Sen. Cornyn Calls for Special Counsel on Clinton Emails

The No. 2 Senate Republican is asking for a special counsel to oversee the investigation of Hillary Clinton's controversial use of her private email server while serving as secretary of state.

Majority Whip Sen. John Cornyn fired off a letter Tuesday to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, writing Clinton's email practices "limited the public accountability on which our government depends and put our national security at risk."

The Texas Republican cites the "extraordinary circumstances" surrounding Clinton's email practices as warranting the appointment of an independent official to coordinate the probe.

"The attorney general has a special duty to pursue justice even when political considerations run counter to doing so," he adds.

"Secretary Clinton's misconduct is evident and her intent — since the beginning of her tenure as secretary of State — to keep information from the public is clear," he writes.

"The present circumstances surrounding her use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of State could not be more extraordinary, nor the conflicts greater. Americans deserve the assurance that justice — and justice alone — is being pursued."

Cornyn's demand, first reported by The Hill, comes as Clinton's White House bid is taking a a hit because of the protracted scandal — and as scrutiny intensifies, including charges by Judicial Watch emails Clinton handed over contain five months' worth of gaps.

In addition to Cornyn's demands, the heads of the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees want to question the official who set up Clinton's server.

But Bryan Pagliano plans to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in hearings regarding Clinton's email server.

Clinton's email server is now in the hands of the FBI.

Related Stories:

• Sens. Chuck Grassley, Ron Johnson Press Justice Dept on Clinton Email Probe
• WaPost: Hillary Clinton's Private Emails May be Recoverable