Huma Abedin

Abedin was born on July 28, 1975,{{Cite web |last=Abedin |first=Huma |date=2021-11-06 |title='If Hillary Clinton loses this election, it will be because of you and me' – an exclusive extract from Huma Abedin's memoir |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/nov/06/if-hillary-clinton-loses-this-election-it-will-be-because-of-you-and-me-an-exclusive-extract-from-huma-abedins-memoir |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=The Guardian |language=en |quote=It was my 41st birthday.}} in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to two professors.{{Cite web |last=Freeman |first=Hadley |date=2021-11-06 |title=Huma Abedin on Anthony Weiner: 'He ripped my heart out and stomped on it over and over again' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/nov/06/huma-abedin-on-anthony-weiner-he-ripped-my-heart-out-and-stomped-on-it-over-and-over-again |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} Abedin is of Pakistani and Indian descent.{{Cite news |last=Iqbal |first=Nosheen |date=2021-11-22 |title=After a lifetime in the background, Huma Abedin steps forward {{!}} Podcast |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2021/nov/22/after-a-lifetime-in-the-background-huma-abedin-steps-forward-podcast |access-date=2022-05-29 |issn=0261-3077}} She has a sister and a brother.{{Cite web |last=Abedin |first=Huma |date=2021-10-18 |title=Huma Abedin on the Moment Her Private Life Went Public |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/huma-abedin-memoir-excerpt |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=Vogue |language=en-US |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529023815/https://www.vogue.com/article/huma-abedin-memoir-excerpt |url-status=live }}

When Abedin was two years old, her parents were offered jobs at the University of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Abedin moved with her family to Jeddah where she was raised and lived until returning to the United States for college.{{cite news |last=Van Meter |first=Jonathan |date=April 10, 2013 |title=Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin's Post-Scandal Playbook |work=New York Times Magazine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/magazine/anthony-weiner-and-huma-abedins-post-scandal-playbook.html |accessdate= |archive-date=March 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331194131/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/magazine/anthony-weiner-and-huma-abedins-post-scandal-playbook.html?_r=0 |url-status=live }} Abedin traveled frequently during her childhood and teenage years, and attended a British girls' school. Her father died from progressive renal failure when she was 17.

As a teenager, she aspired to be a journalist like her role model Christiane Amanpour and wanted to work in the White House press office.{{cite web|last1=Cohan|first1=William D.|title=Is Huma Abedin Hillary Clinton's Secret Weapon or her next big problem?|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/01/huma-abedin-hillary-clinton-adviser|publisher=Vanity Fair|access-date=22 August 2016|date=February 2016|archive-date=November 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104192011/http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/01/huma-abedin-hillary-clinton-adviser|url-status=live}} At George Washington University, she earned a Bachelor of Arts as a journalism major with a minor in political science.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/huma-abedin/gIQA27jCAP_topic.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201121228/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/huma-abedin/gIQA27jCAP_topic.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 1, 2012|title=Huma Abedin|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=July 28, 2013|date=July 25, 2012}}

While a student at George Washington University, Abedin began working as an intern in the White House in 1996, assigned to then-First Lady Hillary Clinton. From 1996 to 2008, she was an assistant editor of the Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs.{{cite web |last=Engel |first=Pamela |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/huma-abedin-muslim-magazine-2016-8 |title=Clinton campaign denies top aide's involvement in Muslim magazine |date=August 22, 2016 |work=Business Insider |access-date=August 24, 2016 |archive-date=August 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823175139/http://www.businessinsider.com/huma-abedin-muslim-magazine-2016-8 |url-status=live }} For several years, she served as the back-up to Clinton's personal aide. She officially took over as Clinton's aide and personal advisor during Clinton's successful 2000 U.S. Senate campaign in New York and later worked as traveling chief of staff and "body woman" during Clinton's unsuccessful campaign for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. According to a number of Clinton associates, Abedin is a trusted advisor to Clinton, particularly on the Middle East, and has become known for that expertise.

