WASHINGTON -- Hillary Clinton is willing to testify before the House Select Committee on Benghazi about her emails and the 2012 terror attack, but only once, her lawyer said Monday.
In a letter to Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), chairman of the committee, attorney David Kendall said the former secretary of state would be willing to testify the week of May 18, or at a later date.
“On such day, she will stay as long as necessary to answer the Committee’s questions, but will not prolong the Committee’s efforts further by appearing on two separate occasion when one will suffice,” Kendall wrote.
Jamal Ware, a spokesman for the committee, said the group will respond to Clinton’s lawyer about “the path forward.”
Gowdy had originally requested that Clinton, currently the Democratic front-runner for president, testify in a private interview with committee members. Clinton’s lawyer denied the request, asking instead for a public hearing.
In response, Gowdy asked that Clinton testify twice -- once on her use of email during her tenure as secretary of state, and once on the Benghazi attack.
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the committee, urged Gowdy to schedule the hearing quickly.
“Chairman Gowdy should take yes for an answer and finally schedule the hearing,” Cummings said. “Dragging out this process further into the presidential election season sacrifices any chance that the American people will see it as serious or legitimate.”
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