Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., newly chosen head of the House of Representatives’ Benghazi select committee, re-affirmed Wednesday his commitment to a fair investigation of the tragic terror attack that “transcends politics” – no matter how long it takes.

“It would be shame on us if we intentionally dragged this out for political expediency,” Gowdy said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”, commenting on the chance the investigation may continue into 2016 unless the the Obama administration complies with document requests. “On the other hand, if an administration is slow-walking document production, I can’t end a trial simply because the defense won’t cooperate.”

“My goal, my challenge,” he said, “is at the end of this is for you to say, ‘You know what? He’s not very smart, but he was fair.’”

Gowdy blasted the politicization of the Benghazi attack and criticized those who have used the tragedy to fundraise. “I have never sought to raise a single penny on the backs of four murdered Americans,” he said.

Gowdy condemned what he said were talking points that “sanitized or immunized the administration from criticism.”

And he offered a way to keep the investigation short.

“The only way,” he stated, “you can sort all of this out is access to all of the documents in a timely fashion and access to all of the witnesses, and then you can draw whatever conclusions you want to draw.”

This story was produced by The Foundry’s news team. Nothing here should be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of The Heritage Foundation.