Hillary Clinton speaks in Greenville, S.C., on July 23, 2015.(Photo: Sean Rayford, Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is revamping its characterization of a review sought by government inspectors general into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email account, now describing the referral as a "potential compromise of classified information'' and not a request for a criminal investigation, a Justice official said Friday.
The same official, who is not authorized to comment publicly, had confirmed early Friday that the department had received a "criminal referral'' from inspectors general for the State Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence involving the possible mishandling of classified information on the private account that Clinton used while serving as secretary of State.
Later, without elaboration, the official offered the new account. Though a possible<span style="color: Red;">*</span>compromise of classified information could prompt a criminal investigation, the official said: "It is not a criminal referral.''
The story that the inspectors general were seeking a criminal referral was first reported Thursday night by The New York Times.
Clinton, prior to a speech Friday, made general references to "inaccuracies'' in recent media reports.
"Maybe the heat is getting to everybody,'' Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, said. "We all have a responsibility to get this right. I have released 55,000 pages of emails...I have said repeatedly that I will answer questions before a House committee.''
Referring to Justice's revamped account, Clinton spokesman<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Nick Merrill said: "It is now more clear than ever that the New York Times report claiming there is a criminal inquiry being sought in Hillary Clinton's use of email is false.''
The inspectors general for the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>State Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence wrote<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in a memo to the undersecretary of State for management, Patrick Kennedy, that Clinton had "hundreds of potentially classified e-mails'' among the 55,000 pages<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Clinton produced to the State Department for review and possible release.
The June 29 memo also expressed "concern'' that classified material was slated for release the following day.
In a separate memo dated July 17, the inspectors general alerted Kennedy that at least one email containing classified information had been released to the public. The nature of that e-mail was not identified in the memo. The memos were posted Friday on the website of the State Department's inspector general.
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, ranking member of the congressional panel reviewing the deadly 2012 attack on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi Libya, said Friday that he had spoken with the State Department's inspector general who, the congressman said, "never asked the Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation'' of the secretary's email usage.
The congressman said that the Justice Department and Congress had been notified of the discovery of<span style="color: Red;">*</span>classified information "in a few emails'' that were part of an ongoing disclosure review, and that none of those communications had been previously marked as classified.
Clinton's exclusive use of a private account during her time at the State Department from 2009 to 2013 has come under heavy scrutiny since it was first reported in March. She has maintained she complied with regulations and did not email classified information.
In a statement, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said "Hillary Clinton's desire to play by her own rules may have further exposed classified information," adding that a Justice Department review was "required." He also called for a third party to examine her email server.
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Contributing: Cooper Allen
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