Hillary Clinton Email Controversy, News: Ex-Secretary of State Asked to Hand Over Private Server That Hosted Emails

The U.S. House Select Committee on Benghazi has asked former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to hand over her private server to know her official communications regarding Libya pertaining to the 2012 terrorist attacks.

In a letter sent to Clinton's attorney, Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy warned Clinton that the panel will be forced to ask Speaker John Boehner to "use the full powers of the House" if she fails to turn over the server.

Clinton has been under fire for using her private email account during her tenure as Secretary of State. She disclosed two weeks ago that she deleted 30,000 personal emails and turned over to the State Department work-related emails totalling 55,000 printed pages.

Gowdy's letter requests Clinton to surrender the private server to the State Department's inspector general or to a neutral third party for independent analysis of what records should be made public.

"Though Secretary Clinton alone is responsible for causing this issue, she alone does not get to determine its outcome," said Gowdy. "That is why in the interest of transparency for the American people, I am formally requesting she turn the server over to the State Department's inspector general or a mutually agreeable third party."

In the letter, Gowdy informed David Kendall, Clinton's lawyer, that the committee has extended the subpoena deadline for Clinton to turn over emails regarding the Sept. 11, 2012 Benghazi attacks in Libya up to March 27.

The attacks by Islamic militants killed U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. Clinton was the Secretary of State at the time.

Gowdy said the committee is required to produce a final report on the attacks and it needs communications by Clinton.

"Toward this end, I am asking Secretary Clinton to relinquish her server to a neutral, detached, and independent third-party, such as the Inspector General for the State Department, for review and an independent accounting of any records contained on the server, including a determination of which documents in the Secretary's possession belong to the State Department and which are private," he said.

Gowdy gave Clinton until April 3 to respond to the request. He said if Clinton refuses to hand over the server, "I will inform the Speaker of the House of Representatives so that he can use the full powers of the House to take the necessary steps to protect the best interests of the American people."