This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2015/oct/22/hillary-clinton-benghazi-emails-committee-updates
The article has changed 23 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hillary Clinton testifies on Benghazi and emails in showdown with conservatives – live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.03pm BST15:03 | |
| Clinton is in the chamber. She walks up to the committee members and shakes all their hands. She gives a little wave to the horde of photographers and iPhone photographers (ie reporters) reaching to take photos of her. | |
| So it begins. With “a couple administrative matters” from Gowdy. Who says “we can take a break for any reason or no reason. If you or any one alerts me, we can take a break for any reason or for no reason.” | |
| The atmosphere is electric. With the opportunity for breaks. If anyone needs one. Anyone? | |
| 2.57pm BST14:57 | |
| Let the cover-up conspiracy theories begin! Why won’t Clinton answer CNN’s questions? | |
| As she walked in, Hillary ignored my question and just said, "Good morning." | |
| 2.54pm BST14:54 | |
| Another committee chair we’ll be seeing a lot of today. | |
| That's the chair @HillaryClinton will testify from at today's #BenghaziCommittee hearing. pic.twitter.com/Fzle5fss5z | |
| 2.46pm BST14:46 | |
| Who sits on the gallery of rogues of the Benghazi committee? My colleague Lauren Gambino (@lgamgam), with the bunch in the hearing room in Washington, writes in with a look at the two at the top. | |
| Representative Trey Gowdy: Known for his prosecutorial style and platinum hair, the South Carolina Republican was chosen to lead the committee’s investigation into Benghazi to do precisely the opposite of what critics accuse him of doing: staging political theater. | |
| From the outset, Gowdy promised his pursuit would be nonpartisan and “fact-centric” with a focus in finding out what happened during the deadly 2012 attack, but recent accusations, by members of his party and a former staffer, suggest that the investigation has evolved into a partisan attack on Hillary Clinton. | |
| Meanwhile, Democrats and newspaper editorial boards have called for the committee to be disbanded, putting the hard-nosed former federal prosecutor on the defensive. In a recent interview with Politico, Gowdy said that the run-up to Thursday’s hearing have been “among the worst weeks of my life”. The Republican knows the stakes are high – the showdown with Clinton promises to be among the biggest of his political career. | |
| Representative Elijah Cummings: Top Democrat on the oversight committee, Cummings has made waves acting as one of the Obama administration’s fiercest defenders and routinely clashing with Republicans over high-profile investigations. A Republican once muted his microphone to keep him from asking questions. | |
| Cummings, a ranking member of the Benghazi committee, has long-called the panel a “charade” and accused Republicans of using it to try to hurt Clinton’s 2016 campaign. He has also urged Republicans to release the transcripts from closed-door testimonies. In a recent interview on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday, Cummings predicted that Thursday would be a “sad day for all of us”. He added later: “We have strayed away from what we were supposed to be doing.” | |
| Updated at 2.52pm BST | |
| 2.30pm BST14:30 | |
| Things are already getting a little weird on Capitol Hill. Republican language guru and all-round consultant Frank Luntz is at the scene, apparently ready to sprint into action in his colorful sneakers. | |
| Why is @FrankLuntz at the #Benghazi hearing? pic.twitter.com/L6F59tpByt | |
| Reporters are also predicting that Clinton will have to endure eight to 10 hours of questioning, with a lunch break at 1pm ET. But at least there’s taco salad. | |
| Rejoice, Hillary press corps. It's taco salad day on Capitol Hill. | |
| 2.20pm BST14:20 | 2.20pm BST14:20 |
| After three years, 50 witnesses and 70,000 documents, Republican representatives still have questions for Hillary Clinton, and the American public has questions for everyone: what are they all even going to talk about at this point? | After three years, 50 witnesses and 70,000 documents, Republican representatives still have questions for Hillary Clinton, and the American public has questions for everyone: what are they all even going to talk about at this point? |
| My colleagues Dan Roberts (@robertsdan) and Ben Jacobs (@bencjacobs) answer the question about the questions. | My colleagues Dan Roberts (@robertsdan) and Ben Jacobs (@bencjacobs) answer the question about the questions. |
| Related: Hillary Clinton faces six key questions at congressional Benghazi hearing | Related: Hillary Clinton faces six key questions at congressional Benghazi hearing |
| 2.01pm BST14:01 | 2.01pm BST14:01 |
| Clinton, Benghazi, emails, deja vu – but 22 months and millions of dollars after the first round of Republicans vs (de facto) Democratic frontrunner, the stakes are higher for everyone involved, writes my colleague Lauren Gambino (@lgamgam) from the Capitol. | Clinton, Benghazi, emails, deja vu – but 22 months and millions of dollars after the first round of Republicans vs (de facto) Democratic frontrunner, the stakes are higher for everyone involved, writes my colleague Lauren Gambino (@lgamgam) from the Capitol. |
| While the date has been marked for some time, the circumstances of the hearing have changed dramatically in the past few weeks. Bolstered by a sharp debate performance, the security that vice-president Joe Biden will not launch a presidential run, and Republican comments that the panel is a political show aimed at damaging her poll numbers, Clinton heads into the hearing perhaps at her strongest since she announced her bid for the democratic nomination in April. | While the date has been marked for some time, the circumstances of the hearing have changed dramatically in the past few weeks. Bolstered by a sharp debate performance, the security that vice-president Joe Biden will not launch a presidential run, and Republican comments that the panel is a political show aimed at damaging her poll numbers, Clinton heads into the hearing perhaps at her strongest since she announced her bid for the democratic nomination in April. |
