Pentagon chief used personal email account for nearly a year

WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Ash Carter used his personal email account for government business for nearly a year, until December 2015, when news reports revealed the practice, according to hundreds of Carter emails released by the Defense Department.

The 1,336 pages of emails and attachments from Carter's personal account were released late Friday in response to Freedom of Information Act requests by The Associated Press and other news organizations. None contained classified information.

The Pentagon long has banned the use of personal email for official business. Carter's use of his personal email account, starting when he took office in February 2015, was remarkable given the criticism that followed disclosures that Hillary Clinton had used a private email account to conduct government business while she was secretary of state.

When the New York Times first reported Carter's use of a personal email account on Dec. 17, Carter aides said his actions were a mistake, and he had quit the practice.

The emails released show while he used the personal account less frequently about September, he did not halt the practice until December.

In a Nov. 21 email using his personal account he wrote, "My work email isn't working on my iPhone. If you need me this weekend please email me here and cc my work address too."

In what appears to be an auto-response sent from his personal account Dec. 18, Carter wrote, "I am no longer utilizing personal e-mail for the remainder of my time as the Secretary of Defense. If you need to get in touch with me regarding a personal matter please contact me on my cell phone. If you are contacting me pertaining to business please contact my Assistant, (redacted by Defense Department)."

He ended the note by writing, "You will not receive ANY additional response to this e-mail."

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement to the AP that the released emails show that none contained classified information. Cook said all of Carter's work-related emails are preserved within the federal records system.