Officials pressure FBI in declassification of Clinton email read more at here www.spinonews.com/index.php/item/1317-officials-pressure-fbi-in-declassification-of-clinton-email

According to notes from interviews conducted during an FBI investigation into Clinton's email practices, Undersecretary of State Patrick Kennedy personally tried to convince FBI officials that the email should be declassified.

The FBI is denying that any was offered in the fight between the bureau and State Department over the classification level of the email, though one interview described it as such.

A top official at the State Department repeatedly sought to have the FBI back down on classifying the contents of an email from Hillary Clinton's private email server, documents revealed.

At issue are somewhat contradictory interview notes contained in the crop of newly released FBI documents. In one, an FBI official recounted hearing second-hand that the State Department had offered a "quid pro quo" in exchange for declassifying an email.

In another, a different FBI official said he told State Department he'd look into the email, if State Department looked into his request for personnel in Iraq.

An FBI records management official told the FBI in one interview that a member of the International Operations Division (IOD) told him that Kennedy had reached out to have an email unclassified in exchange for a "quid pro quo," according to the records management official, documents revealed Monday show. The records management official said the IOD official "pressured" him to change the email's classification.

After the meeting, the individual said, "Kennedy spent the next 15 minutes debating the classification for his email and attempting to influence the FBI to change its markings."

That Records Management official concluded State had an "agenda" related to "minimizing" the classification issues with Clinton's emails.

The FBI maintained the email should remain classified.

The newly released documents contain a summary of interview notes related to the FBI's investigation into whether classified information was improperly handled while Clinton was secretary of state.

But another interview contained in the same collection said that though Kennedy reached out to FBI about declassifying the email, it was the FBI that brought up getting agents stationed in Iraq.

That FBI employee said he personally spoke with Kennedy about the email, and that he suggested he would "look into the email matter" if Kennedy "would provide authority concerning the FBI's request to increase its personnel in Iraq."

In a follow-up, however, that FBI employee was told the email would remain classified, and relayed that to Kennedy. According to the interviews, Kennedy tried several times to get the FBI to declassify the email.

The dispute was over an email that State determined to be unclassified, but in inter-agency review, the FBI said contained classified information.

State said the email was released, with redactions, in May 2015 as part of its Freedom of Information Act disclosure. The email, from November 18, 2012, was about possible arrests related to the Benghazi attacks.

No increase in FBI Iraq slots resulted from this conversation, Toner said. He added in the daily press briefing that Kennedy would remain in his role and had the full confidence of Secretary of State John Kerry.

The FBI is releasing the documents after concluding its investigation into Clinton's server. After its review, the FBI found there was no evidence for any criminal charges related to the probe.

Still, Republicans were seizing on the new interviews Monday, using them to attack Clinton and calling for Kennedy's departure.