File:HumaAbedin-October2010.jpg

In 2009, Abedin was appointed deputy chief of staff to Clinton in the State Department.{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/18642.html|title=Clintonites jostle for jobs at State|newspaper=Politico|date=February 10, 2009|access-date=June 15, 2011|archive-date=August 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808032311/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/18642.html|url-status=live}} After returning from maternity leave in June 2012, she left her position as Clinton's deputy chief of staff and became a special government employee, a consultant role; this status allowed Abedin to work for private clients as a consultant while also serving as an adviser to the Secretary of State.{{cite news | first = Raymond | last = Hernandez | title = Weiner's Wife Didn't Disclose Consulting Work She Did While Serving in State Dept. | date = May 16, 2013 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/17/nyregion/weiners-wife-huma-abedin-failed-to-disclose-consulting-work-done-while-a-state-dept-aide.html | work = The New York Times | access-date = October 8, 2015 | archive-date = September 29, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150929131714/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/17/nyregion/weiners-wife-huma-abedin-failed-to-disclose-consulting-work-done-while-a-state-dept-aide.html | url-status = live }} Under this arrangement, she did consultant work for Teneo, a strategic consulting firm whose clients included Coca-Cola and MF Global, and served as a paid consultant to the Clinton Foundation, while continuing her role as body woman to Clinton. The New York Times reported that an associate of Abedin's said the arrangement also allowed her to work from her home in New York City rather than at the State Department's headquarters in Washington to be able to spend more time with her child and husband.

After leaving her post at the State Department in 2013, Abedin served as director of the transition team that helped Clinton return to private life, and continued her work for the Clinton Foundation. Eleven days before leaving the State Department, Abedin set up a private consulting firm, Zain Endeavors LLC.Chris Frates, [http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/politics/hillary-clinton-huma-abedin-zain-endeavors-llc/ "New company established 11 days before Huma Abedin left State Department] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928091030/http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/politics/hillary-clinton-huma-abedin-zain-endeavors-llc |date=September 28, 2015 }}, CNN (August 19, 2015).

Starting in 2015, Abedin served as vice-chairperson for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign for president, while continuing to serve as personal assistant to Clinton. In her role as the campaign's vice-chairperson, she screened and interviewed applicants for key campaign roles, including campaign manager Robby Mook, and was the primary channel for communications with Clinton before the campaign officially began. After Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump proposed banning Muslims from entering the United States, Abedin wrote an email to Clinton supporters calling herself "a proud Muslim" and criticized Trump's plan as "literally (writing) racism into our law books".[http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/huma-abedin-trump-plan-would-write-racism-our-law-books Huma Abedin: Trump plan would 'write racism into our law books'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222144520/http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/huma-abedin-trump-plan-would-write-racism-our-law-books |date=December 22, 2015 }}. Frumin, Aliyah. MSNBC, 8 December 2015

{{main|Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds}}

Abedin wrote a memoir titled Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds, published in November 2021.{{cite web |last1=Broadway |first1=Danielle |title=Huma Abedin, aide to Hillary Clinton and ex-wife to Anthony Weiner, is writing a memoir |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2021-06-10/hillary-clinton-aide-huma-abedin-memoir-speaks-her-truth-amid-years-controversy |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=6 September 2021 |date=10 June 2021 |archive-date=September 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906164657/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2021-06-10/hillary-clinton-aide-huma-abedin-memoir-speaks-her-truth-amid-years-controversy |url-status=live }} The book covers her childhood in Saudi Arabia, her Muslim faith, her time as an aide to Clinton and her relationship with her estranged husband, former Democratic Representative Anthony Weiner.{{Cite news|last=Dominus|first=Susan|date=2021-11-01|title=Huma Abedin Has Been to Hell and Back. Now She's Gingerly Telling the Tale.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/01/books/review/both-and-huma-abedin.html|access-date=2021-11-04|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=November 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104175900/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/01/books/review/both-and-huma-abedin.html|url-status=live}} She has said that writing the book was a therapeutic process, helping her work through a tumultuous time as a result of Weiner's multiple scandals.{{Cite news|date=2021-11-05|title=Huma Abedin Talks About 'Both/And'|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/05/books/review/podcast-huma-abedin-both-and-gary-shteyngart-our-country-friends.html|access-date=2021-11-06|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=November 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106120719/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/05/books/review/podcast-huma-abedin-both-and-gary-shteyngart-our-country-friends.html|url-status=live}} In the memoir, Abedin also explores the multiple identities that have shaped her, in particular being born in Michigan and then raised in Saudi Arabia by a Pakistani father and an Indian mother.{{Cite news|last=Kim|first=Caitlyn|date=2021-11-01|title=Huma Abedin's admiration for mentor Hillary Clinton is on full display in 'Both/And' |language=en|work=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/11/01/1051081293/huma-abedin-talks-hillary-clinton-and-anthony-weiner-in-book-both-and|access-date=2021-11-06|archive-date=November 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106120719/https://www.npr.org/2021/11/01/1051081293/huma-abedin-talks-hillary-clinton-and-anthony-weiner-in-book-both-and|url-status=live}}

