Hillary Clinton’s use of private e-mail reflects poor judgment

[Commentary] Hillary Rodham Clinton has served as First Lady, a Senator from New York and Secretary of State. She is no newcomer to the corridors of power. Her decision to exclusively use a private e-mail account while secretary suggests she made a deliberate decision to shield her messages from scrutiny. It was a mistake that reflects poor judgment about a public trust.

Clinton essentially privatized her e-mail, reserving to herself to decide what should be in the record. Clinton’s spokesman said she followed the “letter and spirit of the rules.” The letter, perhaps, was followed, but certainly not the spirit. If people aspire to public service, they should behave as stewards of a public trust, and that includes the records -- all of them. Clinton’s use of private e-mail shows poor regard for that public trust.