Last night on The Kelly File, Megyn Kelly and former Dick Cheney staffer Shannen Coffin ripped Hillary Clinton amid new revelations indicating the former secretary of state emailed classified information on her personal server. Kelly read multiple quotes from Clinton in recent months denying the allegations, and then remarked on the 2016 presidential candidate’s inconsistent statements: “Now it turns out [to be] not just classified, top secret [information]. And on top of that, the server, the server she said she would never turn over is being turned over. In fact, we believe it is in the DOJ’s possession right now.”
Coffin lamented the potential national security issues the use of a private, unsecured server could cause: “It's sensitive, classified compartmentalized information. What you call SCI. And this is the sort of stuff that the highest level of security is taken in order to protect it.” He added: “You have to have this information stored in a secure facility that's electronically swept that cell phones can't get into. And the reason for that is to protect sources and methods of our intelligence community. This is very, very serious information.”
The former Cheney staffer also took issue with the contention from some that Clinton willingly handed over her server to the FBI: “So, let me give you a shock on that. She didn't turn it over voluntarily. The FBI is doing an investigation. The FBI's investigation is looking into possible criminal mishandling of classified information.”
Kelly cited a Washington Post report that Clinton didn’t use encryption to secure the emails “from foreign intelligence services or from other prying eyes.” The Fox personality explained:
So, what we have here is top secret U.S. intelligence information on the private server in her Chappaqua home which we have already reported was being maintained by one guy, one guy who stepped in to take it over. It wasn't President Clinton's server. It was a separate server, contrary to her denials of the classified information. And now, despite her objections, finally DOJ and FBI have said we are taking it.
Coffin expressed concern that anyone could have had access to the information Clinton was sending on her private server: “[T]he information just went out unencrypted over the Internet where anyone could get it. It was out there served on a platter for foreign intelligence services, which I'm sure they got.”
The relevant portion of the transcript is below.
Fox News
The Kelly File
August 10, 2015MEGYN KELLY: Not only did she have classified information which she told us repeatedly she did not have, she had top secret information in her possession and it sounds like it was from, I want to get the – it was operational and geospatial intelligence from the CIA and the NGA. How bad is that?
SHANNEN COFFIN: Well, this is heavy duty stuff. It's sensitive, classified compartmentalized information. What you call SCI. And this is the sort of stuff that the highest level of security is taken in order to protect it. You have to have this information stored in a secure facility that's electronically swept that cell phones can't get into. And the reason for that is to protect sources and methods of our intelligence community. This is very, very serious information.
MEGYN KELLY: Now, what do you make of the news – so they had found, first she said there is no classified information. None. It doesn't exist. In fact, here is the sound byte to that effect. Here’s the sound byte number one. It went away. I don't know what that means, Shannen, but it is gone. But trust me, it exists. Let me read it for the viewers in part. There is no classified material. This is March 10th. There is no classified material. I did not email any classified information to anyone on my email. And then here she is again in July. I’ve never sent nor received any information that was classified, never sent or received any information that was classified. Did not send or receive anything that was classified. Now it turns out not just classified, top secret [information]. And on top of that, the server, the server she said she would never turn over is being turned over. In fact, we believe it is in the DOJ’s possession right now.
COFFIN: So, let me give you a shock on that. She didn't turn it over voluntarily. The FBI is doing an investigation. The FBI's investigation is looking into possible criminal mishandling of classified information. And in the course of that they are asking who had access to that server while she was using it, while it was operational. Who has had access to it since? They are doing a sweeping investigation here and the first thing they should be doing and should have been doing weeks ago was securing that information and making sure no further national security damage could be done. It's about time, is what I have to say on that.
KELLY: The Washington Post is reporting that there is no evidence she used encryption to shield the emails from foreign intelligence services or from other prying eyes. So, what we have here is top secret U.S. intelligence information on the private server in her Chappaqua home which we have already reported was being maintained by one guy, one guy who stepped in to take it over. It wasn't President Clinton's server. It was a separate server, contrary to her denials of the classified information. And now, despite her objections, finally DOJ and FBI have said we are taking it. We are taking it, madame. And a further exploration is underway at this moment. Where does this go from here?
COFFIN: Well, look, this is a full blown investigation. And it is going to look at other people who used the server. Huma Abedin, Cheryl Mills apparently didn't use this email address, but she was using some form of private email. There are – everyone involved at the highest levels of her administration have lawyered up with some of the best lawyers in the country. You don't do that unless there is a serious concern for criminal exposure. And that's exactly what you have here. The FBI is run by director Jim Comey, who has a reputation – well-earned in the Bush administration – for independence, is going to turn over every stone. And there is every reason to suspect that classified information now – we have confirmation that it was mishandled, and exactly who did it go to? Megyn, there is one important point in all of this, in the early reporting on all of this, it was reported that there wasn't even a security certificate on her server. That is, the information just went out unencrypted over the Internet where anyone could get it. It was out there served on a platter for foreign intelligence services, which I'm sure they got.
