The parents of two Americans killed in Benghazi filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Hillary Clinton on Monday, claiming that her use of a private email server led to the death of their sons.
Patricia Smith and Charles Woods, the parents of Sean Smith and Tyrone Woods, also said that Clinton defamed them in subsequent public statements.
“The deaths of Sean Smith and Tyrone Woods were directly and proximately caused by the negligent and reckless actions of Defendant Clinton,” the lawsuit alleges.
The plaintiffs argue that it is “highly probable” that Clinton sent and received email on her private server about Ambassador Chris Stevens. Furthermore, the suit argues, that information “was compromised” and “easily found its way to foreign powers” which then allowed Islamic terrorists to “obtain the whereabouts of Ambassador Christopher Stevens,” though the lawsuit does not give any direct evidence for any of those claims.
FBI director James Comey said last month that it was “possible” that foreign powers gained access, the bureau did not find direct evidence that Clinton’s email was hacked.
Smith, the mother of Sean Smith, won a prominent speaking role at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland where she tearfully accused Clinton of the death of her son. “I blame Hillary Clinton personally,” she said.
“While no one can imagine the pain of the families of the brave Americans we lost at Benghazi, there have been nine different investigations into this attack and none found any evidence whatsoever of any wrongdoing on the part of Hillary Clinton,” said Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill.
The attorney for the plaintiffs, Larry Klayman, is a Tea Party activist and the founder of Freedom Watch and Judicial Watch. A Clinton campaign official said “he has been unsuccessfully attacking the Clintons for decades.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com