Clinton agrees to answer House panel's questions on Benghazi, emails

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a Democratic candidate for president, has agreed to testify before a House panel about the deadly attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and about her email-retention practices.

In a letter released Monday to Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi, Clinton's attorney David Kendall writes that the former first lady "has been and remains ready and willing to testify" about the attack that killed four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya. "At that time, she will, of course, address any other questions the Committee believes to be pertinent to its charge, including the questions posed in your April 23 letter about her e-mail," Kendall says in the letter.

Clinton has previously also said she is prepared to testify.

Clinton has been under fire for, among other things, using a personal email address while serving as secretary of state. She acknowledged in March that she had deleted personal correspondence, but had turned over 55,000 printed pages of her official correspondence to the State Department. Days later, Gowdy's panel formally asked Clinton to give them access to her email server.

Kendall, in his letter, also said Clinton would only testify for one session. Gowdy had asked for two appearances — one on Benghazi and another on the emails.

"Respectfully, there is no basis, logic, or precedent for such an unusual request," Kendall wrote. "The Secretary is fully prepared to stay for the duration of the Committee's questions on the day she appears." Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.