WASHINGTON — The Republican National Committee fired a salvo at the Obama administration yesterday, demanding documents to determine whether the president’s re-election campaign had any contact with federal officials over the Benghazi consulate attack.
The political arm of the party filed a Freedom of Information Act request calling on the administration to surrender any communications between campaign staff and State Department staffers from the time of the Sept. 11 attack that killed four Americans.
The GOP wants all documents and e-mails that include the words “Libya” and “Benghazi” and communications involving United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice.
Rice appeared on five Sunday news shows contending that the attack was inspired by an anti-Islam video. The administration later conceded it was a terrorist attack.
Republicans have accused the administration of downplaying the assault to keep Obama from looking weak in the war on terror.
The White House has denied the charge, saying that Rice’s presentation was based on the information that the administration had at the time.