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U.S. NEWSFriday 23 October 2015

Clinton seeks to close the book on Benghazi case

House Benghazi Committee Chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., left, and the committee’s ranking member Rep. Elijah Cummings, ton: “The purpose of this
D-Md., have a heated discussion on the dais on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, as Democratic presidential can- committee is to prosecute
didate, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton testified before the committee. you.” In one tense mo-
ment, Republican Rep. Jim
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Jordan accused Clinton
of deliberately misleading
BRADLEY KLAPPER the investigation as a ploy of four Americans, Clinton facts after comments by the public by linking the
MATTHEW DALY to derail Clinton’s White had confrontational ex- fellow Republicans describ- Benghazi violence at first
Associated Press House bid, noting that it is changes with several Re- ing it as an effort designed to an Internet video insult-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hill- the eighth congressional in- publican lawmakers but to hurt Clinton’s presiden- ing the Muslim Prophet Mu-
ary Rodham Clinton strove vestigation into the attacks. also fielded supportive que- tial bid. Democrats have hammad. Clinton, stone-
to close the book on the But the hearing comes ries from Democrats. The pounced on those earlier faced for much of the
worst episode of her ten- at a moment of political most combative moments remarks and have pointed hearing, smiled in bemuse-
ure as secretary of state strength for Clinton, the focused on accusations out that the probe has now ment as Jordan cut her off
Thursday, battling hours of front-runner for the Dem- about the Obama admin- cost U.S. taxpayers more from answering. Eventu-
Republican questions in a ocratic nomination. On istration’s shifting early pub- than $4.5 million and, after ally given the chance to
hearing that grew conten- Wednesday, a potential lic accounts of the attacks. 17 months, has lasted lon- comment, she said only
tious but revealed little new rival for the nomination, However, five hours into the ger than the 1970s Water- that “some” people had
about the 2012 attacks in Vice President Joe Biden, hearing, Republicans had gate investigation. wanted to use the video to
Benghazi, Libya. She firmly announced he would not yet to ask the Democratic Gowdy, a former federal justify the attack that killed
defended her record while join the race. Clinton also is presidential front-runner a prosecutor, said the Re- Ambassador Chris Stevens
seeking to avoid any mis- riding the momentum of a single question about the publicans’ efforts were not and three other Ameri-
hap that might damage solid debate performance night of Sept. 11, 2012, itself. a prosecution. cans, and that she reject-
her presidential campaign. last week. The committee’s chairman, Contradicting him, Rep. ed that justification.
Democrats have accused Pressed about events be- Trey Gowdy, portrayed the Adam Smith, a Democrat The argument went to the
the Republicans of using fore and after the deaths panel as focused on the from Washington, told Clin- origins of the disagreement
over Benghazi and how
President Barack Obama
and his top aides repre-
sented the attack in the fi-
nal weeks of his re-election
campaign. And it reflected
some of the raw emotion
the deadly violence con-
tinues to provoke, some-
thing Clinton will have to
face over the next year of
her White House bid even if
the Republican-led special
investigation loses steam.
For Clinton, the political
theater offered opportu-
nity and potential pitfalls.
It gave her a high-profile
platform to show her self-
control and command of
foreign policy. But it also
left her vulnerable to claims
that she helped politicize
the Benghazi tragedy.q