In the memoir, Abedin wrote that in the mid-2000s, an unnamed U.S. senator had "kissed me, pushing his tongue into my mouth, pressing me back on the sofa"; she wrote that she had "buried" the incident until accusations of sexual assault against Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 triggered her memory.{{Cite web |last=Pengelly |first=Martin |date=2021-10-26 |title=Longtime Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin describes sexual assault by US senator |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/oct/26/huma-abedin-sexual-assault-us-senator-book-memoir |access-date=2022-05-30 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} In an interview with CBS News Sunday Morning to promote the book, she said she did not feel that the senator was sexually assaulting her in that moment.{{Cite web |last=Pengelly |first=Martin |date=2021-10-31 |title=Huma Abedin says kiss from unnamed senator was not sexual assault |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/oct/31/huma-abedin-kiss-senator-sexual-assault-hillary-clinton-anthony-weiner |access-date=2022-05-30 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, Republican of Iowa, raised questions about Abedin's work as a State Department employee, concerning the fact that she held four jobs{{cite news |title=Questions on the Dual Role of a Clinton Aide Persist |author=Hernandez, Raymond |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/19/nyregion/questions-on-the-dual-role-of-a-clinton-aide-persist.html?ref=politics&_r=0 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 18, 2013 |access-date=August 19, 2013 |archive-date=August 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824045344/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/19/nyregion/questions-on-the-dual-role-of-a-clinton-aide-persist.html?ref=politics&_r=0 |url-status=live }} from June 2012 to February 2013.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/weiners-wife-huma-abedin-under-scrutiny-over-two-jobs/|title=Weiner's wife Huma Abedin under scrutiny over two jobs|last=Condon|first=Stephanie|date=July 26, 2013|work=CBS News|access-date=July 29, 2013|archive-date=July 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729153123/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57595659/weiners-wife-huma-abedin-under-scrutiny-over-two-jobs/|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.grassley.senate.gov/about/upload/Grassley-Letter0001.pdf |title=Letters, Senator Charles Grassley's Office |access-date=August 4, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207071155/http://www.grassley.senate.gov/about/upload/Grassley-Letter0001.pdf |archive-date=December 7, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/huma-abedin-faces-questions-about-dual-jobs/|title=Huma Abedin faces questions about dual jobs|last=McKelway|first=Doug|date=July 16, 2013|publisher=Fox News Channel|access-date=July 29, 2013|archive-date=July 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730035754/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/26/huma-abedin-faces-employment-questions/|url-status=live}} These included serving as a part-time aide to Clinton at the State Department while also working as a consultant to private clients for the consulting firm Teneo Holdings, a consulting firm run by Douglas Band, a longtime aide to former president Bill Clinton. At the time, she was also being paid a salary for work at the Clinton Foundation, and working as Hillary Clinton's personal assistant. The State Department and Abedin both responded, with the State Department indicating that it uses special government employees routinely "to provide services and expertise that executive agencies require", and Abedin stating that she did not provide any government information or inside information gained from her State Department job to her private employers. Grassley said he found the letters unresponsive. In July 2015, Grassley released information indicating that the State Department's inspector general had found that Abedin was overpaid by almost $10,000 for unused leave time when she left the government, resulting from violations of the rules governing vacation and sick leave during her tenure on the payroll as a Federal employee in the department.Tom Hamburger, Rosalind S. Helderman & Carol D. Leonnig, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/top-clinton-aide-accused-of-receiving-overpayments-at-state-department/2015/07/31/978d622a-3794-11e5-9739-170df8af8eb9_story.html Top Clinton aide accused of receiving overpayments at State Department] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831041830/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/top-clinton-aide-accused-of-receiving-overpayments-at-state-department/2015/07/31/978d622a-3794-11e5-9739-170df8af8eb9_story.html |date=August 31, 2017 }}, The Washington Post (July 31, 2015).Devlin Barrett & Peter Nicholas – "Close Clinton Aide Huma Abedin in Overpayment Dispute", The Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2015.[https://www.wsj.com/articles/close-clinton-aide-huma-abedin-in-overpayment-dispute-1438385275] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903165027/https://www.wsj.com/articles/close-clinton-aide-huma-abedin-in-overpayment-dispute-1438385275|date=September 3, 2017}}. Retrieved August 1, 2015 Abedin's attorneys said that she had learned in May that the Department's inspector general had found that she improperly collected $9,857 for periods when she was on vacation or leave, responded with a 12-page letter contesting the findings, and formally requested an administrative review of the investigation's conclusions. Her lawyer, Miguel Rodriguez, told The New York Times that the inspector general's report showed that Abedin worked during her maternity leave and had thus earned the pay.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/26/us/politics/huma-abedin-clinton-emails.html |title=Huma Abedin, a Clinton Aide, Is Back in Spotlight as Republicans Seize on Emails |work=The New York Times |date=August 25, 2015 |access-date=October 8, 2015 |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Chozick |first2=Amy |last3=Eder |first3=Steve |archive-date=September 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907221308/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/26/us/politics/huma-abedin-clinton-emails.html |url-status=live }}

