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Clinton emails: 'Quid pro quo' bid to bury Benghazi message Clinton emails: 'Quid pro quo' bid to bury Benghazi message
(about 1 hour later)
A State Department official offered a "quid pro quo" deal if the FBI would change the classification of a Hillary Clinton email, FBI documents indicate.A State Department official offered a "quid pro quo" deal if the FBI would change the classification of a Hillary Clinton email, FBI documents indicate.
Under Secretary of State Patrick Kennedy asked the bureau to unclassify the message so it could be archived, "never to be seen again". Patrick Kennedy, an undersecretary of state, had asked the email be downgraded to a lower category.
He made the request in relation to an email about the 2012 attacks on the US diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. In exchange, an FBI agent said, Mr Kennedy offered to accept an FBI request for extra agents at foreign diplomatic posts.
But the FBI said it did not change the classification level. Both the FBI and the State Department deny any deal was offered or struck.
The email in question described reports in November 2012 that Libyan police were arresting suspects in the attack of two months earlier, which left Ambassador Christopher Stephens and three other Americans dead. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said there was no "quid pro quo" and it was the FBI official who raised the issue of putting more agents in Iraq, when they discussed the email.
'Shadow Government'
Other interesting revelations from the newly released FBI documents include:Other interesting revelations from the newly released FBI documents include:
The 100-page FBI document published on Monday says an unnamed FBI official was "pressured" in summer last year to change the classified Clinton email to unclassified.The 100-page FBI document published on Monday says an unnamed FBI official was "pressured" in summer last year to change the classified Clinton email to unclassified.
The official said he had received a call from a colleague - whose name is also redacted - at the FBI's International Operations Division.The official said he had received a call from a colleague - whose name is also redacted - at the FBI's International Operations Division.
The colleague said he had been contacted by Mr Kennedy asking him to change the email's classification level in "exchange for a 'quid pro quo'".The colleague said he had been contacted by Mr Kennedy asking him to change the email's classification level in "exchange for a 'quid pro quo'".
The State Department, the document says, offered to "reciprocate by allowing the FBI to place more agents in countries where they are presently forbidden".The State Department, the document says, offered to "reciprocate by allowing the FBI to place more agents in countries where they are presently forbidden".
Mr Kennedy, according to the document, followed up on this matter at a subsequent meeting, spending 15 minutes attempting to influence the FBI to unclassify the Clinton email.Mr Kennedy, according to the document, followed up on this matter at a subsequent meeting, spending 15 minutes attempting to influence the FBI to unclassify the Clinton email.
He also pressed FBI assistant director of counterterrorism Michael Steinbach on the issue.He also pressed FBI assistant director of counterterrorism Michael Steinbach on the issue.
Republican House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said the revelation "bears all the signs of a cover-up".Republican House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said the revelation "bears all the signs of a cover-up".
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump tweeted: "Unbelievable."Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump tweeted: "Unbelievable."
Mr Kennedy, who has spent more than four decades at the State Department, was already a lightning rod for Republican criticism. But Mr Toner denied there had been any wrongdoing, and said Mr Kennedy was merely questioning why the email was categorised as such.
He oversaw both diplomatic security during the 2012 attacks in Benghazi and the records and IT departments during Mrs Clinton's use of a private email server.
But the State Department's deputy spokesman, Mark Toner, denied there had been any wrongdoing.
"Under Secretary Kennedy sought to understand the FBI's process for withholding certain information from public release," Mr Toner said."Under Secretary Kennedy sought to understand the FBI's process for withholding certain information from public release," Mr Toner said.
"As has been reported, there have been discussions within the interagency on issues of classification.""As has been reported, there have been discussions within the interagency on issues of classification."
The email in question was among some 100 messages recovered from Mrs Clinton's private email server that the FBI would ultimately designate as classified.The email in question was among some 100 messages recovered from Mrs Clinton's private email server that the FBI would ultimately designate as classified.
The FBI and State Department engaged in a review of the former secretary of state's emails as they were being made ready for public release.The FBI and State Department engaged in a review of the former secretary of state's emails as they were being made ready for public release.
FBI Director James Comey concluded in his investigation Mrs Clinton had been "extremely careless" in handling the classified material.FBI Director James Comey concluded in his investigation Mrs Clinton had been "extremely careless" in handling the classified material.
The emails scandal relating to her private server is different from the messages that Wikileaks have been releasing recently.The emails scandal relating to her private server is different from the messages that Wikileaks have been releasing recently.