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Rice apology for Obama file lapse Clinton passport details breached
(30 minutes later)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has apologised to presidential hopeful Barack Obama over unauthorised viewings of his passport file. US Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has said her passport file was improperly accessed by officials at the state department.
The state department has sacked two contractors, disciplined a third and said a full investigation was underway. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice contacted Mrs Clinton about the breach, Mrs Clinton's senate office said.
State department spokesman Sean McCormack said the cases were probably the result of "imprudent curiosity". It comes Ms Rice apologised to Mrs Clinton's Democratic presidential rival Barack Obama over a breach of his passport records.
Two state department contractors have been fired and a third disciplined.
A spokesman for Mr Obama suggested that the government could be using private information for "political purposes".A spokesman for Mr Obama suggested that the government could be using private information for "political purposes".
The BBC's North America editor, Justin Webb, says it is an extraordinary lapse in security which allowed temporary state department employees access to personal information on a man who is guarded by the secret service day and night.The BBC's North America editor, Justin Webb, says it is an extraordinary lapse in security which allowed temporary state department employees access to personal information on a man who is guarded by the secret service day and night.
'Very disturbed''Very disturbed'
The state department tracks those who access its passport database.The state department tracks those who access its passport database.
Breaches occurred on three separate dates - 9 January, 21 February and 14 March.Breaches occurred on three separate dates - 9 January, 21 February and 14 March.
The Obama campaign raised the possibility of political motivationMs Rice said she had telephoned Mr Obama, a Democratic candidate, to apologise over the lapses in security.The Obama campaign raised the possibility of political motivationMs Rice said she had telephoned Mr Obama, a Democratic candidate, to apologise over the lapses in security.
"I told him that I was sorry and I told him that I myself would be very disturbed if I learned that somebody had looked into my passport file," she told reporters."I told him that I was sorry and I told him that I myself would be very disturbed if I learned that somebody had looked into my passport file," she told reporters.
She said the state department's inspector general was investigating the case with the Department of Justice.She said the state department's inspector general was investigating the case with the Department of Justice.
The unauthorised viewings were noticed at a lower level, Ms Rice said, but senior management was not informed.The unauthorised viewings were noticed at a lower level, Ms Rice said, but senior management was not informed.
The incidents were brought to the attention of higher officials by a reporter.The incidents were brought to the attention of higher officials by a reporter.
Mr McCormack said it was not clear what the employees may have seen or what they were looking for.Mr McCormack said it was not clear what the employees may have seen or what they were looking for.
Bill Burton, a spokesman for Mr Obama's campaign, denounced "an outrageous breach of security and privacy", and called for a full investigation.Bill Burton, a spokesman for Mr Obama's campaign, denounced "an outrageous breach of security and privacy", and called for a full investigation.
"We demand to know who looked at Senator Obama's passport file, for what purpose, and why it took so long for them to reveal this security breach," he said."We demand to know who looked at Senator Obama's passport file, for what purpose, and why it took so long for them to reveal this security breach," he said.