In October 2015, a federal court in Washington, D.C., heard arguments on a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by conservative watchdog organization Judicial Watch for records related to Abedin. Judicial Watch asked to make Abedin's emails and employment records public, requesting details of the arrangement under which she was designated a "special government employee", allowing her to also perform outside consulting work while on the federal payroll.{{cite web |url=http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/huma-abedin-court-hearing-thursday-clinton-aide |title=Court hearing Thursday will focus on key Clinton aide |date=August 18, 2015 |publisher=MSNBC |access-date=October 8, 2015 |archive-date=October 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017114551/http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/huma-abedin-court-hearing-thursday-clinton-aide |url-status=live }} On October 6, the State Department said it would be able to hand over 69 pages of emails in response to the FOIA request.{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/256072-new-front-opened-in-battle-over-clinton-email-server/ |title=New front opened in battle over Clinton email server |date=October 6, 2015 |publisher=thehill.com |access-date=October 8, 2015 |archive-date=October 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007210640/http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/256072-new-front-opened-in-battle-over-clinton-email-server |url-status=live }}

In 2015, emails by Abedin became part of the FBI investigation and controversy concerning Hillary Clinton's private email account while she was Secretary of State,Evan Perez – [http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/politics/hillary-clinton-huma-abedin-emails-intelligence-concerns-2011/ "Hillary Clinton aides' emails on Benghazi sparked intelligence concerns"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151030003025/http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/politics/hillary-clinton-huma-abedin-emails-intelligence-concerns-2011 |date=October 30, 2015 }}, CNN, August 20, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015Rachael Bade – [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/08/hillary-clinton-email-probe-turns-to-huma-121314 "Hillary email probe turns to Huma"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019112757/http://www.politico.com/story/2015/08/hillary-clinton-email-probe-turns-to-huma-121314 |date=October 19, 2015 }}, Politico, August 13, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015 resulting in various allegations by Republicans of violations of State Department regulations.{{cite web|last1=Shah|first1=Raj|title=The Top 5 Rules Clinton Broke Using a Secret Email Server|url=https://www.gop.com/the-top-5-rules-clinton-broke-using-a-secret-email-server/|website=gop.com|publisher=Republican National Committee|access-date=19 June 2016|archive-date=September 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917034919/https://www.gop.com/the-top-5-rules-clinton-broke-using-a-secret-email-server/|url-status=dead}} Some officials within the intelligence community have stated that classified information was contained in e-mails from Abedin relating to the 2012 Benghazi attack and its aftermath, which had been sent through Clinton's private, non-government server.Carol D. Leonnig, Rosalind S. Helderman & Tom Hamburger, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-looks-into-security-of-clintons-private-e-mail-setup/2015/08/04/2bdd85ec-3aae-11e5-8e98-115a3cf7d7ae_story.html FBI Looking into the Security of Hillary Clinton's Private e-mail Setup] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302083859/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-looks-into-security-of-clintons-private-e-mail-setup/2015/08/04/2bdd85ec-3aae-11e5-8e98-115a3cf7d7ae_story.html |date=March 2, 2021 }}, The Washington Post (August 4, 2015).{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/03/us/politics/hillary-clintons-use-of-private-email-at-state-department-raises-flags.html|title=Hillary Clinton's Use of Private Email at State Department Raises Flags|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=April 1, 2015|first=Michael S.|last=Schmidt|date=March 2, 2015|archive-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227104055/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/03/us/politics/hillary-clintons-use-of-private-email-at-state-department-raises-flags.html//|url-status=live}} As of February 2016, 1,818 emails were found containing classified information on the private server; 22 of those were classified as Top Secret. They were not marked classified at the time they were sent, but they did contain classified information. Clinton's aides also sent and received classified information.Anita Kumar – [http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article62766737.html "At least 1,818 Clinton emails contain classified material"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229212716/http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article62766737.html |date=February 29, 2016 }}, McClatchyDC, February 26, 2016. Retrieved February 29, 2016

