Judge orders speedy release of newly-discovered Clinton emails

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has uncovered nearly 15,000 new emails to or from Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton when she served as Secretary of State and sought their speedy release.

Lawyers for the State Department, however, suggested that the release of the emails begin by October 14.

US District Judge James E. Boasberg of Washington, however, rejected the State Department proposal, ordering it to prioritise Clinton's emails and to return to court on September 22 with a new plan, Xinhua news agency reported.

As a result, thousands of emails that Clinton did not voluntarily turn over to the State Department last year could be released just weeks before the election in November.

Tom Fitton, President of the conservative legal group Judicial Watch, which filed the lawsuit in May 2015 after disclosures that Clinton had exclusively used a personal email server based at her home when she worked with the State Department, welcomed the judge's decision.

"We're pleased the court accelerated the State Department's timing," said Fitton, accusing the State Department of favouring slow release of those records.

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