Email server controversy: US President Obama used a code name in emails to Clinton, reveals FBI
New documents published by the FBI reveal that US President Barack Obama used a pseudonym in some of his email exchanges with Clinton when she served as his Secretary of State.
In Short
- Barack Obama used a pseudonym in some emails to Clinton
- Clinton's aide could not recognize the pseudonym
- Clinton camp says it shows there is no ground for case
As the US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton continues to face the heat over using her private email server for official communications, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released another set of papers, likely to kick up a fresh controversy.
According to the documents released by the FBI on Friday, US President Barack Obama used a pseudonym in some of his email exchanges with Clinton when she served as his Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013.
CLINTON AIDE WAS 'AMAZED'
The second batch of documents, comprising 189 pages, is part of the agency's two-year investigation into Clinton's use of a private e-mail server during her time as Secretary of State.
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Among other things, the documents include the FBI's interviews with Clinton's top aide Huma Abedin. Abedin, in an interview conducted on April 5, 2016, was shown an e-mail correspondence between Clinton and another person believed to be President Obama. Abedin had said that she couldn't recognize the person or his designation.
"Once informed that the sender's name is believed to be (a) pseudonym used by the President, Abedin exclaimed: 'How is this not classified?'" the report stated. "Abedin expressed her amazement at the President's use of a pseudonym," the documents stated. She asked if "she could have a copy of the email".
CARELESS BUT NOT CRIMINAL
Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans, ahead of the US Presidential election, have been demanding that the FBI makes more material from the investigation public. The FBI investigation, led by Director James Comey, concluded in July and didn't recommend criminal investigation into the case. The FBI, however, did find Clinton "extremely careless" in handling classified documents and information.
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The Clinton camp downplayed the revelation. Brian Fallon, National Press Secretary for Hillary Clinton's campaign, said the new documents go on to show why the Department of Justice believes that there is no ground to pursue the case.
(with inputs from IANS)