On October 16, 2015, Abedin testified in closed session before the House Select Committee on Benghazi, in a session that was expected to focus on the 2012 Benghazi attack during which Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed. The committee had previously heard closed-door testimony from two other Clinton aides, Cheryl Mills and Jake Sullivan, in September 2015, and Clinton appeared before the panel in a public hearing on October 22.{{cite news|first1=David A.|last1=Fahrenthold|first2=Elise|last2=Viebeck|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clintons-benghazi-testimony-today-has-high-political-stakes-for-both-sides/2015/10/22/beff40d2-7838-11e5-bc80-9091021aeb69_story.html|title=GOP lands no solid punches while sparring with Clinton over Benghazi|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 22, 2015|access-date=October 23, 2015|archive-date=March 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313180407/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clintons-benghazi-testimony-today-has-high-political-stakes-for-both-sides/2015/10/22/beff40d2-7838-11e5-bc80-9091021aeb69_story.html|url-status=live}}

The Republican-led committee's top Democratic representative, Elijah Cummings of Maryland, questioned the panel's decision to hear testimony from Abedin, arguing that her knowledge of details at the time of the attacks was minimal. Republican Representative Mike Pompeo of Kansas defended the decision to interview Abedin, saying: "Ms. Abedin was a senior official at the State Department at all of the relevant times. Every witness has a different set of knowledge."Benjamin Siegal, [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hillary-clintons-top-aide-huma-abedin-grilled-benghazi/story?id=34508529 Hillary Clinton's Top Aide Huma Abedin Questioned About Benghazi Attacks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200110093630/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hillary-clintons-top-aide-huma-abedin-grilled-benghazi/story?id=34508529 |date=January 10, 2020 }}, ABC News (October 16, 2015). Before almost eight hours of testimony, Abedin said: "I came here today to be as helpful as I could be to the committee."

Five Republican members of Congress (Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, Trent Franks of Arizona, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Thomas J. Rooney of Florida, and Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia) sent a letter dated June 13, 2012, to the State Department Inspector General. The letter claimed Abedin "has three family members—her late father, her mother and her brother—connected to Muslim Brotherhood operatives and/or organizations."Editorial, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/michele-bachmanns-baseless-attack-on-huma-abedin/2012/07/19/gJQAFhkiwW_story.html "Michele Bachmann's baseless attack on Huma Abedin"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903164423/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/michele-bachmanns-baseless-attack-on-huma-abedin/2012/07/19/gJQAFhkiwW_story.html |date=September 3, 2017 }}, The Washington Post (July 19, 2012).Bachmann: [http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/402379/rep-michele-bachmann-correspondence.pdf "Letter to the Deputy Inspector General", June 13, 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318183057/http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/402379/rep-michele-bachmann-correspondence.pdf |date=March 18, 2013 }}, accessed August 1, 2013{{cite news |last=Cordes |first=Nancy |date=July 19, 2012 |title=Michele Bachmann refuses to back down on claims about Huma Abedin |newspaper=CBS This Morning |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michele-bachmann-refuses-to-back-down-on-claims-about-huma-abedin/ |access-date=July 19, 2012 |archive-date=July 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120720192549/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505267_162-57475483/michelle-bachmann-refuses-to-back-down-on-claims-about-huma-abedin/ |url-status=live }} The letter further alleged Abedin had "immediate family connections to foreign extremist organizations" which were "potentially disqualifying conditions for obtaining a security clearance" and questioned why Abedin had not been disqualified for a security clearance.

The Washington Post editorial board called the allegations "paranoid", a "baseless attack", and a "smear". The letter was also criticized by, among others, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Representative Keith Ellison, Democrat of Minnesota, the first Muslim member of Congress, who called the allegations "reprehensible".{{cite news |last=Terkel |first=Amanda |date=July 18, 2012 |title=John McCain Slams Michele Bachmann's 'Unfounded' Attacks on Huma Abedin, Muslim-Americans |work=The Huffington Post |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/18/john-mccain-michele-bachmann-muslim_n_1683277.html |access-date=July 19, 2012}} Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, also rejected the allegations. Bachmann's former campaign manager Ed Rollins said the allegations were "extreme and dishonest", and called for Bachmann to apologize to Abedin.{{cite news |last=Rollins |first=Edward |date=July 24, 2012 |title=Bachmann's former campaign chief – shame on you, Michele |publisher=Fox News Channel |url=https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/bachmanns-former-campaign-chief-shame-on-you-michele/ |access-date=July 24, 2012 |archive-date=July 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723195636/http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/07/18/bachmann-former-campaign-chief-shame-on-michele/ |url-status=live }}

