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United States. Department of State

Clinton's Private Email Server: A Highly Unusual Practice Among Government Officials

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Hillary Clinton's private email account, which she used exclusively for official business as secretary of state, was connected to a server located at her family's home in Chappaqua, New York. This highly unusual practice raises questions about her motivations for using a private email account and her control over access to her message archives. Clinton's actions have sparked concerns about her compliance with the Federal Records Act, which requires officials to preserve copies of their work-related emails.

Key Takeaways:

  • Clinton's private email account, hdr22@clintonemail.com, was connected to a server located at her family's home in Chappaqua, New York, a highly unusual practice among government officials.
  • Clinton's server was registered to Eric Hoteham, a mysterious identity that does not appear in public records databases or campaign contribution records.
  • Clinton's private email account was not configured to use Google's servers as a backup until November 2012, more than two years after her public support for Google's accusations of Chinese government hacking.
  • Clinton's server was reconfigured again in July 2013 to use a commercial email provider, MX Logic, after she resigned as secretary of state.
  • Clinton's official emails on her private account would have been inaccessible to the public under the US Freedom of Information Act, requiring the government to negotiate with her to turn over copies of emails.
  • Clinton's private email account raised questions about her compliance with the Federal Records Act, which requires officials to preserve copies of their work-related emails.

Statistics:

  • The private email server was registered under the name Eric Hoteham since August 2010.
  • The server was reconfigured to use Google's servers as a backup in November 2012.
  • The server was reconfigured again in July 2013 to use a commercial email provider, MX Logic.
  • Clinton publicly supported Google's accusations of Chinese government hacking in June 2011.
  • It took the State Department over a year to turn over some emails covering Clinton's tenure as secretary of state.

Sources:

  • The Associated Press
  • The New York Times
  • Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC)
  • President Barack Obama
  • Stephen Braun, Associated Press writer

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