
Hillary Clinton’s Use of Private Email at State Department Raises Flags - SuperKlaus
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/03/us/politics/hillary-clintons-use-of-private-email-at-state-department-raises-flags.html
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danielnaab
It's sad and surprising how often this pattern seems to repeat itself. For
another example (that's probably not well-known outside Wisconsin), Scott
Walker set up a private server in the Milwaukee County office for his internal
communication with staff, likely at least in part to shield himself from
scrutiny as his county staff did work for his campaign for the governorship:

\- [http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/court-set-to-
rele...](http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/court-set-to-release-
emails-documents-tied-to-ex-aide-to-scott-walker-b99208267z1-246128301.html)

\- [http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-
politics/former-...](http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-
politics/former-county-administrator-i-helped-set-up-scott-
walker-s/article_c5b51126-ef30-5ca8-a9df-7aa10fcc5981.html)

~~~
001sky
The security implications of the US Secretary of State using an un-secure
email seem far more problematic.

We may very well find out that the US security services were complicit in the
Clinton arrangement. It would truly be absurd for a modern diplomat to be
using insecure communications when things like (war, life, death) etc are the
subject of the communiques.

Clearly the entire POTUS/administration infrastructure was sending her
e-mails, so it seems to beggar belief that the system was not vetted by the
secret service and the NSA.

On the other hand, the internal politics of mid-level burecrats in the state
house are on a whole nother level of banality. The record keeping is certainly
an issue, but its really an apples and banannas comparison.

~~~
danielnaab
Certainly, when it happens on the federal level it is of higher significance.
It remains to be seen, if after scrutiny, Clinton engaged in official misdeeds
by keeping her official communications private, but from the article it
appears there are serious questions that need to be answered.

But that doesn't diminish my point. Scott Walker is a front-runner for the
presidency, and by any reasonable account intentionally created an alternate
IT system to bypass open records laws. Likewise, the Bush administration used
a similar system hosted by the RNC
([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_White_House_email_controve...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_White_House_email_controversy))
for the same purpose. We should demand that all public servants operate in a
manner accessible to public scrutiny, not just the party we personally tend to
vote against.

~~~
001sky
Let me say I agree that there needs to be standards. Both on security and
record retention.

I don't think those are inherently partisan issues.

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a2tech
I don't see any way this doesn't look bad-even if she turns over everything
and she had nothing but the best reasons for using a personal email account
exclusively (doubtful) there'll always be the suspicion that she was holding
something back.

~~~
k74trgn23icg4
Just imagine if Clinton commingled public funds with her personal bank
account...

When she started using her personal email for official purposes, she waived
any claims to privacy over the contents of through that account. They should
all be released, public and personal.

------
mooredinty
I haven't seen this mentioned here, but the domain that she apparently used
`clintonemail.com` was registered the same day her confirmation hearings
started.

This most likely means that whatever she intended to do with it was
premeditated. It wasn't like one day, in the middle of the Benghazi debacle,
she decided to start using private email to cover her tracks.

~~~
A_COMPUTER
Someone advised her to do it, for sure. I don't think you have to be so
cynical as to believe that she was planning on doing something illegal, she
just is smart enough (and I guess unethical) to know that anything that can't
be dug up in a public records, FOIA or subpoena can't be used against her,
politically or legally.

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raquo
Why is this not a bigger deal? She's obviously concealing information from the
records, keeping full control of her communications that way. No person so
high up would go so far to avoid record keeping without having something very
important to hide.

~~~
xlm1717
Because everyone wants her to be the next president.

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donkeyd
Why don't they just ask the NSA for a print-out? I bet they have it all on
file!

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chatmasta
Maybe she didn't want the NSA gathering blackmail for the coming election.

~~~
krapp
I can't imagine the NSA not having something worth blackmailing her on by now
- or that they could possibly dig up more mud on her than the Republicans are
planning to sling anyway.

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ztratar
While I don't enjoy this fact much, I can't help but vehemently dislike the
author's clear bias here.

Stuff like this doesn't just pop out of nowhere. It's very clear this is the
start of a campaign against Hillary; heck, they even went so far to talk about
how Jeb, the leading GOP candidate, released a "trove" of emails during his 8
years as Governor. What they failed to really dive into, however, is how State
reps have been doing this for a while. They mention it in a single sentence
and then immediately go onto the next thing.

~~~
001sky
_Stuff like this doesn 't just pop out of nowhere. It's very clear this is the
start of a campaign against Hillary_

True, but isn't this Obama's leak? He surely was sending e-mails to his
Secretary of state at the @phony adress.

What is disturbing is that both Patreaus and Hillary have been done in by
stupid use of e-mail. Two people POTUS dislikes and have (had) clear
presidential caliber and ambition.

This is not a good sign for democracy in America.

~~~
001sky
Today,

 _Former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton appears to have operated in
violation of what the White House said Tuesday was “very specific guidance”
that members of the Obama administration use government e-mail accounts to
carry out official business._

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axus
Was it an AOL account?

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cowpig
how does an article rife with political bias make it to the front page of
hacker news?

