State Department refuses to back Hillary Clinton attempt to avoid deposition

The State Department on Monday rejected Hillary Clinton’s effort to avoid depositions for herself and her former chief of staff in a lawsuit brought by the government watchdog organization Judicial Watch.

The former Secretary of State and her former top aide Cheryl Mills are seeking a writ of mandamus to avoid a judge’s order requiring their testimony in an open records case involving Clinton’s use of a private email server for government business.

"The government did not seek and thus does not support the extraordinary relief of mandamus due to the unique circumstances of this case," reads the State Department's response signed by multiple members of the Justice Department.

"One aspect of the district court’s rulings, although not central to the pending petition, is of particular concern to the government: assertions that the government acted in bad faith in litigating this FOIA request are wholly without basis," the Department's response says.

U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth in early March granted the request to depose Clinton about why she utilized a private email server, her grasp of "State's records management obligations," and any information she has about materials pertaining to the 2012 Benghazi attack. 

Clinton and her former Chief of Staff later in March sought a writ of mandamus from the Court of Appeals to avoid having to sit for depositions.

Clinton has long come under scrutiny for her use of a private email server while serving as the Secretary of State.