Hillary Clinton agrees to testify on Benghazi, panel’s ranking Dem says

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has agreed to testify before the House Select Committee investigating the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, CNN reports.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, the panel’s Democratic ranking member, told CNN Tuesday that Clinton had agreed to testify before the committee late last year.

“The chairman asked me back in September to inquire as to whether Secretary Clinton would testify,” Cummings said. “She immediately said she would and that she wanted to come in December, but if December did not work, she would come in January. She said, ‘I’ll do it, period.’ The fact is, she was very clear. She did not hesitate for one second.”

Earlier this week, Yahoo News reported that some Democrats on the committee accused Republican members of conducting the committee’s work without them and withholding information that would undermine the credibility of the panel itself.

It’s not clear when or even if Clinton will be called to testify. But the news of her willingness comes as Clinton weighs a possible 2016 presidential bid.

If she runs, Republicans have said they will use the attack against her. Four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stephens, were killed in the assault.

Earlier this month, Sen. Rand Paul said the attack should disqualify Clinton from higher office.

“Hillary Clinton got cable after cable to protect the consulate in Benghazi. And what did she do? Nothing,” Paul said during a speech in Reno, Nevada. “I say, Hillary Clinton’s behavior of not providing adequate support should absolutely preclude her from ever being considered as president.”

Last summer, Clinton told NBC she had not been asked to testify before the committee and was then not willing to commit to testifying.

“We’ll see,” she told NBC in an interview. “I'm not going to prejudge it.”

Before stepping down as secretary of state in 2013, Clinton testified before both House and Senate committees investigating the attack. During her testimony, she acknowledged a “systemic breakdown” contributed to the siege. The White House initially said the attack occurred during protests over a video mocking the Prophet Muhammad, but later labeled it terrorism.

During one memorable exchange, Clinton bristled at criticism over the administration’s response immediately after the siege.

“With all due respect, the fact is, we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest or because of guys out for a walk one night who decide to kill some Americans — what difference at this point does it make?” Clinton said. “It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again.”