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Vice President Pence was the highest-ranking government official in attendance Saturday night at the Gridiron dinner, an annual gathering of Washingtons top political journalists. As he has with the upcoming White House Correspondents Association dinner, President Trump declined his invitation to the Gridiron event.

In a lengthy address, Pence roasted reporters as well as politicians and staff members Democrats and Republicans who were at the white-tie affair. He lobbed a few jokes in his own direction, starting with a lighthearted quip about his attire.

I thought Id be okay wearing a black tie tonight, Pence joked, according to NPR. Then Nancy Pelosi asked me to refill her coffee.

Pence wrapped up by issuing a defense of a free press and First Amendment rights.

Below is the White House pool report of Pences remarks, with our annotations. To see an annotation, click on the highlighted text.

MIKE PENCE: Im pleased to be joined by a number of members of President Trumps Cabinet. And frankly with all of Chuck Schumers obstruction, Im just glad we had enough to fill the head table.

Its especially great that TV journalists are finally allowed to attend. I see all the major networks are represented here, which makes it easier for me because I only have to say the same thing once.

He noted that MSNBC is here. But I guess its only a matter of time before the rest of show business gets invited.

Speaking of show business, did you all see what happened at the Oscars last week? It really was something. They gave out the best picture award to the wrong film. I gotta tell you, we havent seen that many shocked Hollywood liberals since, I dont know, November the eighth?

Pence said its an honor to [be] vice president to the broad-shouldered and big-hearted Trump as he made fun of himself for repeating the line across networks on Wednesday morning.

I actually heard that Bret Baier proposed a drinking game for every time I said those two words tonight, so Brett, I hope you got a designated driver.

He joked that Trump asked him to send a message tonight and looked around for it. Be friendly no wait, thats from my wife.

Remember to pick up some milk on the way home that one is from the president, but its not the one I was looking for.

Oh, here it is, its on my phone. Mike, thanks for covering the Gridiron dinner. Have a good time. Get some rest this weekend. Next weekend theres an important ribbon-cutting in Antarctica I really need you to cover.

Not missing a beat, he added, It really is an honor to be vice president for a man like President Trump.

Razzing Sean Spicer, Pence said, Sean, I really want to apologize that you didnt get served dinner tonight. When the waiter asked you what you wanted for your entree, you shouldnt have said, Sit down, I never called on you.

Talking about the Oval Office, Pence said, I gotta tell you, every time I look at that portrait of Hamilton, I feel like theres a lecture coming on.

Back on POTUSs address to Congress: I even thought I heard Rachel Maddow start to say something nice, but then MSNBC immediately cut to commercial.

[At the Gridiron dinner, the jokes were on Trumps Russia connections]

On his email controversy: The end of the week was a little embarrassing for me. Not that I had a personal email account when I was governor. [It] really was embarrassing for me to have millions of Americans learn that Im one of the few people in the country to still have an AOL account.

My wife said it was good for my image. She said now America knows Im not stuck in the 50s Im just stuck in the 90s.

He then read some mean tweets about himself and his use of AOL. One was: This is Mike Pence, former governor of Indiana, vice president of the United States, Chilis patron, AOL user.

On the press: Its really good to be with all of you. I really, seriously, I really respect the way you do your job so does the president.

He said the media knows what the real stories are, such as when his family moved to Washington and the press kept reporting on his rabbit, Marlon Bundo.

Marlons become kind of a big deal. He got himself an Instagram account. #BOTUS.

Pence then made a joke about the bunny liking Fox News and it being a long time before he will go on BNN and Jake Hopper not being happy about it.

On House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.): Paul has his P90X, 90 minutes of aerobic workout that stresses every muscle in the body every day. And I do Jazzercise at the Y.

Joking about their matching Tuesday ties, At least I didnt go with my backup an all-white pantsuit. That would have been awkward.

To Nancy Pelosi, who was in the room, he said, The president and I hope you dont change. Seriously, were counting on it.

Pence said that he was offended that so many of his former colleagues rushed for the exits Tuesday night after the presidents speech to Congress, but that he understood why. They were racing out because they didnt want to miss some must-see TV. The dynamic message of a rising star. The future of the Democratic Party. Kentuckys own former governor, Steve Beshear.

