By Sara Nathan and Jeff Nelson
08/21/2016 AT 09:00 PM EDT
Hillary Clinton's email scandal continues.
On Friday, the New York Times reported that Clinton told FBI officials former Secretary of State Colin Powell had advised her to use a personal email account while she held the Secretary of State office herself.
"Her people have been trying to pin it on me," Powell, 79, told PEOPLE Saturday night at the Apollo in the Hamptons 2016 Night of Legends fête in East Hampton, New York.
"The truth is, she was using [the private email server] for a year before I sent her a memo telling her what I did," Powell added.
Why does the former diplomat believe this to be the case?
"Why do you think?" he said. "It doesn't bother me. But it's okay; I'm free."
The email scandal has dogged presidential hopeful Clinton for more than a year. But federal officials decided not to pursue criminal charges after a three-and-a-half-hour interview, which was when the Democratic nominee disclosed her alleged conversation with Powell.
http://www.people.com/article/colin-powell-hillary-clinton-pinning-email-scandal-on-him
08/21/2016 AT 09:00 PM EDT
Hillary Clinton's email scandal continues.
On Friday, the New York Times reported that Clinton told FBI officials former Secretary of State Colin Powell had advised her to use a personal email account while she held the Secretary of State office herself.
"Her people have been trying to pin it on me," Powell, 79, told PEOPLE Saturday night at the Apollo in the Hamptons 2016 Night of Legends fête in East Hampton, New York.
"The truth is, she was using [the private email server] for a year before I sent her a memo telling her what I did," Powell added.
Why does the former diplomat believe this to be the case?
"Why do you think?" he said. "It doesn't bother me. But it's okay; I'm free."
The email scandal has dogged presidential hopeful Clinton for more than a year. But federal officials decided not to pursue criminal charges after a three-and-a-half-hour interview, which was when the Democratic nominee disclosed her alleged conversation with Powell.
http://www.people.com/article/colin-powell-hillary-clinton-pinning-email-scandal-on-him
