All three networks on Friday warned that Hillary Clinton's e-mail scandal is a serious problem for the ex-Secretary of State. Yet, only CBS This Morning pointed out the hypocrisy of a directive from the State Department. According to co-host Gayle King, "Clinton’s office told State Department employees back in 2011 not to use private email for work." As it turns out, this was the very thing that Clinton did.
On NBC's Today, Andrea Mitchell highlighted the long-term problem: "Because this is gonna take so long, it will drag on through the early months, if not a year, of her planned presidential campaign." Mitchell warned, "Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is going to be in New Hampshire tomorrow."
The NBC journalist insisted that Joe Biden is "watching and waiting." Co-host Willie Geist declared, "This story's not going away."
Over on Good Morning America, Jon Karl concisely explained the case against Clinton:
JON KARL: This rule said that employees are not allowed to send information that is known as sensitive but unclassified on private e-mail. That is not allowed except under emergency circumstances so they're going through her e-mails to see if she did any of that. That could potentially put at risk those e-mails of falling into the wrong hands. Also, George, she was in clear violation of a rule that said that if employees use private e-mail, they must turn the e-mail over to the State Department to be entered into government computers. As you know she didn't turn over e-mails until nearly two years after she left office.
Missing from NBC and ABC's coverage was a directive from Clinton herself. From Fox News:
Sent to Diplomatic and Consular Staff in June 2011, the unclassified cable, with Clinton’s electronic signature, makes clear to “avoid conducting official Department from your personal e-mail accounts” and employees should not “auto-forward Department email to personal email accounts which is prohibited by Department policy.”
On Thursday, only ABC showcased comments from Clinton in 2007 where she warned of "secret [Bush] White House email accounts."
The story continued to evolve on Friday. Politico alerted that the White House was alerted to the Clinton e-mail problem in August:
The White House, State Department and Hillary Clinton’s personal office knew in August that House Republicans had received information showing that the former secretary of state conducted official government business through her private email account — and Clinton’s staff made the decision to keep quiet.
A transcript of the March 6 Today segment, which aired at 7:12am ET, follows:
WILLIE GEIST: Meanwhile, the Hillary Clinton email controversy is widening this morning. Federal officials are now looking for possible security lapses in her messages while she was secretary of state. NBC's Andrea Mitchell has the latest. Andrea, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Security Lapses in Clinton Emails?; Gov't to Examine 55,000 Emails as Probe Broadens]
ANDREA MITCHELL: Good morning, Willie. State Department officials are reviewing the 55,000 pages of emails that Hillary Clinton turned over last year to see whether she violated State Department policies by storing sensitive information, even if it wasn't classified, on that private server. Contrary to some reports, they have not been able to reach a conclusion that she already did violate those regulations. It would not have been a violation if all of these emails were just routine.
But the larger problem for Clinton is that this will now take months to review. It is also adding fuel to the fire of the Republican-led Benghazi investigation, with Congress demanding more of her emails. And because this is gonna take so long, it will drag on through the early months, if not a year, of her planned presidential campaign.
While she is, of course, dominating any potential challengers, they are all watching closely. Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley is going to be in New Hampshire tomorrow. Elizabeth Warren is heading to Selma. Joe Biden is watching and waiting. Willie.
GEIST: And as you say, this story's not going anywhere.
MITCHELL: Exactly.