He said Beshears remarks really were inspiring especially the part when he claimed to be a Democrat, and proud republican and mostly American.

[Pence just made clear that Trumps media cease-fire was a one-night-only thing]

Humor is a great unifier, and this lighthearted tradition is a welcome respite and be assured while we will have our differences and I promise the members of the Fourth Estate that youll almost always know when we have them President Trump and I support the freedom of the press enshrined in the First Amendment.

Ive been an advocate of the free and independent press for a long time. I worked as a commentator on the radio back in the 1990s, a kind of Rush Limbaugh on decaf.

He said he was proud ofthe federal media shield statute that passed the House of Representatives when he was a congressman. (His next line was inaudible due to clapping.)

Referencing Thomas Jefferson, he said, Given a choice between government without a free press or a free press without a government, I should choose the latter.

He also brought up the quote chiseled into the wall of the Chicago Tribune about the press being a check upon the government that no Constitution has ever been able to provide.

True words indeed, he said. But these days, and I say this with the deepest respect, it seems like in the, it seems like in this short news cycle in which we live, that too often stories will make Page One and drive news with, with just too little respect to the people who are affected or involved. So let me just say to you as, not as your vice president, but just as a neighbor and as a champion of the [inaudible] that I think, I think weve all just got to do better. And the way I think we can do better is by focusing on what unites us more often as Americans. Our commitment to truth you know we saw the unity around our highest ideals and higher belief on Tuesday night. It was a special night. And a courageous woman and her heroic husband brought a divided nation together as the president paid tribute to Navy SEAL Ryan Owens, who lost his life in the line of duty.

He added, When Carryn [Owens] stood up all of our divisions melted away. In that moment, there were no Republicans, there were no Democrats on that floor, there were just Americans. And not just in the Congress [but] all across the country. So in these divided times, I think we ought to try and do as much as we can. Actions, words and deeds that emulate Carryn and her courageous family. Take every opportunity that we have to stand up, to stand together. And take every opportunity to look up a little bit more, with grateful hearts for the privilege of servicing and live in the great nation in the history of the world.

If we do that, I believe with all of my heart, by Gods grace, these divided times will give way to unity and freedom, and America will be great again.

Read more:

It was fantastic: Trump denies 2011 White House correspondents dinner spurred presidential bid

Mike Pence might be the medias new best friend

George W. Bush critiques Trump on travel ban, free press

Read more:
The dramatic difference between Mike Pence and Donald Trump when it comes to the press - Washington Post

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The goal, he said, is to eliminate all its mandates and taxes and intrusion into your personal lives and into the lives of your business, he said shortly afterHouse Speaker Paul Ryan introduced Pence to the crowd.

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We both know the fundamental truth of our economy: when small business is strong, America is strong, and were gonna fight every day for small business America, said Pence.

Pence said states would be given the resources and flexibility needed to take care of our most vulnerable, he said. When we repeal and replace Obamacare that were gonna allow states to have the flexibility to craft state-based solutions that will work for the people of their individual states, he said.

The truth is is virtually every promise of Obamacare has been broken, said Pence.

Today Americans are paying $3,000 dollars a year more on average for their health insurance than when Obamacare was passed into law and premiums are skyrocketing, last year by more than 25 percent on average around the country. Millions have lost their plans and lost their doctors. And not only that, Obamacare is a job killer and everybody knows it.

The Vice President cited Wisconsin-based business Harley-Davidson, a company President Donald Trump spoke of during his Tuesday night address to a joint session of Congress.

After years of delays, for instance, President Trump authorized the construction of the Keystone and Dakota pipelines creating thousands of American jobs and strengthening our energy infrastructure, Pence offered as evidence of Trumps efforts to restart the American economy.

Pence credited Trump with signing legislation to roll back reams of red tape while also thanking Congress, Speaker Ryan and Sen. Johnson for sending that legislation to Trumps desk. He added that Trump has called on every government agency to roll back two regulations for each new regulation they want to issue any new regulations on businesses and entrepreneurs.

Hes taken decisive action to end illegal immigration once and for all, to strengthen our borders and uphold the laws of the United States of America, Pence said of the President.

