>> So, while it does seem rather convenient, it is feasible that the only copy left was on the harddrive that crashed.

What interests me is that some people have said for years that government is corrupt and incompetent but when an apparent example appears, the same people appear horrified. Almost as if people don't believe what they say and are dismayed to discover it to be true.

In this case, it looks as if shonky email management has been a strategy since at least 2007 when a similar ruse was used to withhold approximately 22 million emails in a case that appeared to involve actual wrongdoing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_White_House_e-mail_controversy ... sounds like business as usual to me and yes, it does appear corrupt and/or incompetent failure to follow the rules... but surely nothing will happen if people only pipe up if they perceive political advantage. That just turns it into another political football and the facts are submerged beneath antagonistic sniping.