article_snippet: Clinton aides and department officials stressed this week that the former secretary of state did not violate State policy when Clinton exclusively used a private email account for government work.
article_snippet: Clinton was not automatically in violation of State Department policy when Clinton exclusively used a private email during Clinton four years as America's top diplomat, the source added, contradicting other media on Thursday.
article_snippet: Reports claiming that by using personal email Clinton is automatically in violation of that FAM [Foreign Affairs manual] are inaccurate.
article_snippet: Clinton's use of private email was never hidden from anyone, according to a former State Department official.
article_snippet: There were no big internal discussion among State Department lawyers, either, about Clinton's use of private email.
article_snippet: Clinton's exclusive use of a private email system has quickly ballooned this week into a controversy for the presumed Democratic frontrunner for president in 2016.
article_snippet: Experts have said it doesn't appear Clinton violated federal laws, but that hasn't stemmed the issue that has become more about bad optics and politics.
article_snippet: Neither career foreign service officers nor State Department lawyers suggested that Clinton Clinton use a department email address," The New York Times reported, citing a person with direct knowledge of the inner workings of State Department under Clinton.
article_snippet: The questions around Clinton's email use have captivated political watchers over the last week and allowed Republicans to cast Clinton in a similar way Republicans did Clinton husband, former President Bill Clinton:
article_snippet: At the time, Clinton was using Clinton own personal email account to conduct official business.
article_snippet: In addition to directives from State, federal guidelines from Clinton's four years leading not the State Department do not appear to outlaw the exclusive use of personal email devices.
highlights_snippet: Clinton's use of private email was never hidden from anyone .
  
highlights_snippet: Experts have said Clinton's use of private email doesn't appear Clinton violated federal laws .