State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Monday that the Obama administration will not fire senior State official Patrick Kennedy over allegations that he pressured FBI officials to not classify emails from Hillary Clinton’s private server.
Republican Reps. Jason Chaffetz (Utah) and Devin Nunes (Calif.) have both called for the immediate removal of Kennedy, pending an investigation, after reports surfaced that he tried to negotiate a "quid pro quo" to declassify emails from Clinton’s server.
FBI documents show that Kennedy discussed with an FBI official getting at least one email declassified in exchange for authorizing additional FBI personnel to be posted in Iraq.
"That’s their prerogative, but I can say that Pat Kennedy is going to stay at his job and he has the full confidence of the secretary of state," Toner said when asked about Chaffetz and Nunes’ call for his removal.
Chaffetz has said he will conduct congressional investigations into the alleged "quid pro quo" discussion.