He said that American businesses have responded to Trumps calls to buy American and hire American.

The Vice President heavily emphasized the weight placed on businesses and American families by the Affordable Care Act. Its just a long list of broken promises, said Pence. He called Obamacare promises of the cost of health insurance going down, patients being able to keep their doctor and being able to keep their insurance, not true.

Im going to make you a promise, you heard the President say it and give direction to the Congress, and its just going to start happening in just a few days. Were gonna repeal Obamacare once and for all and eliminate all its mandates and taxes and intrusion into your personal lives and into the lives of your business, pledged Pence.He went on to promise it would be replaced with a better law that will lower health insurance costs without growing the size of government.

Pence again referenced Trumps Tuesday night speech, stating that the Trump Administration will end government mandated health insurance, allow it to be sold across state lines creating a national marketplace for health insurance that he said would be the catalyst to lowering health insurance costs.

Pence went on to speak of select additional aspects of the Trump Administration agenda, Jobs, jobs, jobs. He said that the President would be involved in overseeing the biggest tax relief package since President Ronald Reagans Administration.

He promised to roll back regulations, rein in unelected bureaucrats, end wasteful spending and provide the best roads, airports, and highways through infrastructure improvements.

President Trump stands with the men and women who serve in law enforcement all across this country like no one Ive ever met, said Pence. He said they would make sure that those who come into the country dont pose a threat to Americans.

President Donald Trump and the leadership of this Congress will rebuild the military, make sure armed forces have the training and resources they need to protect this nation starting now, said Pence.

Pence defined what it looks like to Make America Great Again, Health care reform, tax reform, regulatory reform, taking steps to make America secure, ensuring that the highest court in the land upholds our highest ideals.

The Vice President spoke of those who want to stick with the status quo, but said Trump would deliver on this moment for the people of the United States of America. Whether its the media, the establishment insiders or the rest, They have no problem standing in the way of change.

In closing, Pence said, Whatever challenges we face today, were going to stay in the promise-keeping business.

Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana

The rest is here:
VP Mike Pence Promises Obamacare Repeal to Begin in a 'Few Days' - Breitbart News

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Mike Pence used a private email address to discuss security matters while governor, though Republican security experts close to the situation tell us, BLAAAAARHG THE CLINTON FOUNDATION!!!! *vomits into boot*. Thanks to terrible Democratic messaging, guys who shook Sergey Kislyaks hand is now the guys who shook Sinatras hand of politics. And President Trump tweeted out a picture that popped up on Reddit, snaked its way through Gateway Pundit and finally landed on Drudge. The incident recalled that famous scene in All the Presidents Men when Woodward and Bernstein took down the president by posting a this is the future that liberals want meme that was straight fire. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Friday, March 3rd, 2017:

PENCE USED PRIVATE EMAIL AS GOV, INCLUDING TO DISCUSS SECURITY MATTERS - BRB, were trying to develop an 11-dimensional BENGHAZI acrostic. Tony Cook: Vice President Mike Pence routinely used a private email account to conduct public business as governor of Indiana, at times discussing sensitive matters and homeland security issues. Emails released to IndyStar in response to a public records request show Pence communicated via his personal AOL account with top advisers on topics ranging from security gates at the governors residence to the states response to terror attacks across the globe. In one email, Pences top state homeland security adviser relayed an update from the FBI regarding the arrests of several men on federal terror-related charges. Cyber-security experts say the emails raise concerns about whether such sensitive information was adequately protected from hackers, given that personal accounts like Pences are typically less secure than government email accounts. In fact, Pences personal account was hacked last summer. Furthermore, advocates for open government expressed concerns about transparency because personal emails arent immediately captured on state servers that are searched in response to public records requests. [Indianapolis Star]

GOP TRYING TO FIND COHESION ON OBAMACARE REPEAL - Matt Fuller: House Republican leaders are hoping recalcitrant conservatives in their party who claim they can sink those efforts wont be willing to cross President Donald Trump. During a closed-door conference Thursday morning, GOP leaders did everything they could to circle, underline and highlight anything they interpreted as clues that the president supports them. They went so far as to cut up clips of Trumps speech and tie his vague words to specific components of their plan. In the House GOP leadership edit of Trumps address, for instance, tax credits become advance refundable tax credits a controversial cornerstone of House Speaker Paul Ryans replacement plan that conservatives say is nothing more than another monthly welfare check. The leadership response is less focused on the policy, however, and more on raw power. Their message to their colleagues at Thursdays gathering: Whatever you may think of the plan, Trump supports it. And thats all you should need to know. [HuffPost]

