OPINION:
Peter Kadzik, the assistant attorney general of the U.S. Justice Department involved with the probe into Huma Abedin’s emails, gave John Podesta a heads-up on when the State Department would start releasing Hillary Clinton’s emails.
“There is a HJC oversight hearing today where the head of our Civil Division will testify,” Mr. Kadzik emailed from his personal gmail account, with the header “Heads up.”
“Likely to get questions on State Department emails,” Mr. Kadzik continued. “Another filing in the FOIA case went in last night or will go in this am that indicates it will be awhile (2016) before the State Department posts the emails.”
Mr. Podesta, Mrs. Clinton’s campaign chairman, then forwarded the email to Mrs. Clinton’s inner-circle and added: “Additional chances for mischief.”
The email was dated May 19, 2015.
Mr. Kadzik has a close relationship with Mr. Podesta. They both attended Georgetown University law school together in the 1970s and have remained good friends, with Mr. Kadzik frequently dining with Mr. Podesta.
The Washington Free Beacon reported Mr. Kadzik previously donated to Mrs. Clinton and the daughter of Mr. Podesta.
“Kadzik’s first contribution to Clinton came on February 6, 2006, in the form of a $1,000 to HillPAC, a leadership PAC started by Clinton while she was serving in the Senate,” the Beacon reported, noting two more contributions during Mrs. Clinton’s unsuccessful presidential run in 2008. Mr. Kadzik also donated $250 to the school board campaign to Megan Rouse, Mr. Podesta’s daughter.
Mr. Kadzik’s son also requested a job on Mrs. Clinton’s campaign in May 5, 2015.
“I was with my father and Amy recently, and they both suggested I reach out to you,” Mr. Kadzik’s son wrote Mr. Podesta. “I would love to find some time to connect and see if there may be an opportunity for me to help on the campaign.”
His name was then put in the mix for field staffers.
Mr. Kadzik was invited to Mr. Podesta’s brother’s birthday party last year and dined with Mr. Podesta at his home in January, when the FBI probe was well underway.
A Justice Department spokesman said that Mr. Kadzik is not directly overseeing the investigation and that his job is to respond to inquiries from Congress.
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