Benghazi attack still dogs Clinton

WASHINGTON — Hillary Clinton strove to close the book on the worst episode of her tenure as secretary of state Thursday, battling hours of Republican questions in a hearing that grew contentious but revealed little new about the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya. She firmly defended her record while seeking to avoid any mishap that might damage her presidential campaign.

Democrats have accused the Republicans of using the investigation as a ploy to derail Clinton’s White House bid, noting it is the eighth congressional investigation into the attacks.

But the hearing comes at a moment of political strength for Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. On Wednesday, a potential rival for the nomination, Vice-President Joe Biden, announced he would not join the race. Clinton also is riding the momentum of a solid debate performance last week.

Pressed about events before and after the deaths of four Americans, Clinton had confrontational exchanges with several Republican lawmakers but also fielded supportive queries from Democrats.

However, five hours into the hearing, Republicans had yet to ask the Democratic presidential front-runner a single question about the night of Sept. 11, 2012, itself.

The committee’s chairman, Trey Gowdy, portrayed the panel as focused on the facts after comments by fellow Republicans describing it as an effort designed to hurt Clinton’s presidential bid. Democrats have pounced on those earlier remarks and have pointed out the probe has now cost U.S. taxpayers more than $4.5 million US and, after 17 months, has lasted longer than the 1970s Watergate investigation.

In one tense moment, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan accused Clinton of deliberately misleading the public by linking the Benghazi violence at first to an Internet video insulting the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.

Clinton, stone-faced for much of the hearing, smiled in bemusement as Jordan cut her off from answering. Eventually given the chance to comment, she said only that “some” people had wanted to use the video to justify the attack that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans, and that she rejected that justification.

For Clinton, the political theatre offered opportunity 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 she helped politicize the Benghazi tragedy.