US State Department says Clinton secret email practices ‘not acceptable’

A US State Department official has described Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email account for official business as unacceptable, contradicting earlier statements by the former secretary of state in which she claimed that it was “allowed” by the department. 

Joyce Barr, the State Department’s chief freedom of information officer, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, explaining that Clinton’s use of a personal email account run through a private server was "not acceptable" and happened without key officials’ knowledge.

“I think the message is loud and clear that that is not acceptable,” said Barr, who was questioned by Republican senators.

Clinton, who has announced her decision to run for president in 2016, has come under intense criticism after the New York Times published a report early in March that suggested she violated federal regulations by using a personal email account for government business, potentially shielding her correspondence from public inquiries.

Republicans have been infuriated over the use of the private email server by the former secretary of state, saying it has allowed one of the nation’s top officials to keep her messages secret forever.

“These kinds of things just absolutely undermine the confidence of the American people,” said Senator Thom Tillis. “It was a bad decision. I hope that we go so far as to say that if you do this in the future you get fired.”

Barr explained that she had not been aware of Clinton’s decision to conduct all her State Department email on a private server.

“I think that the actions that we've taken in the course of recovering these emails have made it very clear what people's responsibilities are with regard to record-keeping,' Barr said.

Clinton, however, has defended using the private email account as a matter of personal convenience. She said last month that her decision was motivated by “convenience” and was “allowed by the State Department.”

Using personal email does not necessarily violate rules as long as they are properly preserved, but the practice has raised doubts about her transparency.

Clinton was the secretary of state during Obama’s first term and his primary opponent before that in the 2008 presidential election. She is also the wife of former US President Bill Clinton who was in office from 1993 to 2001.

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