Hillary Clinton’s personal server held emails containing intelligence from the government’s most secret programs, according to a letter sent by the inspector general of the intelligence community to senior lawmakers.
Fox News obtained the letter from I. Charles McCullough III, sent January 14, laying out conclusions of a recent review by multiple intelligence agencies which identified "several dozen" additional emails on Clinton’s server containing classified information. These classified emails include messages that contain intelligence from "special access programs" (SAP), which is more sensitive than information classified as "top secret."
McCullough previously concluded from a sample of emails from Clinton’s server that at least two of her emails contained top secret information at the time they were sent or received. Clinton, however, has insisted that she never sent nor received information marked classified on her personal email.
The news comes as Clinton, a Democratic presidential candidate, continues to endure scrutiny for her use of personal email as secretary of state.
"To date, I have received two sworn declarations from one [intelligence community] element. These declarations cover several dozen emails containing classified information determined by the IC element to be at the confidential, secret, and top secret/sap levels," the unclassified letter from McCullough read. "According to the declarant, these documents contain information derived from classified IC element sources."
Access to SAP intelligence is restricted to an absolute minimum because of its high sensitivity. According to Executive Order 13526, which President Obama signed into law in December 2009, a special access program should only be established when "the vulnerability of, or threat to, specific information is exceptional" and "the normal criteria for determining eligibility for access applicable to information classified at the same level are not deemed sufficient to protect the information from unauthorized disclosure."
"Unless otherwise authorized by the President, only the Secretaries of State, Defense, Energy, and Homeland Security, the Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence, or the principal deputy of each, may create a special access program," the executive order read.
"For special access programs pertaining to intelligence sources, methods, and activities (but not including military operational, strategic, and tactical programs), this function shall be exercised by the Director of National Intelligence. These officials shall keep the number of these programs at an absolute minimum."
McCullough’s letter was reportedly sent to leaders of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in addition to to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the inspector general of the State Department.
Clinton has witnessed her favorability and honesty scores erode as she receives criticism for her use of private email to conduct government business at the State Department.