In this July 13, 2015, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks at a campaign event in New York. Federal officials say two government inspectors general have asked the Justice Department to determine whether sensitive government information was transmitted on Hillary Rodham Clinton's personal email. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

1. Email investigation has hurt Hillary Clinton’s image

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two independent government investigators have asked the Justice Department to look into whether sensitive government information was transmitted through Hillary Rodham Clinton’s personal email server, federal officials said Friday.

A Justice Department official confirmed that the department had received a criminal referral from the inspectors general of the State Department, where Clinton served for four years, and of the federal intelligence agencies. Another U.S. official said it was unclear whether classified information was mishandled and that the referral doesn’t necessarily suggest wrongdoing by Clinton herself.

The officials were not authorized to discuss the referral by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Clinton in March acknowledged her use of a personal email account, which she said she had done as a matter of convenience and to limit the number of electronic devices she used.

She said then that she had never sent classified information. The Clinton campaign on Friday that she “followed appropriate practices in dealing with classified materials.”

“Any released emails deemed classified by the administration have been done so after the fact, and not at the time they were transmitted,” campaign spokesman Nick Merrill said in a statement.

The referral was first reported by the New York Times.

It was not immediately clear whether the Justice Department would investigate the matter. The department receives many referrals that it decides not to take up, and decisions about what to pursue often take some time.