Goodlatte Defends Ivanka’s Private Emails: ‘It’s Awfully Tough’ To Follow Rules

Following his colleague Rep. Trey Gowdy’s (R-SC) calls for information about first daughter Ivanka Trump’s use of private email for official business, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) defended Trump, arguing that it’s “awfully tough” to follow email rules.

“When things like this come up, it’s important people understand, they need to make sure they’re doing what they can,” Goodlatte told CNN’s Erin Burnett on “OutFront” Monday. “And it’s awfully tough, as everyone knows, when you’re sending emails about a lot of different things to make sure that you’re doing it according to the rules in the White House or wherever you’re doing it.”

“I’m sure Hillary Clinton would agree with you,” Burnett responded as she ended the interview.

The defense is particularly rich given Goodlatte and fellow Republicans’ chronic cries for investigations over Clinton’s use of a private email server when she was secretary of state, even though the FBI has probed and cleared Clinton for her email malpractice.

Goodlatte was quick to note that the consequences of Trump and Clinton’s missteps were vastly different.

“I do think, of course, it’s very different to send private emails about matters that are not classified information,” Goodlatte said. “There’s a criminal penalty imposed for doing that — when you have classified information that is transmitted improperly, as was the allegation, and I think the facts now support, with regard to Hillary Clinton.”

Goodlatte defends Ivanka's private email use: "It's awfully tough" to make sure you're following the White House rules when sending emails pic.twitter.com/JgaPTW0oqc

— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) November 27, 2018