that the 18-month-old investigation had lost its focus: the events that led to the Benghazi deaths.
He said Gowdy has not interviewed the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or the Secretary of Defense, but has brought in many witnesses connected to Clinton through the State Department or her campaigns, including aides and speechwriters. He said Gowdy has not interviewed the head of the joint chiefs of staff or the secretary of defense, but has brought in many witnesses connected to Clinton through the State Department or her campaigns, including aides and speechwriters.
“We still have been zeroed in on Hillary Clinton,” he said. “There is absolutely no doubt about that, and it’s very unfortunate,” he said.“We still have been zeroed in on Hillary Clinton,” he said. “There is absolutely no doubt about that, and it’s very unfortunate,” he said.