In February 2016, The Washington Post reported that the United States Department of State had issued a subpoena to the Clinton Foundation in the fall of 2015. According to the report, the subpoena focused on documents about the charity's projects that may have required approval from the federal government during Clinton's term as secretary of state; it also asked for records related to Abedin.Hamburger, Tom. Helderman, Rosalind S. 2016. "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-foundation-received-subpoena-from-state-department-investigators/2016/02/11/ca5125b2-cce4-11e5-88ff-e2d1b4289c2f_story.html Clinton Campaign received a subpoena from State Department investigators] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201217161515/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-foundation-received-subpoena-from-state-department-investigators/2016/02/11/ca5125b2-cce4-11e5-88ff-e2d1b4289c2f_story.html |date=December 17, 2020 }}". The Washington Post. February 11, 2016.

On October 28, 2016, the FBI announced that while investigating illicit text messages allegedly from Anthony Weiner to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina, they discovered emails related to Clinton's private server on a laptop computer belonging to Weiner, Abedin's husband at the time. FBI Director James Comey said the agency would review the e-mails to see if they contained classified material. Clinton called for the FBI to release its findings as soon as possible.{{cite news|last1=Goldman|first1=Adam|last2=Rappeport|first2=Alan|date=October 29, 2016|title=Emails in Anthony Weiner Inquiry Jolt Hillary Clinton's Campaign|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/29/us/politics/fbi-hillary-clinton-email.html?_r=0|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=October 29, 2016|archive-date=October 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030013657/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/29/us/politics/fbi-hillary-clinton-email.html?_r=0|url-status=live}} CNN reported that "the Justice Department and FBI officials are working to secure approval that would allow the FBI to conduct a full search of top Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin's newly discovered emails. The issue is complex because Abedin shared a computer with Weiner, according to officials, and the case may raise "spousal privilege legal protections" for Abedin since the laptop belongs to her husband."

The FBI's New York field office was conducting the Weiner investigation and found the Abedin emails on the computer, which they thought were only Weiner's, the officials said. They then stopped their work and contacted the team of investigators from FBI headquarters who had handled the probe of Clinton's private email server. The investigators saw enough of the emails to decide that they seemed pertinent to the Clinton server investigation and that they might be emails not seen before. Because they felt they needed a warrant specific to Abedin's emails, officials did not examine them further.

Abedin cooperated with the investigation, according to Justice Department and FBI officials. Investigators believed that some emails deleted from the Clinton server were possibly among those in question. They needed to interview Abedin again after examining the emails on Weiner's computer.{{cite web|url=http://ktla.com/2016/10/30/justice-department-in-talks-with-huma-abedin-lawyers-to-permit-search-of-new-emails/|title=Justice Department Obtains Warrant for FBI Search of Huma Abedein's Newly Discovered Emails|date=October 30, 2016|access-date=October 30, 2016|archive-date=October 31, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031085301/http://ktla.com/2016/10/30/justice-department-in-talks-with-huma-abedin-lawyers-to-permit-search-of-new-emails/|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/30/politics/clinton-emails-fbi-abedin/index.html |title=FBI discovered Clinton-related emails weeks ago |author1=Evan Perez|author2=Pamela Brown|date=October 30, 2016|publisher=CNN|access-date=October 30, 2016|archive-date=February 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213031557/https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/30/politics/clinton-emails-fbi-abedin/index.html|url-status=live}}

On October 30, 2016, the FBI obtained a search warrant for the Abedin-linked emails found on Weiner's laptop. Abedin used the same laptop to send thousands of emails to Clinton.{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/fbi-obtains-warrant-newly-discovered-emails-clinton-probe-reid-accuses-n675411|title=FBI obtains warrant for newly discovered emails in Clinton probe|website=NBC News|date=October 31, 2016 }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2015/10/huma-abedin-email-address-discovered-benghazi-committee-testimony/|title=New Huma Abedin E-mail Address Discovered ahead of Benghazi Committee Appearance|date=2015-10-15|website=National Review |language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-28|archive-date=October 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006015102/https://www.nationalreview.com/2015/10/huma-abedin-email-address-discovered-benghazi-committee-testimony/|url-status=live}} On November 6, in a letter to Congress, the FBI said that, after reviewing all of Clinton's emails from her tenure as Secretary of State, it had not changed its conclusion reached in July exonerating Clinton.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/us/politics/hilary-clinton-male-voters-donald-trump.html|title=Emails Warrant No New Action Against Hillary Clinton, F.B.I. Director Says|date=November 6, 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 6, 2016|archive-date=November 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107222840/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/us/politics/hilary-clinton-male-voters-donald-trump.html|url-status=live}}

