The Hill – by Rebecca Savransky
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Thursday submitted written answers under penalty of perjury in a lawsuit about her use of a private email server while secretary of State.
In the answers, submitted to conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch, the Democratic nominee wrote 20 times she didn’t recall the information that was requested.
“Secretary Clinton states that she does not recall being advised, cautioned, or warned,” about her email server, lawyers for Clinton wrote.
“She does not recall that it was ever suggested to her, and she does not recall participating in any communication, conversation, or meeting in which it was discussed that her use of a clintonemail.com e-mail account to conduct official State Department business conflicted with or violated federal record keeping laws.”
On Monday, Clinton signed the legal filing “under penalty of perjury.”
A federal judge had ordered her to answer written questions in connection with a Freedom of Information Action lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch. Lawyers for Judicial Watch had initially requested a live deposition to question the Democratic nominee.
Judicial Watch submitted 25 questions to Clinton on Aug. 30.
The questions centered around the setup of Clinton’s private email server and how it was used. One questioned if Clinton had been previously warned about whether the use of a private server to conduct official State Department business was in conflict with federal record keeping laws.
Clinton’s lawyers said the Democratic nominee used the clintonemail.com account for “convenience.”
“Secretary Clinton states that she does not recall considering factors other than convenience in deciding to use a personal e-mail account to conduct official State Department business,” the attorneys said.
Another question asked about a statement Clinton made during a “60 Minutes” interview where she reportedly said it had been recommended to her she use a private email account.
In the response, the Democratic nominee’s lawyers said former Secretary of State Colin Powell had advised her in 2009 “about his use of a personal e-mail account to conduct official State Department business.”
Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said in a statement Clinton had “answered these same questions in multiple settings for over a year, and her answers here are entirely consistent with what she has said many times before.”
“Judicial Watch is a right-wing organization that has been attacking the Clintons since the 1990s, and this frivolous lawsuit is just its latest failed attempt to hurt her campaign for the Presidency,” Fallon said.