“I did not email any classified material to anyone…” proclaimed Hillary Clinton at her March press conference in an attempt to quell questions about the unsecure server she used for all State Department business. Cleverly, Clinton dodged the fact that she received classified email on that vulnerable server, conduct also in violation of 18 USC 1924, which makes it a crime to have classified information at an “unauthorized location.” Just ask General David Petraeus.
This week’s disclosure that Clinton’s unsecured emails contained Top Secret material — one of the highest classifications — calls into question just about every phrase the former Secretary of State and her campaign staff have uttered to excuse her conduct. Let’s cut the spin and identify her email transgressions for what they are: gross mismanagement of classified material that happens to violate the law.
One Clinton spokesperson proffered that because the material was not specifically marked, Clinton could not have been aware that the material was classified. In that same March news conference Clinton bragged that she was “certainly aware of the classified requirements.” Apparently not.
Government officials are required to keep their correspondence on the appropriate government server so the material can be classified before it is mistakenly sent to an “unauthorized location.” Clinton’s argument ignores her actual misconduct. The reason the documents were not marked is because she never submitted them for clearance.
As former intelligence professionals, we are well aware that strict guidelines are required for handling classified information. Briefings that include classified information are held in Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities, rooms with elaborate protections to minimize eavesdropping. Telephone conversations of classified information are conducted via secure phones. Emails that might contain classified information are sent only through secure networks, not through – heaven forbid – a personal server in a basement.
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[Republican Pete Hoekstra represented Michigan's 2nd congressional district in the House of Representatives. He is the former House Intelligence Committee chairman. Victoria Toensing is a former Chief Counsel for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General.]
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I worked at a rental community here in Salisbury for a little over a year. I can tell you that you are REQUIRED to secure all documents that have peoples personal information. If you are caught not doing so the fine is astronomical. Does Ms. Clinton want me to assume that Top Secret information has less damaging potential than a renters criminal background and credit report(If their credit was worth stealing they wouldn't be renting).
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ReplyDeleteHad 8 years in The White House with a personal staff using gov't email and documents.
US Senator (carpetbagger version) from New York for 8 years with a staff in DC and various spots in New York all using gov't email and documents. (2001-2009)
Graduate of Yale Law, former law partner in Arkansas.
Made a conscious choice to set up her own 'rogue' email apparatus to actively evade having her activities as Secretary of State that would reflect poorly on her or that were illegal/unlawful/unethical kept from being collected and archived, as per long-standing Federal law. Not an accident; entirely intentional.
She and her aides who aided and abetted her should be indicted, convicted and jailed. Would have been just as wrong if they were swapping recipes on company time, but of course the nature of her activities, legal and illegal, were far more widespread, and exposed our country to serious breaches of security.
She ought to be doing time still when her grandkid graduates college.
I had secret security with the army in 1967 , eusa 380-5 eusa 604-5
ReplyDeletenot allowed to talk about any and all classified material ever.
I still carry my termination statement in my wallet. This agreement last forever.
Hillary was ineffective in her job partially because she was never given information sensitive enough to be considered a national security threat.I understand the public outrage,but her actions never hurt anyone because the intel providers kept her on a short leash.Now those providers cannot admit that because in essence THEY created a national security threat by NOT providing the intel.This was a real dilemna given her job description,but Hillary will ultimately take the wrap.They wanted to make sure she was harmless.Good for them
ReplyDeleteLet me start by stating I think she should be indicted. If there is a question about what happened, she should be.
ReplyDeleteDo I think she will be? Not a snowball's chance in Hell.