Democratic likely candidate Hillary Clinton is bracing for a fresh Republican onslaught against her after a State Department watchdog termed her use of personal email server as secretary of state as “not an appropriate method” and in violation of policies.
Within hours of the State Department’s Inspector General sent the report on Clinton’s use of private email account to Congress, Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump dubbed it as “not good” for the frontrunner, who needs under 100 more delegates to hit the Democratic nomination target of 2383.
The Inspector General’s criticism comes at a sensitive time in campaign for the former first lady Clinton, as she is looking to build up a national political momentum against billionaire tycoon Trump.
Clinton and Trump have been faring almost neck and neck in polls, with some polls even suggesting her Republican rival doing better among particular groups of people.
Clinton’s campaign trail has already seen a stiff challenge from Party contender Bernie Sanders, whose successful messaging on economic and trade issues has eclipsed her standing with younger voters.
But Trump, who faced intense protests in New Mexico following his outbursts against Mexicans, Muslims, women and immigrants in general, has also a lot to worry in the months ahead with his likeability plummeting among immigrant communities.
Trump’s refusal to reveal his tax records is also becoming a major scoring point for Clinton.
Then, there is a tide of opposition to Trump candidacy within the Republican Party. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who will chair the Republican National Convention in July, denied reports on Wednesday that he has endorsed Trump as the GOP nominee.
On Wednesday, the Inspector General’s report on Clinton’s private email practice, as cited by the National Public Radio, says:
“According to the current [Chief Information Officer] and Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security, Secretary Clinton had an obligation to discuss using her personal email account to conduct official business with their offices, who in turn would have attempted to provide her with approved and secured means that met her business needs. However, according to these officials, DS and IRM did not—and would not—approve her exclusive reliance on a personal email account to conduct Department business, because of the restrictions in the [Foreign Affairs Manual] and the security risks in doing so.”
At the same time the review notes that former secretaries of state also used personal email accounts. For instance, Secretary of State Colin Powell even used his personal account “from a commercial Internet provider.”
Reacting to the report, Brian Fallon, Hillary Clinton Campaign spokesman wrote according to a CNN report that “While political opponents of Hillary Clinton are sure to misrepresent this report for their own partisan purposes, in reality, the Inspector General documents just how consistent her email practices were with those of other Secretaries and senior officials at the State Department who also used personal email.”
