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Democrats say McCarthy comments on Clinton are shameful

Outgoing House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio listens at right as House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif. speaks during a new conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. McCarthy is assuring Republicans he can bring them together, even as emboldened conservatives maneuver to yank their party to the right in the wake of the leader of the U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner's sudden resignation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Outgoing House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio listens at right as House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif. speaks during a new conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. McCarthy is assuring Republicans he can bring them together, even as emboldened conservatives maneuver to yank their party to the right in the wake of the leader of the U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner's sudden resignation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

By Associated Press September 30, 2015 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Democrats are criticizing House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy for his comments crediting the House’s Benghazi investigation committee with hurting Hillary Rodham Clinton’s poll numbers.

Democrats said McCarthy’s comments in a Fox News Channel interview contradict claims by GOP leaders that the panel is merely seeking the truth about the deadly 2012 attacks at a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya.

McCarthy, a California Republican, is considered likely to become House speaker following John Boehner’s surprise resignation last week.

A spokesman for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said McCarthy’s comments show that Republicans “were never interested in a bipartisan investigation to improve the security of Americans abroad.”

Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland called it “shameful” that Republicans have “used the tragedy… for political gain.”