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White House agrees to hand over Benghazi e-mails

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(Reuters)

MAIL CALL: Chuck Hagel’s prospects for Defense were hurt by the Benghazi debacle (above left). (
)

WASHINGTON — In a move that could win GOP support for President Obama’s nominations for defense secretary and CIA chief, the White House has agreed to hand over CIA e-mails that helped shape controversial talking points about the deadly embassy attack in Benghazi, Libya.

The release would shed new light on the internal preparations for UN Ambassador Susan Rice’s appearance on a series of Sunday talk shows after the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on a US diplomatic facility that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three fellow Americans.

Her statements, many of which were later found to be inaccurate for downplaying terror connections to the attack, helped squelch Rice’s expected nomination to be secretary of state.

But the release of the documents next week could ease the path for other nominees — chiefly John Brennan, President Obama’s pick to run the CIA, and Chuck Hagel as defense secretary.

Republicans have long sought the e-mails.

GOP senators have used parliamentery procedures — including the rare use of a filibuster — to delay the confirmations.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has been among the most vocal Republicans demanding the release of internal documents about Benghazi.

“I do not believe we should confirm anyone as director of the CIA until our questions are answered — like who changed Ambassador Susan Rice’s talking points and deleted the references to al Qaeda.” Graham said.

Graham, backed by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), forced a delay in a vote on the confirmation.

Although other Republican senators wrote Obama asking him to withdraw the nomination, the numbers and the momentum now appear on Hagel’s side.

Hagel got a big break this week when Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said he’d vote to confirm him, after Shelby previously voted to hold up the nomination.

Fox News reported that the administration was planning to turn over the Benghazi documents, citing a congressional source.

Lawmakers want to see how the talking points evolved over time.

Words like “al Qaeda” were taken out — and Rice eventually ended up stressing that the attack was “spontaneous” but got “hijacked” by extremists.