The chairman of the panel investigating the deadly 2012 Benghazi attacks said Sunday that new information reveals a “total disconnect” between the security needs of USA personnel on the ground and the political priorities of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s State Department staff in Washington.
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An official who was not authorized to speak about the proceedings and spoke on condition of anonymity said Abedin would likely not be questioned about her employment status at the State Department or her work for the Clinton Foundation or a consulting firm with ties to former President Bill Clinton.
Number two House Republican Kevin McCarthy inadvertently suggested last month that hurting Clinton’s presidential campaign was an unstated committee goal.
Top Democrat Elijah Cummings emerged to question why Republicans demanded Abedin testify when “she had no policy responsibilities, no operational responsibilities, (and) was not with secretary Clinton on the night of this phenomenal tragedy”. “In light of the Committee’s conduct thus far and the admissions of Rep. McCarthy and the GOP whistle-blower that they merely want to attack the Secretary I am also skeptical the majority will do more than make an initial showing of interest in Benghazi”.
In a written statement, Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill said Abedin “has been nothing but entirely cooperative with the Committee’s requests”.
Clinton, whose use of personal email as secretary of state was permitted under the State Department’s rules at the time, said no one at the State Department signed off on her decision to set up a private email server.
That’s the opposite of what two Republican members of Congress have said.
At the weekend a former investigator with the committee accused Republicans of a biased and “partisan investigation” targeting Clinton.
Her argument was bolstered yesterday when Republican Representative Richard Hanna, who is not on the committee, said the inquest was “designed to go after” Clinton.
Abedin testified Friday morning in a closed-door session before Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC)’s committee.
Clinton talked about the committee during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union”.
The committee also fended off comments from a former Republican staffer who claimed the atmosphere was not professional.
Gowdy is “bending over backward” for Democrats who “have not lifted one finger to help us in the fact-discovery process”, Pompeo said.
Gowdy and other Republicans say the committee has been and remains focused on those killed in Benghazi and on providing a definitive account of the attacks. They’ve done so partly out political expediency – they think it’s a great way to attack Clinton’s presidential campaign – and partly out of a genuine belief that the administration is covering up the truth.
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Meanwhile, Clinton’s top aides in Washington were asking Stevens how to “message” the violence in Libya back home.
