House Republicans accuse Democrats of politicizing Benghazi panel over vow to release transcripts

Hillary Clinton aide Cheryl Mills arriving for a House Benghazi Committee interview

(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Facing allegations that the House Select Committee on Benghazi is little more than a long, expensive witch hunt to wreck Hillary Clinton's political future, House Republicans are now accusing panel Democrats of politicizing the hearings. House Democrats sent a letter to committee chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) on Monday saying they will release transcripts of closed-door interviews, beginning with Cheryl Mills (pictured), a top Clinton aide. "Despite claims that the Committee would be run with integrity," they wrote, "Republicans have engaged in a series of selective leaks of inaccurate and incomplete information in an effort to attack Secretary Clinton." Committee Democrats gave their Republican colleagues five days to tell them any sections of the Mills transcripts that should be "withheld from the American people," then they will release the rest of the interview.

Republicans responded that none of the interview should be released before the committee is done with its work. In a statement, committee spokesman Jamal Ware said that "by selectively leaking and spinning" the Mills transcript, "Democrats have shown their nakedly political motivation, willingness to violate the letter and spirit of House Rules, and their desire to defend Secretary Clinton without regard for the integrity of the investigation." He added, "Serious investigations hear from all witnesses and the testimony of each witness should be viewed in the context of all available information." And that's something the Democrats on the committee would probably agree with.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.