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After Clinton criticism, Gov. Mike Pence in his own email controversy

Posted at 11:21 AM, Nov 16, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-16 11:21:02-05

INDIANAPOLIS -- After spending so much time discussing emails, Vice-President-elect Mike Pence is now in his own email controversy.

According to CNN, Pence is being challenged for withholding information from a public records request.

Pence criticized Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server throughout the campaign process. 

“To arrive at a place where even in his testimony before the Congress, and in that long press conference that he gave,” Pence said, via CBS News. “That literally Hillary Clinton had classified information on a private server that she said she didn’t have … that, to me, is the kind of double standard that the American people are weary of.”

He was referring to FBI Director James Comey’s announcement that Clinton wouldn’t face criminal charges regarding her email server.

PREVIOUS | FBI decision on emails draws GOP scrutiny, calls for hearings

A Democratic lawyer, Bill Groth, is fighting Pence’s office in court, saying the transparency of the presidency is at stake.

"If the court buys their separation of powers argument, the executive branch will be exempt from [Indiana's public records law]," Groth said. "Why are they willing to take that risk if they have statutory arguments and they aren't really seeking to exempt the executive?"

Pence’s deputy chief of staff Matt Lloyd said his office isn’t hiding any emails.

"The plaintiff received the text of the email in one question. One email," said Pence deputy chief of staff Matt Lloyd. "The court reviewed the white paper and determined the state was correct in protecting it as attorney client privilege."

Groth did receive the one email he requested, but the battle has been over an attachment on the email.

Indiana’s public access counselor said Pence has complied with state law.

READ MORE | After blasting Clinton, Pence in an email battle of his own