TheU.S.

DepartmentofClinton
ThelatestemailsshowthatStateandthefoundationwereoneseamlessentity.

ByKIMBERLEYA.STRASSEL
Aug.25,20167:29p.m.ET

Thisistheweekthatthesteadydrip,drip,dripofdetailsaboutHillaryClintonsserverturnedintoa
waterfall.ThisistheweekthatwefinallylearnedwhyMrs.Clintonusedaprivatecommunications
setup,andwhatithid.Thisistheweek,inshort,thatwefoundoutthattheinfamousserverwas
designedtohidethatMrs.ClintonforthreeyearsservedastheU.S.SecretaryoftheClintonFoundation.

InMarchthiscolumnarguedthatwhileMrs.Clintonsmishandlingofclassifiedinformationwas
important,itmissedthebiggerpoint.TheDemocraticnomineeobviouslydidntsetupherserverwith
theexpresspurposeofexposingnationalsecretsthatwasincidental.Shesetuptheservertokeep
secretthedetailsoftheClintonsprivatelifealifebuiltaroundanelaborateandsweepingmoney
raisingandselfpromotingentityknownastheClintonFoundation.

HadSecretaryClintonkeptthefoundationatarmslengthwhileinofficeasobviousethicalstandards
wouldhavedictatedtherewouldneverhavebeenanyneedforaprivateserver,orevenprivateemail.
ThevastmajorityofherelectroniccommunicationswouldhaverelatedtoherjobattheState
Department,withmaybethatoccasionalyogaschedule.AndthoseFreedomofInformationActofficers
wouldhavehadlittledifficultywhenlatergoingthroughastate.govemailscreeningouttheclearly
personalbeforemakingherrecordspublic.Thisishowitworksforeverybodyelse.

Mrs.ClintonsproblemaswenowknowfromthisweeksreleaseofemailsfromHumaAbedins
privateClintonserveraccountwasthattherewasnodividebetweenpublicandprivate.Mrs.Clintons
StateDepartmentandherfamilyfoundationwereoneseamlessentityemployingthesamepeople,
comparingschedules,mixingfoundationdonorswithStatesupplicants.Thisiswhyshemaintaineda
secretserver,andwhyshedeleted15,000emailsthatshouldhavebeenturnedovertothegovernment.

MostofthefocusonthisweeksAbedinemailshascenteredonthedisturbingexamplesofClinton
FoundationexecutiveDougBandnegotiatingStatefavorsforfoundationdonors.Butequallyinstructive
inthe725pagesreleasedbyJudicialWatchisthefrequencyandbanalityofmostoftheemail
interaction.Mr.BandasksifHillarysdoingthisconference,orhavingthatmeeting,andwhenshes
goingtoBrazil.Ms.Abedinrespondsthatshesworkingonit,orwillgetthisorthatanswer.Thesearent
theemailsofmerecasualacquaintances;theydontevenbotherwithsalutationsorsignoffs.Theseare
theemailsoftwopeopleengagedinthesamepurposeservingtheStateClintonFoundationnexus.

Theotherundernotedbutimportantrevelationisthatthemediahasbeenlookinginthewrongplace.
ThefocusisonMrs.Clintonsmissingemails,andnodoubtthose15,000FBIrecoveredtextscontain
nuggets.Thenagain,Mrs.Clintonwasabusywoman,andmostofthedetailsofherdaily

State/foundationlifewouldhavebeenhandledbytrustedaides.Thisiswhythey,too,hadprivate
email.TopmarkstoJudicialWatchforpursuingMs.Abedinsfilefromthestart.Anewurgencyneedsto
gointoseeingsimilaremailsofformerClintonChiefofStaffCherylMills.
Mostly,welearnedthisweekthatMrs.Clintonsfoundationissuegoesfarbeyondtheappearanceof
aconflictofinterest.Thisisstraightuppaytoplay.WhenMr.BandsendsanemaildemandingaHillary
meetingwiththecrownprinceofBahrainandnotesthathesagoodfriendofours,whatMr.Band
meansisthatthecrownprincehadcontributedmillionstoaClintonGlobalInitiativescholarship
program,andthereforehasboughtfacetime.Itdoesntgetmoreclearcut,folks.

ThatshighlightedbytheAssociatedPresssextraordinaryfindingthisweekthatofthe154outside
peopleMrs.Clintonmetwithinthefirstyearsofhertenure,morethanhalfwereClintonFoundation
donors.Clintonapologists,likeVoxsMatthewYglesias,areclaimingthatstatisticisoverblown,because
the154doesntincludethousandsofmeetingsheldwithforeigndiplomatsandU.S.officials.

Nicetry.Asthenationstopdiplomat,Mrs.Clintonwasobligedtomeetwithdiplomatsandofficials
notwithothers.Onlyablessedfewoutsidersscoredmeetingswiththeharriedsecretaryofstateand,
surprise,mostoftheblessedwereClintonFoundationdonors.

Mrs.Clintonsonlywhisperofgraceisthatitremains(asitalwaysdoesinpotentialcasesofcorruption)
hardtoconnectthedots.Therearequids(foundationdonations)andquos(Bahrainarmsdeals)all
overtheplace,butnopreciseevidenceofpros.CountontheClintonmenagerietodwellinthatsliver
ofarefuge.

Butdoesitevenmatter?Whatwediscoveredthisweekisthatoneofthenationstopofficialscreateda
privateserverthathousedproofthatshecontinuedasecret,ongoingentwinementwithherfamily
foundationdespiteethicsagreementsandthatshedestroyedpublicrecords.Ifthatalonedoesnt
disqualifyherforthepresidency,itshardtoknowwhatwould.

Writetokim@wsj.com.