Prosecute hillary email
The Hillary email controversy refers to the use of a private email server by Hillary Clinton, while she was the United States Secretary of State, to conduct official government business. The controversy surrounding the use of the private server, as well as the potential mishandling of classified information, led to a lengthy investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and a subsequent report by the FBI's Director James Comey.
Here is a summary of the key events and findings related to the Hillary email controversy:
Background:
- In March 2013, Hillary Clinton set up a private email server in her home in Chappaqua, New York, to conduct official government business as Secretary of State.
- The server was not approved by the State Department or the White House, and it was not subject to the same security protocols as government-issued email accounts.
Investigation:
- In July 2015, the FBI launched an investigation into the use of the private email server, following a request from the House Select Committee on Benghazi.
- The investigation focused on whether Clinton and her aides had mishandled classified information by sending it over the private server.
- The FBI interviewed Clinton and several of her aides, including her former chief of staff, Cheryl Mills, and her former deputy chief of staff, Huma Abedin.
- The FBI also obtained emails from the private server and analyzed them for potential security breaches.
Findings:
- In July 2016, FBI Director James Comey announced that the FBI had concluded its investigation and would not recommend charges against Clinton.
- Comey stated that while Clinton and her aides had been "extremely careless" in their handling of classified information, there was no evidence that they had intended to violate the law.
- The FBI found that 110 emails from Clinton's private server contained classified information, including 65 emails that were classified at the "top secret" level.
- However, Comey noted that the FBI had not found any evidence that Clinton or her aides had intentionally sent classified information over the private server.
Aftermath:
- The FBI's findings were criticized by some Republicans, who argued that Clinton had been given special treatment and that the investigation had been mishandled.
- The controversy surrounding the email server and the FBI's findings contributed to Clinton's loss in the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump.
- In 2018, the State Department's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report criticizing Clinton's use of the private email server and finding that she had failed to comply with department policies and procedures.
Legal implications:
- In 2016, the FBI's findings were referred to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for potential prosecution. However, the DOJ ultimately declined to prosecute Clinton, citing a lack of evidence that she had intended to violate the law.
- In 2018, the State Department's OIG report recommended that Clinton be held accountable for her actions, but it did not specify any legal penalties or sanctions.
Overall, the Hillary email controversy was a significant political scandal that raised questions about Clinton's trustworthiness and her handling of classified information. While the FBI's investigation did not result in criminal charges, the controversy continues to be a topic of debate and controversy in American politics.