American VP Pence used private email as governor, was hacked
US Vice President Mike Pence had used a private email account to conduct official duties as governor of Indiana, according to a statement. The Indianapolis Star first reported that Pence had used the private AOL email to discuss sensitive issues and homeland security matters. The account was hacked last year. Public officials aren't prohibited from using personal email accounts under Indiana laws.
Pence defends private email use, calls it lawful
Pence's press secretary said the use of a personal and government email account was consistent with previous governors. Pence also "directed outside counsel to review all of his communications to ensure that state-related emails are being transferred and properly archived by the state, in accordance with the law." Indiana law requires all state business communication to be retained and available for public information requests.
Pence had criticized Clinton over private email server
Pence had criticized Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign over her use of a private email server while she served as secretary of state. He accused Clinton of endangering national security by exposing state secrets to potential hackers. Pence's spokesman called comparisons between Pence and Clinton "absurd." He said unlike Clinton, Pence didn't deal with federally classified material as governor.
Experts say Pence's emails were as insecure as Clinton's
Cybersecurity experts believe Pence's emails were just as insecure as Clinton's. There was speculation about Clinton's emails being hacked. However, a scammer breached Pence's account and sent emails to Pence's contacts claiming he and his wife were stranded in the Philippines and urgently needed money.
