Republican Iowa Senator Charles Grassley wrote a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry calling on him to probe the inspector general office’s findings, according to the Washington Post.
He noted that Abedin may have criminally conducted the payouts, violating the Department of State’s internal rules. Grassley added that the report had pointed to an occurrence of “theft of public money through time and attendance fraud,” conducted by the Clinton aide.
"Ms. Abedin often worked seven days a week and around the clock for the Secretary and the Department. Given these facts are not in dispute, there is no basis for the Office of the Inspector General to conclude that Ms. Abedin must refund her salary earned during those periods, as if she had not worked at all," Miguel Rodriguez, one of Abedin’ lawyers, told CNN.
Abedin left the State Department in February, 2013, along with Clinton and became vice chairwoman for her presidential campaign.
Other Democratic Party officials have claim that the allegations are aimed at discrediting Hillary Clinton politically.