| But with more to gain and lose from the hearing than Republicans, Clinton is under pressure to perform at her best. | But with more to gain and lose from the hearing than Republicans, Clinton is under pressure to perform at her best. |
| She will begin her testimony by reflecting on the four Americans who lost their lives in the attack on the US’s outpost in Benghazi on 11 September 2012, according to a preview of her opening statement. In her testimony, Clinton is also expected to say that Benghazi was a tragedy that must be learned from, but that it should not stop America from continuing to send diplomats into dangerous places around the world, according to the summary provided by the campaign. To do so would be to learn the wrong lesson from the attack, she will say. | She will begin her testimony by reflecting on the four Americans who lost their lives in the attack on the US’s outpost in Benghazi on 11 September 2012, according to a preview of her opening statement. In her testimony, Clinton is also expected to say that Benghazi was a tragedy that must be learned from, but that it should not stop America from continuing to send diplomats into dangerous places around the world, according to the summary provided by the campaign. To do so would be to learn the wrong lesson from the attack, she will say. |
| The course of hearing, which is expected to last several hours, will depend on what questions are raised, and if the committee has any new information to present. | The course of hearing, which is expected to last several hours, will depend on what questions are raised, and if the committee has any new information to present. |
| But as Clinton told CNN’s Jake Tapper: “I’ve already testified about Benghazi. I’ve testified to the best of my ability before the Senate and the House. I don’t know that I have very much to add. This is, after all, the eighth investigation.” | But as Clinton told CNN’s Jake Tapper: “I’ve already testified about Benghazi. I’ve testified to the best of my ability before the Senate and the House. I don’t know that I have very much to add. This is, after all, the eighth investigation.” |
| Updated at 2.16pm BST | Updated at 2.16pm BST |
| 1.46pm BST13:46 | 1.46pm BST13:46 |
| Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Hillary Clinton’s testimony before the House committee investigating the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, during which four Americans, including an ambassador, were killed. | Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Hillary Clinton’s testimony before the House committee investigating the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, during which four Americans, including an ambassador, were killed. |
| Although Congress has on seven occasions investigated the attacks, House Republicans have insisted on a special committee, led by conservative representative Trey Gowdy, meant to answer any remaining questions. But after revelations that Clinton, then secretary of state, used a private email server while in office, the committee has fixated on her email habits and archives in search of any misbehavior. | Although Congress has on seven occasions investigated the attacks, House Republicans have insisted on a special committee, led by conservative representative Trey Gowdy, meant to answer any remaining questions. But after revelations that Clinton, then secretary of state, used a private email server while in office, the committee has fixated on her email habits and archives in search of any misbehavior. |
| Democrats, including Clinton, have accused Republicans of using the committee to undermine the former secretary of state’s standing and weaken her presidential campaign. Gowdy has defended the committee’s meandering attention: “we’re going to follow the facts wherever they go.” | Democrats, including Clinton, have accused Republicans of using the committee to undermine the former secretary of state’s standing and weaken her presidential campaign. Gowdy has defended the committee’s meandering attention: “we’re going to follow the facts wherever they go.” |
| Republicans will likely interrogate Clinton about what warning she may have had and about the confusion in the aftermath of the attack, in particular the mixed messages of the Obama administration. They will also likely question her about security for ambassador Christopher Stevens, although Congress also played a role in weak security funding. | Republicans will likely interrogate Clinton about what warning she may have had and about the confusion in the aftermath of the attack, in particular the mixed messages of the Obama administration. They will also likely question her about security for ambassador Christopher Stevens, although Congress also played a role in weak security funding. |
| Clinton has testified before Congress on the attacks before, and her campaign hopes that she can use today’s hearing to quash persistent questions about her use of private email and role in the Benghazi response. Republicans hope to catch Clinton in a mistake over the course of several hours of questioning – and also to justify the existence of a highly criticized committee. She is due to begin testimony at 10am ET. | Clinton has testified before Congress on the attacks before, and her campaign hopes that she can use today’s hearing to quash persistent questions about her use of private email and role in the Benghazi response. Republicans hope to catch Clinton in a mistake over the course of several hours of questioning – and also to justify the existence of a highly criticized committee. She is due to begin testimony at 10am ET. |
| Updated at 2.13pm BST | Updated at 2.13pm BST |