Abedin is a practicing Muslim.{{cite web|title = Hillary's Secret Weapon; Huma Abedin oversees every minute of Senator Clinton's day|url = http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/hillarys-secret-weapon-huma-abedin/#1|access-date = July 30, 2013|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130729034915/http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/hillarys-secret-weapon-huma-abedin/#1|archive-date = July 29, 2013|url-status = dead}} Vogue, August 2007, U.S. edition, photo spread and interview conducted by Rebecca Johnson. Quote: "Fluent in Arabic and a practicing Muslim born in … ."Nia-Malika Henderson, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/huma-abedin-weiners-unflappable-wife/2011/06/07/AG4jFILH_story.html Huma Abedin, Weiner's unflappable wife, is Hillary Clinton's right-hand woman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910165138/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/huma-abedin-weiners-unflappable-wife/2011/06/07/AG4jFILH_story.html |date=September 10, 2017 }}, The Washington Post (June 7, 2011). In addition to English and Urdu,{{cite web |author=Nathan Heller, Annie Leibovitz |url=http://www.vogue.com/13464218/huma-abedin-family-job-hillary-clinton-campaign-strategist/ |title=Huma Abedin on Her Job, Family, and the Campaign of a Lifetime |publisher=Vogue |date=2016-08-17 |access-date=2016-10-10 |archive-date=September 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905115820/http://www.vogue.com/13464218/huma-abedin-family-job-hillary-clinton-campaign-strategist/ |url-status=live }} Abedin also speaks fluent Arabic.Susan Donaldson James, [https://abcnews.go.com/Health/huma-abedin-wife-anthony-weiner-stay-married-man/story?id=13774687 Anthony Weiner Says Wife Huma Abedin Will Stay, But Will She?], ABC News (June 7, 2011).{{cite news | author=Ashley Parker | title=Opposites in Many Ways, but Seemingly Melded Well | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/nyregion/wife-knew-of-online-past-but-not-photo-post-weiner-says.html | work=The New York Times | date=June 6, 2011 | access-date=April 10, 2012 | archive-date=September 6, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906101438/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/nyregion/wife-knew-of-online-past-but-not-photo-post-weiner-says.html | url-status=live }}

Abedin started dating then-U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner in 2007,{{Cite web |date=November 2, 2021 |title=Huma Abedin on overcoming her husband Anthony Weiner's betrayals |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/huma-abedin-anthony-weiner-husband-betrayals/ |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=CBS News |language=en-US |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529023815/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/huma-abedin-anthony-weiner-husband-betrayals/ |url-status=live }} and they were engaged in 2009. They were married on July 10, 2010, with former U.S. President Bill Clinton officiating the wedding ceremony.{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/07/12/2009-07-12_weiner_hillary_aide_to_tie_knot.html |title=Rep. Anthony Weiner engaged to Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin |work=Daily News |location=New York |date=July 11, 2009 |access-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-date=September 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918103403/http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/07/12/2009-07-12_weiner_hillary_aide_to_tie_knot.html |url-status=live }} In December 2011, Abedin gave birth to a boy.Catalina Camia, [http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/12/anthony-weiner-huma-abedin-baby-boy-/ It's a boy for ex-congressman Weiner and his wife] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118120736/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/12/anthony-weiner-huma-abedin-baby-boy-/ |date=January 18, 2016 }}, USA Today (December 22, 2011). On August 29, 2016, Abedin announced her separation from Weiner after new sexting allegations were made against him.{{cite news|last1=Little|first1=Katie|title=Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin separate in wake of latest sexting scandal|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/29/anthony-weiner-huma-abedin-separate-in-wake-of-latest-sexting-scandal.html|access-date=29 August 2016|publisher=CNBC|date=August 29, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/abedin-announces-separation-from-weiner-227503|title=Clinton aide Abedin dumps Weiner after more lewd texts|publisher=Politico|date=August 29, 2016|access-date=August 29, 2016|archive-date=August 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829170652/http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/abedin-announces-separation-from-weiner-227503|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Tom |date=2016-08-29 |title=Huma Abedin separates from Anthony Weiner after latest sexting scandal |url=http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/29/anthony-weiner-sexting-twitter-scandal |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} In early 2017, Abedin announced her intent to file for divorce with sole physical custody of their son.{{cite web |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/anthony-weiner-huma-abedin-divorce-court_us_59b96a14e4b086432b03a05c |title=Anthony Weiner And Huma Abedin Appear In Divorce Court |work=Huffington Post |last1=Campbell |first1=Andy |last2=Grenoble |first2=Ryan |date=September 13, 2017 |access-date=December 22, 2017 |archive-date=December 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222085227/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/anthony-weiner-huma-abedin-divorce-court_us_59b96a14e4b086432b03a05c |url-status=live }} On May 19, 2017, after Weiner pled guilty, she filed for divorce.{{Cite web |date=May 19, 2017 |title=Huma Abedin's Attorneys File Her Divorce Papers After Anthony Weiner Guilty Plea |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/huma-abedin-anthony-weiner-divorce/ |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=CBS News |language=en-US |archive-date=May 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529025022/https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/huma-abedin-anthony-weiner-divorce/ |url-status=live }} Abedin and Weiner withdrew their divorce case in January 2018, stating that they decided to settle privately in order to spare their son further embarrassment.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2018/01/10/report-huma-abedin-and-anthony-weiner-have-withdrawn-their-divorce-case/|title=Huma Abedin and Anthony Weiner to settle divorce out of court|first=Emily|last=Heil|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=January 10, 2018|access-date=May 10, 2018|archive-date=May 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511013146/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/reliable-source/wp/2018/01/10/report-huma-abedin-and-anthony-weiner-have-withdrawn-their-divorce-case/|url-status=live}} As of November 2021, their divorce was in its final stages, although they raise their son jointly.

