Scandal or manufactured controversy?
On Monday, March 2, The New York Times reported that Hillary Clinton had potentially violated federal law in her use of a private email server for both personal and official business during her time as Secretary of State. Since then, Clinton has received intense scrutiny over her use of a personal email account during her tenure as Secretary of State.
The Times reported that, “under federal law, letters and emails written and received by federal officials, such as the Secretary of State, are considered government records and are supposed to be retained so that congressional committees, historians, and members of the news media can find them.”
The Times coverage set in motion critical media attention on Clinton’s lack of transparency. Many have speculated a link to national security and her Democratic nomination for president.
Clinton’s use of a personal email account during her time as Secretary of State has opened up speculation regarding her Democratic candidacy.
On March 3, The Washington Post asserted that Clinton’s private email “appears to bolster long-standing criticism that Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have not been transparent.”
On the same day, an article published on The Atlantic linked Clinton’s private email to her presidential campaign.
“If the Clintons return to the White House, we can expect more suspicious secrets, stonewalling, and opaqueness, much as we’ve seen in the past,” wrote Connor Friedersdorf, a staff writer for the publication. “Voters have been given ample warning.”
Compiled research done by conservative media watchdogs Media Matters, however, asserts that the article from The Times was flawed reporting. The media frenzy that followed the March 2 Times report has ushered in Republican partisan analysis. According to Media Matters researcher Jeremy Holden, the media has piled on the scandal “with innuendo and reckless speculation that is now being cited by Republicans to justify superfluous Benghazi investigations.”
Amidst the speculative, polarizing discussions surrounding Clinton’s political running, hdr22@clintonemail.com was no secret. The provocative blog Gawker first revealed Clinton’s email address in March 2013, after hacker Guccifer gained access to the former White House staff AOL account. Furthermore, records have shown that the private email was registered on the day of her confirmation hearing back in January 2009.
In 2014, when asked by state representatives for her records, Clinton sent all 55, 000 pages of her emails.
The extreme opinions on Clinton’s use of a private server notwithstanding, the media frenzy lacks precedence over the actual materialization of an email review. According to State officials, such a review could take months. Republican and Democrat strategists can only wait for results.
In the meantime, Clinton’s email “scandal” can be analyzed as a double-edged sword in the presidential running. Thus far, Clinton stands for above any other potential candidates running for the Democratic Party. Controversy surrounding Clinton’s transparency has its practical impact. With the elections less than a year away, it is expected of Clinton to start getting vetted by real opposition.