U.S. Inspector General findings that Hillary Clinton evidently mishandled - and potentially compromised - national security information through her rogue email practices as secretary of state of the United States were the subject of scrutiny on the nation’s top Spanish-language networks. So far, Telemundo has dedicated the most time to the developing story, while Univision and MundoFox coverage of the matter has been limited to news briefs.
Telemundo correspondent Lori Montenegro highlighted the fact that both the Inspector General of the U.S. State Department and the Inspector General of the entire U.S. Intelligence Community clarified that their discovery of improperly handled classified information in a small sampling of the Clinton emails did not lead to a “criminal referral” as initially reported by the New York Times, but rather to a “security referral.”
LORI MONTENEGRO, CORRESPONDENT: Two Inspectors General, including that of the intelligence agencies, concluded that at least four of the messages sent by the private account of Mrs. Clinton contained secret information.
Telemundo included both Democrat and Republican political analysts weighing in on the subject. Democrat Federico De Jesús was quoted downplaying the seriousness of the matter, saying that “many times certain information is determined to be classified after it has been communicated or made public.” However, the referenced statement by the Inspector General made clear that the small sampling of emails they examined “contained classified information when they were generated and...that information remains classified today.”
Meanwhile, Republican analyst Alfonso Aguilar opined on Telemundo that the developments strengthen the rap against Clinton that "she is not honest, that she believes she is above the law, that she has been irresponsible."
The relevant portions of the referenced national newscasts appear below:
Noticiero Telemundo 7/24/2015 6:30 PM
JOSE DIAZ-BALART, ANCHOR: Pressure for her management of emails when she was Secretary of State continues to pursue presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Now they are asking the Department of Justice to open an investigation in order to determine if she put the government’s classified information at risk. Lori Montenegro has the latest from Washington, D.C.
LORI MONTENEGRO, CORRESPONDENT: Thanks José. Hillary Clinton was quick to respond to what was first reported as could be a criminal investigation against her, though it was later clarified to be untrue. In New York, Hillary Clinton wanted to talk about the economy, but she could not avoid referring to the most recent chapter of the email scandal while she was Secretary of State.Two Inspectors General, including that of the intelligence agencies, concluded that at least four of the messages sent by the private account of Mrs. Clinton contained secret information. She said she has released more than 55,000 pages of messages, and that she has reiterated many times that she will answer questions from Congress. In addition, the Democratic candidate’s campaign indicated that she did not send classified material to anyone This Republican analyst says that continued talk of the topic will have an impact.
ALFONSO AGUILAR, REPUBLICAN ANALYST: It weakens her in terms of her reputation, that she is not a person that is authentic, that she is not honest, that she believes she is above the law, that she has been irresponsible.
LORI MONTENEGRO, CORRESPONDENT: Here at the Department of Justice, it was confirmed that a report was received that indicates that classified information could have potentially been compromised, but they clarified that this is not a criminal inquiry. This analyst believes no accusation against the Democrat will be made.
FEDERICO DE JESUS, DEMOCRATIC ANALYST: Many times certain information is determined to be classified after it has been communicated or made public, so there is nothing new here. It is much ado about nothing.
LORI MONTENEGRO, CORRESPONDENT: Clinton said she will do everything she can to clarify the issue, but she will keep focusing on the matters he says Americans are interested in. But today, her ideas for reforming the tax system for investors were left in the background. Now, it is up to the Department of Justice to determine whether or not to take action, that is, if it initiates an investigation.
Noticiero Univisión 07/24/2015 6:30 PM
MARIA ELENA SALINAS, ANCHOR: Federal investigators have asked for an analysis of whether there were risks of illegal access to classified information in Hillary Clinton’s private emails when she was Secretary of State. The announcement was made by a Justice Department official today, who clarified that the request of the investigators is not related to a possible crime.
Noticias MundoFox 07/24/2015 5:30 PM
CAROLINA SARASSA, ANCHOR: ...and in the country’s capital the controversy continues over presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s emails. It turns out that when she was Secretary of State Clinton sent various emails from a personal account, and now it emerges that she had sent messages with classified information. Nevertheless, she has been cooperating and has turned all of them over to the Department of Justice.
