By Todd Beamon   |   Wednesday, 05 Aug 2015

The FBI has begun a criminal inquiry into Hillary Clinton's email account and her use of the private server and other devices during her four years as secretary of state, according to news reports.

"It’s definitely a criminal probe," a federal source told The New York Post on Wednesday. "I’m not sure why they’re not calling it a criminal probe."

The individual stressed that the Department of Justice and the FBI "can conduct civil investigations in very limited circumstances," but that's not what is occurring here.

"In this case, a security violation would lead to criminal charges," the source told the Post. "Maybe DOJ is trying to protect her campaign."

David Kendall, Clinton's attorney, confirmed earlier Wednesday that the FBI was investigating the security of the devices on which Clinton's private emails were stored during her tenure as the nation's top diplomat.

"We are actively cooperating" with the probe, Kendall said in a statement.

The investigation began after the inspector general of the U.S. intelligence community alerted the FBI last month that classified information had been included in some of the emails that went through Clinton's personal home server.

The referral to the Justice Department did not seek a criminal probe and did not specifically target Clinton.

"Quite predictably, after the ICIG made a referral to ensure that materials remain properly stored, the government is seeking assurance about the storage of those materials," Kendall said in the statement.

The Washington Post reported the FBI's involvement on Tuesday. The agency also asked Kendall about the security of a thumb drive he has containing copies of Clinton's work emails sent during her tenure as secretary of state, according to that report.

The Clinton campaign did not immediately respond to the New York Post's request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.