White House Launched Private Email Probe: Report
The White House has begun efforts to conduct an internal probe of private email use, retrieving "batches of emails on the White House Server to and from private accounts of senior aides," according to Politico citing four officials familiar with the issue.
After reports that Jared Kushner and other senior members have used private accounts to carry out government business, the investigation pays special attention to Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s private email domain since they still work in the White House, according to two officials cited by Politico.
The White House probe could take weeks or months to complete, as investigators are looking at all emails sent or received. The counsel’s office is reviewing accounts to find out if the messages are relevant for investigations such as the Russia probes spearheaded by special counsel Robert Mueller and Congress, sources told Politico.
News about the White House probe angered several White House officials and surprised White House lawyers.
Abbe Lowell, Kushner’s laywer, indicated that "fewer than 100 emails about government business are in Kushner’s private email domain," and they have been forwarded to the White House account, Politico added. The Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday asked Lowell to review all his private email and any form of communication on other messaging services, given that Kushner did not reveal the email account in a private interview, Politico cited.
Lowell also mentioned that "there is no content on the private server relating to the investigations into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election." Kushner used his business account during the campaign, Politico said.
Previous reports show that former and current staff members — Steve Bannon, Reince Priebus, Gary Cohn and Stephen Miller — have used private email accounts.
Ironically, Hillary Clinton was the target of Trump’s attacks for her use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state, leading to chants of “lock her up” at Trump rallies. During a radio interview on Monday, Hillary Clinton pointed out at the “hypocrisy of the [Trump administration], who knew there was no real scandal, who knew that there was no basis for all their hyperventilating.”
She later added, “We’re finding with the latest revelations they didn’t mean any of it. It’s just the height of hypocrisy.”
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