WASHINGTON—Frustrated by the FBI’s decision not to indict Hillary Clinton, congressional Republicans are pressing the agency to launch a new investigation into whether the Democratic presidential candidate lied to Congress during her testimony on the deadly attacks in Benghazi, Libya.
The House Benghazi committee met Friday behind closed doors to approve a Republican report on its investigation that found no wrongdoing by Clinton but did reveal that she used a private email server for government business.
Even if lawmakers accept the report, it will not be the final word in the inquiry that has lasted more than two years and cost $7 million. Republicans say they will interview a senior Pentagon official who criticized the GOP-led panel for making costly and unnecessary requests.
Democrats called the planned interview unnecessary and excessive, and they also criticized the Republican majority for meeting in secret to approve the 800-page GOP report.
A “high-profile investigation” that began with hopes of bipartisanship “ends quietly in the basement (of the Capitol complex) in a secret hearing,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a member of the panel.
GOP lawmakers may take a fresh look at Clinton’s testimony that she never sent or received emails marked as classified when she served as secretary of state, and her claims that she only used one mobile device for emails and turned over all of her work-related emails to the State Department.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said Thursday he would refer Clinton’s Oct. 22 testimony to the FBI to investigate whether she lied to Congress.
