The Typo That Took Down John Podesta



‘This is a legitimate email.’

Thus (possibly) began the episode that led to the hacking of Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta’s emails and their subsequent appearance on WikiLeaks and in weeks’ worth of news headlines.

When Podesta identified an incoming email about updating his Google account settings as potentially sketchy, he reportedly forwarded it to a group of campaign staffers, one of whom, according to a New York Times report, replied, somewhat incongruously, that the email was legitimate and that Podesta needed to “change his password immediately.”

Thing was, the aide had meant to say it was “illegitimate” rather than “legitimate,” meaning, for security reasons, it should not have been opened at all. But opened the email was and, apparently, acted upon. The rest is history.

The staffer, according to the Times, has been “plagued” ever since by his role in the politically disastrous affair.

More

  1. WIKILEAKS: John Podesta ‘Getting a Little Tired of Chelsea’s Mom’
  2. Hillary Clinton Donors Who Gave Less Than a Million Booted from Party Invite List
  3. WIKILEAKS: Assistant AG Gave Podesta a ‘Heads Up’ on Hearings
  4. Huma Watch: Clinton Off the Hook for Emails But Top Aide Still Missing

This article was originally published on Marketwatch.

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