Hillary Clinton slammed the House Select Committee on Benghazi on Monday as “nothing but a partisan exercise,” though she apologized for her use of a personal email server while she was secretary of state.
“I am sorry that I made a choice that has resulted in this kind of situation and I have said I made a mistake,” Clinton said on NBC’s “Today,” before adding, “It is also, as we well know, it is the way the Republicans are trying to bring, as they admit, my poll numbers down.”
Last week, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the front-runner Republican candidate to succeed John Boehner as House speaker, ignited a backlash when he described how the committee had been effective at damaging Clinton’s poll numbers. McCarthy has since walked back his comments.
Asked if the Benghazi committee should be disbanded, Clinton responded, “Now that they have admitted that it is a political partisan committee for the sole purpose of trying to go after me,” but added that it is “up to the Congress” if they want to keep it going.
“If they are going to have it still running, I will be there,” she said.
Clinton is participating in an on-air town hall NBC is hosting, where she is expected to push her new gun control policy.
Clinton is seeking to close a gun show loophole and tighten background checks at gun shows, according to details released by the campaign overnight. She has also proposed making it easier for victims of gun violence to successfully sue gun manufacturers.
Republican front-runner Donald Trump is also expected to talk at a “Today” town hall in the coming weeks, but a date has not been announced yet.
Clinton’s gun control rollout comes as she heads to New Hampshire for a pair of town halls Monday. Clinton has lagged behind Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in polls in New Hampshire for more than a month.