WASHINGTON — Try as she might to focus on the policies she wants to enact if elected president, Hillary Rodham Clinton just can’t dig out of her inbox.

Clinton’s email problems are getting worse. She agreed to turn over her private server to the Justice Department this week on the same day Congress got word that at least two emails that traversed the device while she was secretary of state contained information that warranted one of the highest levels of classification.

The developments suggest the investigation into the security of Clinton’s email setup could run deep into 2016, as she is trying to win the Democratic nomination and, potentially, the general election.

Clinton aides argue there’s nothing for investigators to find. What worries them more is the lingering whiff of political scandal in a tightening primary race, and they pushed back hard on Wednesday.

“Look, this kind of nonsense comes with the territory of running for president. We know it, Hillary knows it, and we expect it to continue from now until Election Day,” campaign communications director Jennifer Palmieri emailed supporters.

While her Democratic rivals have yet to seize on the issue, it has become a major part of the Republican case against Clinton.

Advertisement

“I think it’s about time that she dealt with the consequences of this,” said candidate and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. “This is something that isn’t just a matter of her not being able to tell the truth; this is something that has put national security at risk and highly questions her ability to be the commander in chief of the United States.”

Clinton’s campaign said she would turn over the server just hours after she wrapped up two days of campaigning in New Hampshire, where she outlined a plan to address college affordability and student loan debt – a centerpiece proposal of her policy platform.

The announcement about her email server, which got much more attention that her college affordability plan, marked a retreat for Clinton. She had previously refused to turn over the server to a House committee investigating the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya. Clinton’s attorney said then the server had been wiped clean and no emails remained on the device.

The reversal comes as her chief Democratic rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, is drawing some of the largest crowds of the primaries.

Recent polls show a tighter race between Clinton and Sanders in the early contests of Iowa and New Hampshire than many expected, and Vice President Joe Biden has indicated that he will decide next month whether to get into the race.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.