Haslam used private email server for official state business

May 26, 2016 at 3:09 p.m. | Updated May 26, 2016 at 3:11 p.m.

by Associated Press

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam speaks to reporters in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the state Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The Republican governor questioned the need for a special legislative session to respond to a directive by President Barack Obama's administration on bathroom access for transgender students. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig)
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam speaks to reporters in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the state Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The Republican governor questioned the need for a special legislative session to respond to a directive by President Barack Obama's administration on bathroom access for transgender students. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam and top aides have used the Republican's personal email server to communicate about official business.

A records request by WTVF-TV in Nashville found that the email accounts are linked to the governor's personal website, BillHaslam.com.

WTVF found that the governor was briefed by budget officials on his personal account and that the server was also used by his then-chief of staff Mark Cate, who had used the server to email the state's education commissioner also apparently using a private account.

The governor's office responded that the use of the private email server for public business was rare and inadvertent and that the private server would be subject to open records requests if it was used for public business.

Upcoming Events