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Politics & Government

Clinton accuses GOP lawmakers of playing politics with Benghazi inquiry

By Anita Kumar - McClatchy Washington Bureau

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April 22, 2015 07:47 PM

Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign on late Wednesday lashed out at the House committee investigating the fatal attack in Benghazi, Libya in 2012 after its chairman said it plans to extend its investigation into 2016.

“The Gowdy Committee’s admission today that it will not finish its investigation until 2016 is the most telling evidence yet that their investigation is solely about playing politics in the 2016 presidential campaign,” Clinton Campaign Chairman John Podesta said. “This action is the latest example in a broad concerted effort by Republicans and their allies to launch false attacks against Hillary Clinton’s record and deep experience on foreign affairs and national security.”

Clinton, who announced her candidacy for president last week, faces questions about her role in the attacks as well as her use of a private email account to conduct government business while she was secretary from 2009 to 2013.

The chairman, Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., said findings will likely be released months before the 2016 presidential election, instead of 2015, according to Bloomberg News.

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“Factors beyond the committee's control, including witness availability, compliance with documents requests, the granting of security clearances and accreditations — all of which are controlled by the executive branch — could continue to impact the timing of the inquiry's conclusion,” a committee spokesperson said.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters Wednesday that the Benghazi committee is doing “fine work” but “they've got a lot more work to do.”

“They could clean this up a whole lot quicker if the administration and...former Secretary Clinton were in a position to actually cooperate with the committee and turn over the kind of information that we've been seeking for some time,” he said. “But the administration has made it virtually impossible to get to the fact surrounding Benghazi. And so when we have the facts, we'll have a report.”

The panel formally asked Clinton to appear before lawmakers for a private interview by May 1. Her office said she would appear before them publicly.

“There have already been 21 congressional hearings, five independent or bipartisan reports, and millions of tax dollars spent in the process of investigating this three year old tragedy. This investigation would now be longer than the investigations of Iran-Contra, the Kennedy Assassination, Watergate and 9/11,” Podesta said. “Sadly, Republicans are determined to continue to exploit this tragedy in an effort to try and hurt her campaign."

Gowdy has renewed his call for her testify several times but Clinton and the committee have not agreed agreed on the terms.

“Secretary Clinton agreed to testify months ago—in public and under oath—so the Select Committee’s claim that it has no choice but to subject her to a private staff interview is inaccurate,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the top Democrat on the committee. “Rather than drag out this political charade into 2016 and selectively leak portions of a closed-door interview, the Committee should schedule the public hearing, make her records public, and re-focus its efforts on the attacks in Benghazi.”

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