GOP battles for Benghazi leverage

Hillary Clinton and Republicans on the House Benghazi panel are battling for leverage surrounding the Democratic presidential front-runner’s possible testimony on the deadly 2012 attack.

Both sides are determined to make sure that if and when Clinton testifies to the panel, it is on their side’s terms.

{mosads}Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) is due to consult with Republican leaders and his fellow panel members on Wednesday about how to best respond to a request by Clinton’s camp to have her testify only once and not twice as he wanted.

One congressional aide predicted Gowdy would give his response to Clinton before the end of the week.

“I’d be surprised if that didn’t happen,” an aide said on Tuesday.

The former secretary of State has made it clear that she is willing to testify — but only once. She does not want the fight over the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, to cast a long shadow on her 2016 presidential campaign.

Republicans, for their part, have an obvious interest in extending the Benghazi battle, which could be a lingering distraction for Clinton’s campaign.

Both sides face risks as they battle over when and how Clinton will testify.

If Republicans are seen as continually pushing off Clinton’s testimony even as she agrees to appear before the panel, it will bolster allegations that the committee is all about politics.

Republicans firmly deny their probe is about politics, even as Democrats on the panel insist it is all about Clinton.

Gowdy “is not interested in the politics of this,” the congressional aide said.

“He’s made that clear from Day One,” the aide said, adding that any possible long-term political risks to Clinton’s presidential bid are “not a consideration he has made.”

Rep. Elijah Cummings (Md.), the panel’s top Democrat, rejected that argument. He said Republicans appear to want to drag the process out for as long as possible so that it remains a focus in 2016.

“It does appear we have a situation where Republicans are drawing this entire situation out,” he told The Hill. “I think it would be very difficult to draw any other conclusion than it’s all about Hillary Clinton.”

A risk for Clinton is appearing as if she has something to hide. It’s a risk magnified by the controversy over her use of a private email account while she served as secretary of State.

The former secretary of State has gone to lengths to make sure she does not come off as reluctant to appear before the panel.

Clinton, Cummings said, has been willing to “come forth and provide the truth and resolve any questions that the committee might have.”

“It seems like the Republicans can’t take yes for an answer,” he told The Hill.

Cummings, who said he has not been in touch with the Democratic front-runner’s campaign, said he was “sure it’s very frustrating for her to see the goal posts constantly being moved” over when she will testify and about what.

Gowdy has been careful to signal that, while his panel wants to hear from Clinton, its members must first have access to all of the information necessary to question her.

It’s an argument that hints at the controversy over Clinton’s private email server, a topic likely to dominate any appearance she makes before the panel.

An interim report from the Benghazi committee, released on Friday, said it would not call Clinton to testify until “it is satisfied that all the relevant information has been provided by both the State Department and her.”

The congressional aide said Gowdy has “hands down” placed a premium on getting additional emails from State Department principals, including Clinton, before her appearance.

The committee requested those communications in November and issued a subpoena for them in March.

Without those records “it becomes difficult to question because how do you close the loop?” the aide asked.

Despite the delays, Gowdy doesn’t plan on subpoenaing Clinton to appear.

“From his perspective, it hasn’t come to that, and he’ll cross that bridge if it’s necessary, but so far, it has not come to that. She hasn’t said she’s unwilling to come, so I don’t know why you would subpoena her,” the aide said.

Any impact the investigation might have on Clinton and her White House bid “would only be with regards to what the committee can determine are the actual facts.”

Cummings said he doesn’t know what the GOP wants, as Clinton has already agreed to testify.

“The question is, when does it end?” he asked.

– This story was updated at 9:51 a.m.