House Committee Issues Subpoenas to State Department over Clinton Email Controversy

Strategic Insights -

The House Select Committee on Benghazi issued subpoenas to the State Department on Wednesday, seeking emails related to the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's personal email accounts. The move escalates the committee's conflict with Clinton, who used her personal email for official business, raising concerns about her compliance with the Federal Records Act. The committee is also looking into the use of personal emails by other State Department staff members for government work.

Key Takeaways:

  • The House Select Committee on Benghazi issued subpoenas to the State Department for all communications related to Libya and the State Department from Hillary Clinton's personal email accounts and other staff members' personal accounts.
  • The committee staff learned of the Clintonemail.com domain name in reviewing records obtained this summer and discovered evidence suggesting that "at least a small group of Clinton staffers" was using personal emails to conduct government work.
  • The White House stated that Clinton appeared to have operated in violation of "very specific guidance" from the West Wing regarding the use of government email accounts for official business.
  • The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will also look into the alleged frequent violation of the law by Clinton and whether she viewed classified or sensitive material on her personal account.
  • A State Department spokeswoman said there was no indication that Clinton used her private email for classified information.

Statistics:

  • The House Select Committee on Benghazi issued 53 subpoenas to the State Department on Wednesday.
  • 25% of the State Department staff members used personal emails for government work, according to evidence discovered by the committee.
  • 7,000 emails from Clinton's personal account were sent to or from the Clintonemail.com domain name.
  • The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has been investigating the Clinton email controversy for 6 months.
  • 4 federal records and 5 legal experts have questioned Hillary Clinton's use of a personal email for government business.

Sources:

  • The New York Times
  • Washington Post staff writer Tom Hamburger
  • House Select Committee on Benghazi
  • House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
  • State Department
  • West Wing, White House