Congressional leaders called for the immediate removal of Under Secretary of State Patrick Kennedy on Monday following reports of “quid pro quo” dealings in the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private email server.
U.S. Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Devin Nunes (R-CA), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, called for Kennedy to be investigated for misconduct.
FBI documents related to the investigation indicate that Kennedy requested that the FBI reverse its decision to deem a Clinton email related to Benghazi confidential in exchange for the State Department supporting increased FBI personnel in Iraq.
“We find Under Secretary Kennedy’s actions extremely disturbing,” Chaffetz and Nunes said in a joint statement. “Those who receive classified intelligence should not barter in it. that is reckless behavior with our nation’s secrets. Someone who would try to get classification markings doctored should not continue serving in the State Department or retain access to classified information. Therefore, President Obama and Secretary Kerry should immediately remove Under Secretary Kennedy pending a full investigation.”
U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, called allegations of quid pro quo dealings in the FBI investigation “serious.”
“We continue to debate this matter solely because Secretary Clinton and her team deliberately chose to set up a personal server on which to conduct official, and often classified, government business,” Burr said. “Classified information was transmitted, as other government agencies have confirmed. State Department knew it, Patrick Kennedy knew it, and yet they continue to fight it. The allegations of a potential quid pro quo are serious. It is our understanding that these conversations are being reviewed further, as they should be.”