THE ANATOMY OF A TRUMP TWEET - Sam Levine: President Donald Trump attempted to call out Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Friday by highlighting a meeting over a decade ago between Schumer and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump tweeted the image after it appeared in a Reddit thread Thursday and was shared by a number of conservative pundits, including an editor-at-large for Infowars.com, a site that promotes conspiracy theories. The picture also appeared on Gateway Pundit, which has also promoted conspiracies, as well as on conservative site, The Drudge Report. The photo appears to be from 2003, when Putin made a public appearance at a New York City gas station that had recently been bought by Russias Lukoil. Schumer responded to Trump by highlighting the absurdity of his comparison, noting that Sessions denied having contact with Russias ambassador while he was under oath. [HuffPost]

Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? Get your own copy. Its free! Sign up here. Send tips/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to eliot@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter - @HuffPostHill

LAKES ALREADY GREAT, NO NEED TO MAKE THEM GREAT AGAIN - AKA, good luck with that buyers remorse, Rust Belt voters. Garret Ellison: The White House is proposing to slash Environmental Protection Agency funding that pays for Great Lakes pollution cleanup by 97 percent, according to a budget document obtained by the National Association of Clean Air Agencies. The potential cuts are part of President Donald Trumps initial 2018 budget proposal, detailed in a U.S. Office of Management and Budget passback to the EPA that outlines drastic cuts to an agency Trump has called a job killer and promised to reduce to tidbits as a candidate. The proposal would virtually eliminate annual Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding, slashing it from $300 million to $10 million among other cuts that would altogether reduce the EPAs total budget by a quarter. Specific program cuts were reported by the Oregonian and have been confirmed by other news agencies like the Detroit Free Press. [Michigan Live]

ITS ALMOST LIKE THE WHITE HOUSE IS FILLED WITH SYCOPHANTIC OPPORTUNISTS - And yet, Katrina Pierson is not yet employed there. Christopher Massie, Nathan McDermott, and Andrew Kaczynski: Sebastian Gorka, a top counterterrorism adviser to President Donald Trump, frequently criticized Trumps approach to foreign policy during the 2016 presidential campaign, at one point saying Trump was full of bluster on the issues but had no depth. In his current role as deputy assistant to the president, Gorka has become one of Trumps most prominent cheerleaders, frequently hitting the radio airwaves to defend the presidents policies and public statements. Gorkas work for Trump goes back as far as 2015, as federal election commission filings showed that Gorka was paid $8,000 that October to be a policy consultant for the Trump campaign. But a CNN KFile review of Gorkas public comments throughout the presidential campaign shows that even after his work for Trump, the former Breitbart national security editor offered stinging critiques of his future boss rhetoric on key foreign policy issues from terrorism to Russia and China. [CNN]

SESSIONS DOESNT WANT TO HARSH YOUR BUZZ AS MUCH - Americas attorney general, perhaps suddenly realizing the benefits of having marijuanas calming properties readily available, is being less of a narc. Burgess Everett: Attorney General Jeff Sessions has privately reassured some Republican senators that he wont deviate from an Obama-era policy of allowing states to implement their own marijuana laws. Sessions has rattled both libertarians and liberals in ordering a review of the hands-off pot policy under President Barack Obama. But Sessions provided some private assurances to senators before he was confirmed that he was not considering a major shift in enforcement, despite his opposition to the use of marijuana. [S]ince he was confirmed, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) said administration officials have left him with the impression there is no big policy change coming. Nothing at this point has changed, Gardner said. [Politico]

Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragans staff is having difficulty with its new office dog, per this email it sent around the Hill: We have a dog in our office (Nico), who is learning how to walk on the linoleum floor.. and he is terrified of it. I know this is an odd request, but does someone have a four legged pal that can show him the ropes? [From a reader on the Hill]

