Friend --
I wanted you to hear this directly from me:
Yes, I should have used two email addresses, one for personal matters and one for my work at the State Department. Not doing so was a mistake. I'm sorry about it, and I take full responsibility.
It's important for you to know a few ke y facts. My use of a personal email account was aboveboard and allowed under the State Department's rules. Everyone I communicated with in government was aware of it. And nothing I ever sent or received was marked classified at the time.
As this process proceeds, I want to be as transparent as possible. That's why I've provided all of my work emails to the government to be released to the public, and why I'll be testifying in public in front of the Benghazi Committee later next month.
I know this is a complex story. I could have -- and should have -- done a better job answering questions earlier. I'm grateful for your support, and I'm not taking anything for granted.
I understand that you may have more questions, and I am going to work to keep answering them. If you want to read more, including my emails themselves, please go here:
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/emails/
Thank you,
HillaryThe link goes here >>>>
Hillary’s emails in 4 sentences
Here are the four things you need to know about Hillary Clinton’s email use during her time at the State Department.
- Hillary takes responsibility for her decision to use a personal account, and the challenges it has created.
- Her use of a private email account was allowed under State Department rules.
- Nothing she sent or received was marked classified.
- She provided all of her work-related emails to the State Department.
Want to know more?
As the State Department has confirmed, there was no rule that prohibited Hillary from having a private email account like she used during her time at State. It was Hillary's practice to email government officials on their official .gov accounts so that her messages were preserved within email archives. It was only after she left the State Department that regulations were changed.
Nothing Hillary sent or received on her email account was marked “classified” at the time. Before each release of her emails, the State Department goes through a process that allows other agencies to review the emails. As is the case whenever any records are made public for the first time, sometimes agencies disagree about what should be classified, and material that was unclassified at the time can get upgraded to “classified” by other agencies during this stage.
Transparency is important. That’s why Hillary gave all of her work-related emails (more than 30,000) and her email server to the government. She’s making every effort to cooperate and to answer the important questions raised by the public, and to work with the Benghazi Committee, asking that her hearing be public so that the American people can hear their questions and her answers.
Still want to know more?
Check out the emails for yourself.
Or, click here for (lots) more answers to other questions you may have.
Dear Hillary,
You do not have to explain a single thing much less apologize for anything. No matter how hard I tried or how much I pleaded, some of my colleagues never used their institutional email accounts. Their urgent messages never got to me until late at night when I checked my personal email. To them, using their personal accounts for everything was easier.
I completely understand how you were thinking. I also understand that you felt you did not have time to think this out.
We know you. You always hit the ground running and are always prepared. We know that you will be more than ready on day one.
Thank you for the explanation, even though none was needed.
Best and thank you,
Still 4 Hill
