On Friday, both NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America ignored the State Department releasing thousands more of Hillary Clinton’s e-mails as well as a federal judge demanding the agency do a better job of making all of the former Secretary of State’s communications public.
By contrast, CBS This Morning reported the important new developments, with co-host Charlie Rose informing viewers: “The State Department today will release another 4,000 pages of e-mails from Hillary Clinton's time as Secretary of State. A federal judge accused officials this week of dragging out the release of those documents.”
Rose even noted the political damage the controversy was doing to Clinton: “There are new signs the issue is nagging Clinton’s presidential campaign. 57% of people in a poll this morning say she is not honest and trustworthy.”
In the report that followed, correspondent Nancy Cordes explained:
We learned this week that the State Department isn't just struggling to make Clinton’s e-mails public, it’s also struggling to get a hold of some e-mails that her top aides sent during her tenure as secretary of state....And according to a federal judge, the State Department hasn't been “anywhere near aggressive enough.” At a court hearing on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Richard Leone argued certain e-mails could be quickly processed by even “the least ambitious bureaucrat,” including routine exchanges containing “schedules and calendars.”
A clip played of Cordes pressing Clinton directly on the issue during a Thursday press conference: “Why has it been so difficult for your inner circle to turn over their e-mails in a timely fashion?”
Evidence to the contrary, Clinton replied: “I think we have been proceeding in a timely fashion. And indeed, the vast majority of the e-mails that I turned over and that are being turned over by others were already in the State Department system.”
Cordes wrapped up the otherwise tough report by touting the Clinton campaign attacking The New York Times for its coverage of an inspector general’s report on the scandal:
Clinton's communications director Jen Palmieri sent a fiery letter to the executive editor of The New York Times this week, slamming the paper for what she called “inexplicable delays” in correcting a story that said Clinton was facing a criminal investigation for receiving classified information on her private account. Palmieri wrote that it was an, quote, “an egregious error,” and that, “Literally hundreds of outlets followed your story, creating a firestorm that had a deep impact that cannot be unwound.”
Here is a full transcript of the July 31 segment:
7:11 AM ET
CHARLIE ROSE: The State Department today will release another 4,000 pages of e-mails from Hillary Clinton's time as Secretary of State. A federal judge accused officials this week of dragging out the release of those documents.
There are new signs the issue is nagging Clinton’s presidential campaign. 57% of people in a poll this morning say she is not honest and trustworthy. Nancy Cordes is in Washington. Nancy, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New Clinton Emails; Federal Judge Blasts State Dept. for Slow Response]
NANCY CORDES: Good morning. We learned this week that the State Department isn't just struggling to make Clinton’s e-mails public, it’s also struggling to get a hold of some e-mails that her top aides sent during her tenure as secretary of state.
In Maryland Thursday, Clinton said the rate at which her e-mails are released is out of her hands.
HILLARY CLINTON: This is really a question for the State Department. They're the ones that are bearing the responsibility to, you know, sort through these thousands and thousands of e-mails.
CORDES: And according to a federal judge, the State Department hasn't been “anywhere near aggressive enough.” At a court hearing on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Richard Leone argued certain e-mails could be quickly processed by even “the least ambitious bureaucrat,” including routine exchanges containing “schedules and calendars.”
MARK TONER: We take very seriously our records management responsibilities.
CORDES: States Department spokesman Mark Toner said the staffers reviewing Clinton’s e-mails are also coping with a huge increase in press requests for documents under the Freedom of Information Act, also known as FOIA.
TONER: We're working hard to stretch our resources to respond to the backload [sic] in FOIA requests.
CORDES: A State Department lawyer told Judge Leone that the agency has had trouble obtaining e-mails from some of Secretary Clinton’s top aides.
[To Clinton] Why has it been so difficult for your inner circle to turn over their e-mails in a timely fashion?
CLINTON: I think we have been proceeding in a timely fashion. And indeed, the vast majority of the e-mails that I turned over and that are being turned over by others were already in the State Department system.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Clinton’s Complaint; Campaign Blasts NY Times Over Email Reporting]
CORDES: Clinton's communications director Jen Palmieri sent a fiery letter to the executive editor of The New York Times this week, slamming the paper for what she called “inexplicable delays” in correcting a story that said Clinton was facing a criminal investigation for receiving classified information on her private account. Palmieri wrote that it was an, quote, “an egregious error,” and that, “Literally hundreds of outlets followed your story, creating a firestorm that had a deep impact that cannot be unwound.” Norah?
NORAH O’DONNELL: The story continues. Nancy, thank you.
