Bryan Pagliano, the State Department IT staffer who helped set up and manage Hillary Clinton’s personal email system was also a donor to the Clinton family’s nonprofit, the Clinton Foundation, a finding that adds another layer to Clinton’s already-mysterious relationship with her tech guru.
The 39-year-old Pagliano donated between $250 and $1,000 to the Clinton Foundation in both 2013 and 2014, according to records viewed by The Daily Caller. He also gave an annual gift of an unspecified amount in 2013.
Pagliano, who is listed as a donor on the Clinton Foundation website, first worked for Clinton as the chief technology officer of her 2008 presidential campaign. In May 2009, several months after Clinton took over as secretary of state, he began working at the State Department as an adviser and deputy chief information officer.
In addition to his official duties, he also worked off the books on Clinton’s email server, which was reportedly managed out of her Chappaqua, N.Y. home. (RELATED: Attorney: State Department’s Treatment Of Hillary’s Lawyer ‘Smacks Of Favoritism’)
That server is the source of great intrigue. The FBI seized it from a New Jersey data center last month after it was found to have held at least two emails containing “top secret” information. Clinton and her attorney, David Kendall, have also said all data was removed from the device. Clinton has not explained why she or her staff would have wanted to scrub the server. Critics believe it’s because she has something to hid.
The Clinton campaign has said that Pagliano was paid $5,000 for his work on the email system before he took the State Department job. The Clintons also reportedly paid him while he worked for the State Department, though it is unclear how much. Pagliano did not disclose his under-the-table income to the State Department.
Another question that remains is whether the Clintons paid Pagliano from their own personal funds, from one of their businesses, or from the Clinton Foundation.
Pagliano did not return an emailed request for comment on both his work on Clinton’s server or his donation to the Clinton Foundation.
Pagliano has refused to testify about his work for the Clintons. He invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a brief meeting with the House Select Committee on Benghazi last week. Two Senate committees also want to talk to Pagliano and are considering granting him immunity.