WITCH HUNT AT FEDERAL AGENCIES - Arshad Mohammed, Jonathan Landay and Warren Strobel: Washington career civil servants say the clampdown appears designed to try to limit the flow of information inside and outside government and deter officials from talking to the media about topics that could result in negative stories. Several officials in different agencies who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said some employees fear their phone calls and emails may be monitored and that they are reluctant to speak their minds during internal discussions. In addition, the sources say that limits imposed on the flow of information have blindsided cabinet-level officials on some major issues and led to uncertainty among foreign governments about U.S. policy. [Reuters]

AHHHH, YES, THE OL MASSACHUSETTS REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR HAS TO BE A WEE BIT LIBERAL MOVE - LOL, remember when Mitt Romney was pro-choice? Priyanka Dayal McCluskey: Governor Charlie Baker is pledging to boost state funding for Planned Parenthood clinics in Massachusetts if his fellow Republicans in Washington push ahead with a plan to slash the flow of federal dollars to the organization. Massachusetts five Planned Parenthood clinics stand to lose a total of about $2 million a year, from a budget of $21.5 million, if the federal cuts take place. That money does not go directly from the government to Planned Parenthood; it is paid through Medicaid, the joint federal-state program that provides health coverage for low-income Americans. The Republican proposal would effectively block Medicaid patients from receiving womens health services such as cancer screenings, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, and contraception from Planned Parenthood. Federal dollars are already restricted from being used to pay for abortions. But some Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, want to defund the nonprofit because it provides abortions. [Boston Globe]

BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR - Here are some turkeys holding a seance.

THIS STORY IS SOMEWHAT RELATED TO OUR POLITICS AND WE WANT TO DIE - Jenna Amatulli: Arnold Schwarzenegger is apparently not returning to Celebrity Apprentice as host, according to a recent report from Empire magazine. He cited President Donald Trumps involvement with the project as the reason. I learned a lot, I had a great time, it was a really great opportunity, Schwarzenegger told the publication. But under the circumstances I dont want to do it again. The actor and former governor said the decision had nothing do with the show, but rather the people who came up to him and said they wouldnt watch because of Trump. Everyone I ran into came up to me and said I love the show...but I turned it off because as soon as I read Trumps name, Im outta there! [HuffPost]

- Needy basset hound is needy.

- An eagle equipped with a GoPro hunts a fox.

- Historys greatest catch.

@JZdziarski: Im pretty sure the characters from Youve Got Mail exhibited better opsec than the current administration.

@SimonMaloy: Trump could try explaining why everyone around him lies about meeting with Russians

or he could tweet dumb pictures he got from Jim Hoft

@YAppelbaum: Rick Perry jokes hell one-up Zinkes horse by arriving for his first day at DOE on a single-stage rocket, per pool

Got something to add? Send tips/quotes/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to Eliot Nelson (eliot@huffingtonpost.com)

Read the original post:
HUFFPOST HILL - Jason Chaffetz Undoubtedly Preparing 11-Hour Grilling Of Mike Pence - Huffington Post

Vice President Mike Pence reportedly used a private email account to conduct public business, including homeland security matters, while he was governor of Indiana. Records of the emails were obtained by IndyStar through a public records request. Dwight Adams/IndyStar

Vice President-elect Mike Pence speaks to members of the media while meeting with House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016.(Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP)

Vice President Mike Pence routinely used a private email account to conduct public business as governor of Indiana, at timesdiscussing sensitive matters and homeland security issues.

Emails released to IndyStar in response to a public records request show Pencecommunicated via his personal AOL accountwith top advisers on topics ranging from security gates at the governors residence to the states response to terror attacks across the globe. In one email, Pences top state homeland security adviser relayed an update from the FBI regarding the arrests of several men on federal terror-related charges.

Cyber-security experts say the emails raise concerns about whether such sensitive information was adequately protected from hackers, given thatpersonal accounts like Pence's are typically less secure than government email accounts. In fact, Pence's personal account was hacked last summer.

Furthermore, advocates for open governmentexpressed concernsabout transparency because personal emails aren't immediately captured on state servers that are searched in response to public records requests.

