Hillary Clinton plots response to email scandal
A source close to Hillary Clinton told CBS News that the former secretary of state is considering a public statement in response to revelations that she used only her personal email account rather than a government address while at the State Department.
The source said that a news conference is at the "top of the list" for ways to address the unfolding scandal about her email use. But, the source said, "No decision has been made."
The news about Clinton's email use - and the fact that she reportedly used a "homebrewed" server to run the account -- has sparked a firestorm in Washington. Critics have raised questions about the security of the account, and a committee investigating the 2012 attacks on a U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya has issued a subpoena for "all communications" Clinton had that were related to the attacks.
Even Democrats are beginning to say that Clinton's silence is becoming a liability. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said on "Meet the Press" Sunday that Clinton "needs to step up and come out and state exactly what the situation is ... I think, at this point, from this point on, the silence is going to hurt her."
But Clinton made no mention of the controversy at an event Monday in New York City that highlighted her work for women and girls' rights around the world. It was her third public appearance since the New York Times first reported about her use of a private email address.
Her only comment so far has been a single tweet last Wednesday that read, "I want the public to see my email. I asked State to release them. They said they will review them for release as soon as possible."
The source close to Clinton said her team is still sorting out what she would lay out in a public address.
"They know they need to do something and soon," she said.
CBS News Senior Political Editor Steve Chaggaris contributed to this report.