Appearing on NBC’s Today on Wednesday, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus predicted GOP contenders would be united in their criticism of Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton in Thursday’s first primary debate: “...the country’s really not in a good place right now. And Hillary Clinton had a lot to do with it and she’s got a lot of questions that people are asking her, including – I think yesterday the FBI is now asking questions of Hillary Clinton.”
Co-host Savannah Guthrie quickly tried to downplay the breaking news that the FBI would be investigating Clinton’s private e-mail server to determine if classified information was exposed to hacking: “In fact, the FBI, according to a report in The Washington Post, is looking into the set-up of her e-mail server. We're going to get a report on that in a moment. They are not looking into Hillary Clinton herself.”
Priebus countered: “Well, I just want to say that, you know, I think any time the FBI is sniffing around your computers in your home it's probably not a good thing. So who knows what the FBI is looking at?”
In the report that eventually followed, correspondent Andrea Mitchell explained: “There is more fallout today about Hillary Clinton's private e-mail server. A government official confirms the FBI is looking into how the system at Clinton's Chappaqua home was set up as part of its investigation into how secure it was.”
However, she made sure to note: “The official told NBC News, ‘This is an investigation of the system, not of any person.’”
Mitchell also touted Clinton campaign talking points: “In a statement, the campaign said that Clinton ‘Did not send nor receive any e-mails that were marked classified at the time.’”
In reality, the inspectors general reports that prompted the FBI investigation determined that Clinton’s e-mails “contained classified information when they were generated.”
Mitchell concluded: “But this, of course, has now emerged as a campaign issue and it could have contributed to the sharp decline in our new poll in Clinton's favorable ratings.”
On Monday and Tuesday, Mitchell suggested “inaccurate reporting” on the e-mail scandal had caused Clinton’s drop in the polls.
On Wednesday’s CBS This Morning, correspondent Margaret Brennan actually did note that classified information had been exchanged in Clinton’s e-mails:
7:09 AM ET
GAYLE KING: This morning the FBI is looking into the private e-mail server that Hillary Clinton used as Secretary of State. Clinton's attorney confirmed the inquiry to CBS News overnight. Margaret Brennan is in Washington where officials say they are concerned that classified information could be mishandled. Margaret, good morning.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Good morning. Well, the FBI is looking into the private setup, and they contacted Clinton's attorney, David Kendall, about the security of a portable thumb drive containing copies of those e-mails. Kendall told CBS News that his team is actively cooperating with the FBI, which is “seeking assurance about the storage of those materials.”
Now, according to The Washington Post, the FBI also contacted the Denver-based technology firm that managed Clinton's server. All of this comes after watchdogs at the State Department and the intelligence community referred the issue to the Justice Department in July. After sampling 40 of some 30,000 e-mails provided by Clinton, they determined that four contained classified information. Now they want to see whether there are others.
A spokesman for Hillary Clinton stressed that the former secretary of state, “did not send nor receive any e-mails that were marked classified at the time.” At this point, Gayle, Hillary Clinton has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
KING: All right. Thank you, Margaret.
ABC’s Good Morning America only provided a 16-second news brief to the major development in the ongoing scandal:
8:02 AM ET
PAULA FARIS: And the FBI is now reportedly investigating the security of Hillary Clinton's e-mails. The Washington Post says that agents have contacted the company that set up Clinton's private server and have asked Clinton's lawyer about the security of a thumb drive that contains copies of those e-mails.
Here is a full transcript of Mitchell’s August 5 report on Today:
7:00 AM ET TEASE:
MATT LAUER: FBI investigation. America's top law enforcement agency now looking into the private e-mail server that Hillary Clinton used as secretary of state. How secure was it?
7:09 AM ET SEGMENT:
LAUER: Alright, Savannah just mentioned that Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and her e-mails as secretary of state back in the news. NBC’s Andrea Mitchell has more on that new FBI investigation. Andrea, good morning to you.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: FBI Probing Clinton Email Security; Server Safety Questioned as Part of Investigation]
ANDREA MITCHELL: Good morning, Matt. There is more fallout today about Hillary Clinton's private e-mail server. A government official confirms the FBI is looking into how the system at Clinton's Chappaqua home was set up as part of its investigation into how secure it was. This is in response to the two inspectors general who asked the Justice Department to look into how classified information was handled on the private system.
As first reported by The Washington Post, the private system was first set up by a political staffer during Clinton's first run for the White House. It was later turned over to a private company after several system failures while she was secretary of state, including during Superstorm Sandy.
The official told NBC News, “This is an of the investigation system, not of any person.”
In a statement, the campaign said that Clinton “Did not send nor receive any e-mails that were marked classified at the time.” But this, of course, has now emerged as a campaign issue and it could have contributed to the sharp decline in our new poll in Clinton's favorable ratings, Matt?
LAUER: Alright, Andrea Mitchell on this story in Washington. Thanks, Andrea.
