To get his pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) through the Senate, President Barack Obama has opted to bargain with Republicans on Benghazi instead of disclosing secret drone warfare memos to members of his own party, The New York Times reported Thursday.

A chain of emails pertaining to U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice’s talking points following the attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi are the bargaining chip the administrating is using to create a bipartisan majority that would allow John Brennan to lead the CIA.