FBI releases Clinton’s email investigation notes

By Kasim Ileri

WASHINGTON (AA) – The FBI on Friday released Friday notes of its interview with Hillary Clinton concerning her use of a private email account while she was Secretary of State.

The documents were released “in response to multiple Freedom of Information Act requests”, the FBI said.

But the interest in the contents of the FBI interviews arose following reports last month that the Democratic presidential candidate told the bureau she was encouraged to use her private server following a conversation with former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

“Clinton made this decision out of convenience and noted she had spoken to former Secretary of State Colin Powell who used a private email account as had other secretaries of state before him,” the FBI notes read.

Powell denied any responsibility for Clinton’s use of her private email account.

FBI documents showed Powell warned Clinton about using a BlackBerry mobile phone to conduct official business, an email exchange between the pair showed.

According to the documents, in response to a Clinton email in 2009 about using a BlackBerry, Powell wrote that if it became "public" the emails could become "official records and subject to the law.

"Be very careful. I got around it all by not saying much and not using systems that captured the data," Powell’s email read.

The documents released totaled 58 pages, but large portions are redacted.

According to the documents, Clinton was not provided a mobile device by the State Department and continued to use her BlackBerry she had while she was in the Senate.

The documents show she relied on judgment rather than security procedures required for an official in her position.

“Clinton did not recall receiving any email that she though should not be on an unclassified system,” one document read.

The FBI said none of her staff ever warned her about classification of content on her private server.

“She relied on state officials to use their judgment when emailing her and could not recall anyone raising concerns with her regarding the sensitivity of the information she received at her email address,” the FBI said.