FRIDAY UPDATE: Pence turns over 13 boxes of emails

Pence's office in Washington said in a written statement Thursday: "Similar to previous governors, during his time as Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence maintained a state email account and a personal email account. As Governor, Mr. Pence fully complied with Indiana law regarding email use and retention. Government emails involving his state and personal accounts are being archived by the state consistent with Indiana law, and are being managed according to Indianas Access to Public Records Act.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb's office released 29pages of emails from Pence's AOL account, but declined to release an unspecified number of othersbecause thestate considers themconfidential and too sensitive to release to the public.

That's of particular concernto Justin Cappos, a computer security professor at New York University's Tandon School of Engineering. Its one thing to have an AOL account and use it to send birthday cards to grandkids," he said. "But its another thing to use it to send and receive messages that are sensitive and could negatively impact people if that information is public.

Indiana law does not prohibit public officials from using personal email accounts, although the law is generally interpreted to mean that official business conducted on private email must be retained for public record purposes.

PENCE RESPONDS:Mike Pence: 'No comparison' between his, Hillary Clinton's use of emails

Pence's office saidhis campaignhired outside counsel as he was departing as governorto review his AOL emails and transfer any involving public business to the state.

Concerns also surrounded Hillary Clintons use of a private server and email account during her tenure as secretary of state. Pence as governor would not have dealt with national security issues as sensitive or as broad as those handled by Clinton in her position or with classified matters.

Pence fiercely criticized Clinton throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, accusing her of trying to keep her emails out of public reach and exposing classified information to potential hackers.

Pence spokesman Marc Lotter called any comparisons between Pence and Clinton "absurd," noting that Pence didn't deal with federally classified informationas governor. While Pence used a well-known consumer email provider, Clinton had a private server installed in her home, he said.

Cybersecurity experts say Pences emails were likely just as insecureas Clintons. While there has been speculation about whether Clinton's emails were hacked, Pences account was actually compromised last summer by a scammer who sent an email to his contacts claiming Penceand hiswife were stranded in the Philippines and in urgent need of money.

Gov. Mike Pence's personal AOL account was recently hacked. Wochit

Corey Nachreiner, chief technology officer at computer security company WatchGuard Technologies, said theemail accounts of Pence and Clinton were probably about equally vulnerable to attacks.

"In this case, you know the email address has been hacked, he said. It would be hypocritical to consider this issue any different than a private email server.

He and other experts say personal accounts such as the one Pence used are typically less secure than government email accounts, which often receive additional layers of monitoring and security, and are linked to servers under government control.

Indiana law requires all records dealing with state business to be retained and available for public information requests. Emails exchanged on state accounts are captured on state servers, which can be searched in response to suchrequests. But any emails Pence sent from his AOL account to another private account likely would have beenhidden from public record searches unless he took steps to make them available.

BEHIND THE STORY: IndyStar's long-running effort to obtain the Pence emails

Indiana Public Access Counselor Luke Britt, who was appointed by Pence in 2013, said he advises state officials to copy or forward their emails involvingstate business to their government accounts to ensure the record is preserved on state servers.

But there is no indication that Pence took any such steps to preserve his AOL emails until he was leavingthe governor's office.

When public officials fail to retain their private-account emails pertaining to public business, "they'rerunning the risk of violating the law, Britt said. A good steward of those messages and best practice is going to dictate they preserve those."

All of the emails provided to IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, were ones captured on state servers.

The emails were obtainedafter a series of public records requests that the Pence administration did notfulfill for nearly four months before Pence leftoffice.

The administration of Pences successor, Gov. Eric Holcomb, released29pages of emails late this past week. But it withheld others, sayingthey are deliberative or advisory, confidential under rules adopted by the Indiana Supreme Court or the work product of an attorney.

Holcombs officedeclined todisclose how many emails werewithheld.

SELECTED PENCE EMAILS:Here are some of Vice President Mike Pence's AOL emails

Cyber-security experts and government transparency advocates saidPence's use of a personal email account for matters of state business including confidential ones is surprising given his attacks onClinton'sexclusiveuse of a private email server.

On NBC's "Meet the Press" inSeptember, for example, Pence called Clinton "the most dishonest candidate for president of the United States since Richard Nixon."

