Colin Powell has “no idea” whether or not the 30,000 emails stolen from his private email account are related to a similar hack of the Democratic National Committee, he told The Daily Caller.
As originally reported by TheDC, two years worth of emails dating back to June 2014 were swiped from Powell’s Gmail account and given to the anonymously-run website DC Leaks, which publishes hacked emails and documents from major political figures.
In interviews with TheDC, Powell said he was in the dark about who hacked his email or why they had done so.
“I wasn’t aware of any infiltration of my Gmail account. If accurate my privacy has been violated,” Powell previously told TheDC about the email hack. “As a private citizen I would hope journalists would respect that privacy.”
Aside from his comments to TheDC, Powell has remained largely silent when pressed for comment by the media.
He has, however, confirmed the authenticity of some of the emails to TheDC.
The hacked emails reveal some in Powell’s inner circle are pressuring him to endorse Hillary Clinton before the Nov. 8 election. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Colin Powell’s Personal Email Hacked, Under Pressure To Endorse Hillary Clinton)
As originally reported by TheDC’s Chuck Ross, the emails show Powell believed “Hillary’s mafia” was trying to drag him into the scandal over her use of a private server while secretary of state.
In July, WikiLeaks published nearly 20,000 emails from the email accounts of DNC officals. (RELATED: WikiLeaks Releases Nearly 20,000 Hacked DNC Emails)
Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook has claimed that the Russians were behind the DNC hack in an effort to throw the election to Donald Trump.
The DNC emails showed, among other things, DNC officials colluding against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary. (RELATED: Leaked Emails Show DNC Officials Constructing Anti-Bernie Narrative)