Colin Powell: Clinton Team Is Trying to ‘Pin’ Email Scandal on Me

The latest: The New York Times reported last week that Clinton told FBI investigators that Colin Powell, who was secretary of state in George W. Bush’s administration, “had advised her to use a personal email account”.

Powell then told The New York Post’s Page Six that Clinton was already using a personal account before he sent the memo.

Earlier Friday, it was reported that Clinton told investigators that it was former Secretary of State Colin Powell who recommended she use a private email account as department head for unclassified communications. Last week, the New York Times reported a story from journalist Joe Conason, whose upcoming book Man of the World: The Further Endeavors of Bill Clinton includes an account of Powell advising Clinton to use a private email account.

Representatives for Powell, in a separate statement to NBC news, said he had no recollection of the conversation with Clinton but did write to her.

Powell told People magazine that he believes the Hillary Clinton campaign is trying to blame him for the scandal that has become a target of the Republican Party in her bid for the White House. During that conversation Powell again allegedly urged Clinton to use a private email account for all State Department functions except those designated as classified.

A federal court has ordered Hillary Clinton to answer written questions from a conservative legal advocacy group about her emails. But according to The Times, he interviewed both Hillary and Bill Clinton for his book.

Clinton has apologized for exclusively using the private email account and her own server during her time as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. “But it’s okay; I’m free”, Powell said.

In a weird twist in the running sore that is the ongoing email server scandal, the notes of the Federal Bureau of Investigation interview with Hillary Clinton, released in redacted form to Congress, revealed that the Democratic presidential candidate blamed Colin Powell for the arrangement. While Powell did use private email in office, unlike Clinton, he did not have a private server at his home or rely on outside contractors to set up and maintain his system.

Unlike Hillary Clinton, Colin Powell “used a secure State computer on his desk to manage classified information”. The judge gave Clinton 30 days to respond – so if Judicial Watch procrastinates, it’s possible Clinton could delay answering the questions until after election day on November 8.

“The judge also ordered the government to start turning over emails the FBI recovered from Clinton’s server in its now closed criminal investigation”.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gives a thumbs up after a speech with Vice President Joe Biden at Riverfront Sports in Scranton, Pa., on August 15.