Whats evident from all of the revelations over the last several weeks is that Hillary Clinton operated in such a way to keep her emails, and particularly her interactions while Secretary of State with the Clinton Foundation, out of the public reach, out of public accountability, Pence said. And with regard to classified information she either knew or should have known that she was placing classified information in a way that exposed it to being hacked and being made available in the public domain even to enemies of this country.

The expertstold IndyStarthat similar arguments about a lack of transparency could be made about Pences use of a personal email account.

There is an issue of double standard here, said Gerry Lanosga, a professor at Indiana University and past president of the Indiana Coalition for Open Government.He has been far from forthcoming about his own private email account on which its clear he has conducted state business. So there is a disconnect there that cannot be avoided.

PENCE'S RESPONSE:Mike Pence: 'No comparison' between his, Hillary Clinton's use of emails

As governor, Pence oversawIndiana's state police, national guard and department of homeland security, all of which collaborate with federal authorities and handle sensitive information.

The emails provided to IndyStar show that Pence corresponded with his then-chief of staff, Jim Atterholt, and his top public safety and homeland security adviser John Hill, on subjects includingPences efforts to prevent the resettlement of Syrian refugees and the states response to a shooting at Canadas national parliament building.

I just received an update from the FBI regarding the individuals arrested for support of ISIS, Hill wrote to Pence in a Jan. 8, 2016 email with the subject, Arrests of Refugees.

At that time, the Pence administration was embroiled in a lawsuit over the governors effort to block the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Indiana.

Hill went on to explain how many people were arrested, on what charges and in which cities before adding in underlined type: Both of the earlier referenced refugees are reported now as Iraqi not Syrian.

PENCE'S OTHER EMAIL ISSUE:Mike Pence asks Indiana Supreme Court to stay out of his redacted emails

Much if not all of that information appears to have been reported in the media at the time. But questions remain about the more sensitive information contained inPences AOL account that the Holcomb administrationdeclined to release.

Experts say there have been high-profile security lapsesinvolving AOL email accounts in the past.The company reported a major breach of its email in 2014 affecting hundreds of thousands of users. The following year, messages hackers obtained from then-CIA Director John Brennans personal AOL account were posted on WikiLeaks.

Pences own account was compromised in June when a hacker sent a counterfeit email to his contacts claiming Pence he and his wife had been attacked on their way back to their hotel in the Philippines, losing their money, bank cards and mobile phone.

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In response, Pence sent an email to those who had received the fake communication apologizing for any inconvenience. He also set up a new AOL account.

Because the hacker appears to have gained access to Pences contacts, experts say it is likely that the account was actually penetrated, giving the hackeraccess to Pences inbox and sent messages.

The nature of that hack suggests it was part of a broad, impersonal attack not one carefully crafted to target Pence in particular, Cappos said.

Its particularly concerning that someone who didnt do a very particular, very specific attack was able to hack this account, he said.

That's especially true given that at least some of the emails Pence sent or received have been deemedconfidential or exempt from public disclosure.

The fact that these emails are stored in a private AOL account is crazy to me, Cappos said.This account was used to handle these messages that are so sensitive they cant be turned over in a records request.

As governor, Pence was less likely than the U.S. secretary of state to encounter national security secrets, said Adam Segal, director of the digital and cyberspace policy program at the Council on Foreign Relations.

But much of the rationale behind the criticism of Clinton's emails would apply to Pence, too, he said.

A large part of the criticism of (Hillary Clintons) personal server by the GOP that it was unsafe or that it was to circumvent oversight would be misplaced if Pence was using an AOL account, he said. The Secretary of State would be in possession of secrets that had more of a national impact, but at a lower level, a private email account has the same implications.

In addition to security issues, Pence's personal email account also raises new concerns about transparency, according to ethics experts and government accountability advocates.

Pence is already fighting in state court to conceal the contentsof emails involving his decision to join a 2014 lawsuit challenging then-President Barack Obama's executive order on immigration. The emails are being sought by William Groth, a Democrat and labor lawyerwho says he wants to expose waste in the Republican administration.

It all started with a joint lawsuit the Indiana governor filled against the U.S. government. Nate Chute/IndyStar

Richard Painter, former chief ethics lawyer to President George W. Bush, said it'sbothersomethat Pence is only now transferring his AOL emails to the state. It raises questions about whether those emails were included in previous responses to public records requests. "Thats a problem that should have been dealt with back then," he said."The existence of the private email account should have been dealt with at the time the record requests were made."

