Media asks judge to release deposition videos involving Clinton aides
Close to two dozen media outlets are pushing for a federal judge to "revisit" a court order preventing the release of deposition videos showing Hillary Clinton's top aides testifying on the former secretary of state's private email server use.
Leading the motion is the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press who, in a letter addressed to U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan, argued that the audiovisual copies of the testimony are of "strong, legitimate public interest" and the American people should have "unfettered access" to documents when they reveal details on government operations and performance, especially in a presidential election year.
"Because a central issue in this case--former Secretary Clinton's use of a nongovernmental email account while at the State Department--is a central issue in the ongoing presidential race, full access to the depositions taken in this matter is or heightened importance to the public," wrote two lawyers representing the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
Though transcripts of the testimony have been released, thanks to efforts made by the conservative group, Judicial Watch, the media outlets argue that they are inferior in evidentiary standard to videos, because transcripts are unable to display nonverbal cues that are "essential indicators of a witness's credibility and veracity." Withholding context, they added, doesn't give the public the most accurate and complete record of the public officials involved in the case, the letter also discloses.
Judge Sullivan, however, referred to the releasing of deposition videos as "unnecessary" after lawyers for former Clinton Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills had argued in May that doing so would "mischaracterize" Ms. Mills' image and voice in "snippets or soundbites," according to Politico reports.
But, the federal judge is still contemplating a request by Judicial Watch to force Clinton to submit a sworn deposition about her private email use, hoping gain a better understanding of why she arranged such a system in the first place. Clinton's lawyers oppose this request, but a hearing on potential Clinton testimony is scheduled to take place in federal court in D.C. on Monday.
The email scandal involving the likely Democratic nominee reached new heights last week after FBI Director James Comey decided against pursuing federal charges against Hillary Clinton, despite faulting her and her aides for being "extremely careless" with classified information. Attorney General Loretta Lynch accepted the recommendation--a decision that caused her to testify before the House Judiciary Committee.