Obama Administration Hides Official Emails - House Speaker

Former Secretary of State - and likely 2016 presidential candidate - Hillary Clinton has come under fire for using private emails for official work during her tenure. Republicans and some government transparency advocates are saying that this is just a continuation of White House obfuscation.

According to federal law, letters and emails written and received by federal officials, including the secretary of state, are considered government records and are intended to be retained so that congressional committees, historians and members of the news media can eventually review them. 

While Clinton has turned over a mass of private emails to the State Department for Review, questions abound if she might have selectively omitted some. Her successor, John Kerry, has said reviewing the emails will take months adding to charges of obfuscation.

Republicans in Congress want the emails to check her story regarding the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya. Islamic militants attacked the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi killing U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, the first U.S. Ambassador killed in the line of duty since 1979.

The fact that Clinton has been able to nitpick what emails she turned over has Republicans as well as government transparency advocates angry and concerned.

Speaker of the House John Boehner has said that the Obama administration "has a long history of slow-walking investigations and failing the transparency test, especially when it comes to email." He accused the president of obfuscating when it comes to making information available into the Benghazi investigation.

On his site, Boehner listed several examples in which he says the White House has been less-than-forthcoming in responding to requests for official correspondence. 

For example, in May 2013, the White House offered documents and emails related to UN Ambassador Susan Rice’s talking points regarding the Benghazi incident in response to a Congressional investigation. However, relevant emails were not made available for another year. 

During an inquiry into possible discrimination against conservatives, some of IRS official Lois Lerner’s emails went "mysteriously missing," Boehner said, pointing out that IRS Commissioner John Koskinen claimed in June 2014 "all emails are not official records."

"Just this week, a U.S. District Court judge blasted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for destroying emails requested in 2012 under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)" the Speaker’s website said. "Separately, former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson infamously used a fake email address and the alias '"Richard Windsor.'"

In another incident, this one regarding the troubles launch of the Healthcare.gov health exchange website, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner sent an email to a subordinate asking her to “please delete this email.”