Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) tore into Republicans at the outset of Hillary Clinton's Thursday hearing before the House Select Committee on Benghazi. Immediately after Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) finished an introductory statement that largely focused on a scandal surrounding Clinton's private email server, Cummings dismissed the hearing as a cynical political attack.
"Republicans are squandering millions of taxpayer dollars on this abusive effort to derail Secretary Clinton's campaign," Cummings said, charging that Republicans set up the committee "because [Clinton is] running for president" and that "everyone on this panel knows these accusations are baseless."
"It's time now for Republicans to end this taxpayer-funded fishing expedition," Cummings said.