Gowdy Does Not Mince Words Reacting to Hillary Email Revelation: ‘This Is a National Security Issue’

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), the chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi, released a statement Tuesday night calling the Hillary Clinton email matter a "national security issue."

The conservative congressman was reacting to news that the Democratic frontrunner would turn her private home server, used to send emails while secretary of state, over to the Justice Department.

“For months the Select Committee on Benghazi has called on Secretary Clinton to turn over her server to a neutral, detached third party for independent forensic examination. She refused every entreat," Gowdy said. "Secretary Clinton said she created this unusual email arrangement with herself for 'convenience.' It may have been convenient for her, but it has been troubling at multiple levels for the rest of the country."

(Photo by Gabriella Demczuk/Getty Images)

"Congress, the media, the public, private litigants and FOIA requestors were denied access to public documents, and recently the Inspectors General for two separate Executive Branch entities expressed concern about the possible exposure of classified material as a direct result of her decision to eschew the email rules applicable to everyone else and create her own," he continued.

[sharequote align="right"]"This is a serious national security issue, and the seriousness of it should transcend normal, partisan politics."[/sharequote]

Gowdy expressed much concern over the inspector general for the intelligence community noting that emails deemed "TOP SECRET" traversed through her server.

“The IC Inspector General revealed Secretary Clinton’s emails and server contained not just ‘top secret’ classified information, but 'compartmented' classified intelligence not releasable to foreigners, which must be noted in the timing of this announcement," Gowdy said.

He added, "This is a serious national security issue, and the seriousness of it should transcend normal, partisan politics."

Gowdy concluded by suggesting the revelations surrounding Clinton's email were only exposed because truth-seekers continued to demand answers.

“The revelation that Secretary Clinton exclusively used private email for official public business, and the multitude of issues that emanated from her decision, including this most recent one, demonstrates what can happen when Congress and those equally committed to exposing the truth, doggedly pursue facts and follow them," he said.

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