In her interview with the FBI this summer, Hillary Clinton told investigators that Colin Powell, who served as secretary of state from 2001-2005, recommended she use a private email account, reports NBC News. He reportedly made the suggestion in an informal setting soon after she assumed her State Department role.
According to the Democratic nominee, Powell made the suggestions at a small dinner party shortly after Clinton took over at the State Department in 2009 and in an email exchange around the same time, The New York Times first reported. Two sources later confirmed to NBC News that Clinton gave that account to investigators in July.
This revelation was found in the report the FBI handed over to Congress earlier this week. The House Oversight Committee had requested the notes from Clinton's meeting with the FBI, as a complete transcript was unavailable.
Was Clinton trying to defer some blame to Powell as a means to exonerate herself?
Powell's office has responded to Clinton's claim by insisting the general has "no recollection" of the conversation. In the statement, his staff concedes that Powell did mention his use of an AOL email for unclassified messages, but when it came to sending or receiving classified intel, he used his desktop computer in his government office.