The use of personal email accounts by public officials including governors is nothing new. But the increased risk thathackers, including foreign actors, could break into the account of someone as high-ranking as the vice president of the United States is disconcerting, Painter said.

"Clinton did it. The Bush White House was doing it. Its nothing new. But its a bad idea," he said, noting thatPence'saccount was vulnerable to a low-level hacker. "If they can get in there, ex-KGB agents can get in there.Its a bad idea because of the hacking thing and the potential destruction of records."

Lanosga of the Indiana Coalition for Open Government said it's a problem that seems to cross partylines.

"Officials are eager to point the finger at a lack of transparency when it happens on the other side," he said,"but they dodge those issues when it comes to their own side."

Reporter Maureen Groppe contributed to this story.

Call IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at (317) 444-6081. Follow him on Twitterand Facebook.

Mike Pence's redacted emails could head to Indiana Supreme Court

Mike Pence's choice of AOL earns laughs

INDIANAPOLIS STAR

What's Mike Pence hiding in his emails?

With Pence gone, fellow Republicans undo his work in Indiana

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Mike Pence used private email for state business

Then-Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana speaks at a press conference in 2015. Under Indiana law, public officials are allowed to use personal email accounts; the practice can help them avoid using official accounts to conduct political business. Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images hide caption

Then-Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana speaks at a press conference in 2015. Under Indiana law, public officials are allowed to use personal email accounts; the practice can help them avoid using official accounts to conduct political business.

Vice President Pence used a private AOL account to conduct official business in his former position as the governor of Indiana, according to public records. And at one point, the account was hacked and used to send fraudulent emails seeking money from his contacts.

Pence used the account to communicate with advisers about issues including homeland security in Indiana and the security of the gates at the governor's mansion, The Indianapolis Star reports.

The newspaper says it obtained 29 pages of email records from current Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb's office in response to a public records request.

Under Indiana law, public officials are allowed to use personal email accounts and the practice can help them avoid using official accounts to conduct political business. As the Star notes, the law is "generally interpreted" to require public officials to save any emails related to official business in order to follow open records laws. A Pence spokesman says the vice president complied with that requirement.

Pence's AOL account was compromised by a standard phishing attack in late spring of 2016, a Trump administration official tells NPR's Tamara Keith. The breach became public knowledge when everyone in his contacts list received emails claiming that the governor and his wife were stranded in the Philippines and needed money.

Private email accounts are usually less secure than government accounts and are not preserved for use in public records in the same way. When Pence's account was compromised, he shut it down and switched to a more secure system and then to another when he took on a national role, administration officials tell NPR.

Responding to reports about the personal email account, the vice president's press secretary, Marc Lotter, issued a statement saying that just as other governors had done, Pence "maintained a state email account and a personal email account."

Addressing the question of where those emails are now, Lotter says that as he prepared to work in Washington, Pence "directed outside counsel to review all of his communications to ensure that state-related emails are being transferred and properly archived by the state."

Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, both Pence and then-candidate Donald Trump repeatedly criticized Hillary Clinton for using a private server and private email for State Department business. Appearing on Meet the Press in September, Pence said Clinton was keeping her communications "out of the public reach, out of public accountability."

During the vice presidential debate in October, Pence alluded to the security concerns of using unofficial email systems, claiming that Clinton's email server "was subject to being hacked by foreign governments."

Pence's own email had been hacked earlier that year.

Pence spokesman Lotter told the Star that comparing the former governor's email use to Clinton's is "absurd," because Pence did not handle classified information on the federal level as governor. He also said that Pence was using a publicly available email service and did not have a home private server as Clinton did.

Some of Pence's emails were deemed too sensitive to be released as part of the Star's public records request. Security experts told the paper that hackers were likely able to access Pence's inbox and sent emails, which could have included those same sensitive documents.

Lotter told the AP that the law firm Barnes & Thornburg is currently reviewing Pence's communications as governor and that contact between Pence and his aides who were using government email accounts would be automatically archived.

NPR's Tamara Keith contributed to this report.

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