• by Jess Nelson , July 11, 2016

The State Department announced on Thursday that it would reopen its internal investigation into Hillary Clinton's handling of classified material while serving as Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013. 

The State Department will resume a review that originally began in January but was halted in April, pending the FBI’s investigation. The announcement follows the completion of the Justice Department’s criminal investigation on Clinton’s use of a personal email address and server during her tenure in the State Department.

Earlier this week, the FBI recommended, and Attorney General Loretta Lynch agreed, that no criminal charges should be filed against Hillary Clinton. 

Although Clinton escaped indictment, it was not without rebuke.

James Comey, director of the FBI, stated that Clinton was “extremely careless” and “negligible” with her handling of classified material as Secretary of State during a press conference announcing the FBI’s recommendation. That being said, the FBI found no intent of wrongdoing and thus could not recommend criminal charges. 

The State Department will now investigate whether any current employees mishandles confidential information, and whether they should be reprimanded or lose security clearance privileges.

It is not known how long the investigation will last or even if the eventual results will be made public.

"Given the Department of Justice has now made its announcement, the State Department intends to conduct its internal review," states John Kirby, spokesman for the State Department, in a press statement. "I cannot provide specific information about the department's review, including what information we are evaluating. We will aim to be as expeditious as possible, but we will not put artificial deadlines on the process. Our goal will be to be as transparent as possible about our results, while complying with our various legal obligations. I'm not able to make commitments today one way or the other about what we will be able to disclose."

With the Democratic National Convention scheduled to begin on July 25, Hillary Clinton’s email troubles may not be over.