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By Daniel Newhauser and Matt Fuller Posted at 12:18 p.m. on May 7

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

House Democrats remain split on how to respond to a new special committee tasked with re-investigating the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, with leaders and party members vacillating between a symbolic boycott or begrudging participation.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., did not tip her hand in a closed door meeting Wednesday and has not yet decided whether she will allow her caucus to participate in the special panel. But more members who spoke up in the caucus meeting said they think Democrats should boycott, according to sources in the room.

One thing is certain: Democrats nearly unanimously believe the investigation is a political sham.

As the Thursday vote on the resolution empaneling the committee approaches, Democratic leaders spent Wednesday whipping their members during and between votes on the House floor against the legislation to keep Republicans from the possibility of picking off a few politically imperiled Democrats.

Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., sent a notice to his caucus urging members to vote no.

A Select Committee is nothing more than an attempt to exploit the deaths of four brave Americans to divert attention away from Republicans own do-nothing record, and throw red meat to the most extreme and conspiracy-obsessed parts of their base, read the email, obtained by CQ-Roll Call.

Yet the email did not note whether leaders would choose to participate, and sources said the choice would be Pelosis alone. That did not keep members of leadership from strongly expressing their opinions.

Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn of South Carolina and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel of New York both spoke against participating in the committee, which they believe is a political stunt.

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Democrats Split on Benghazi Panel Response, GOP Full Speed Ahead