Hillary Clinton has been described as a mentor and mother figure to Abedin. In 2010, at Abedin's wedding to Weiner, Clinton said: "I have one daughter. But if I had a second daughter, it would [be] Huma."{{cite news |author1=The Reliable Source |date=2010-07-01 |title=Clintons celebrate wedding of Huma Abedin and Anthony Weiner |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/reliable-source/2010/07/rs-_huma_abedin.html |access-date=20 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119053718/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/reliable-source/2010/07/rs-_huma_abedin.html |archive-date=November 19, 2012 |quote=But if I had a second daughter, it would [be] Huma}} During a trip that Clinton and Abedin made to Saudi Arabia, Abedin's mother said to Clinton, "Hillary, you have spent more time with my daughter than I have in the past 15 years. I'm jealous of you!"

In a May 2022 interview, Abedin said she struggles with anxiety and has been in therapy due to the shock and trauma of dealing with her husband's sexting scandal. She also said she has started dating again and feels excited about the process.{{Cite web |last=Ramsden |first=Tracy |date=2022-05-28 |title=Huma Abedin: 'Hillary Clinton doesn't give up. Her positivity is contagious' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/may/28/this-much-i-know-huma-abedin-hillary-clintons-positive-attitude-is-contagious |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} In July 2022, Abedin was in a relationship with actor Bradley Cooper.{{cite magazine |title=Bradley Cooper Has Been Quietly Dating Huma Abedin for the Past Few Months |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a40591466/bradley-cooper-dating-huma-abedin-report/ |magazine=Harper's Bazaar |date=July 12, 2022 |access-date=22 July 2022 |archive-date=July 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713103343/https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a40591466/bradley-cooper-dating-huma-abedin-report/ |url-status=live }}

In July 2024, Abedin announced her engagement to Alexander Soros, the second youngest son of George Soros.{{Cite web |last=Bradley |first=Faye |date=2024-07-11 |title='Clinton world couple'? Meet Huma Abedin's new fiancé, 'playboy' Alex Soros |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3270101/meet-huma-abedins-new-fiance-alex-soros-hillary-clintons-second-daughter-engaged-playboy-son |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en |archive-date=July 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712141414/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3270101/meet-huma-abedins-new-fiance-alex-soros-hillary-clintons-second-daughter-engaged-playboy-son |url-status=live }}

Abedin is featured in Weiner, a documentary about her former husband's unsuccessful 2013 campaign for Mayor of New York.{{cite news|last1=Cohan|first1=William|title=What Weiner Reveals About Huma Abedin|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/01/weiner-documentary-reveals-about-huma-abedin|access-date=29 August 2016|publisher=Vanity Fair|date=January 19, 2016}}

In July 2022, Freida Pinto announced she would be developing and starring in a television series based upon Abedin's memoir. Abedin will be an executive producer of the program along with Emily Verellen.{{cite news |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |url=https://deadline.com/2022/07/freida-pinto-star-huma-abedin-tv-series-memoir-both-and-eone-1235063129/ |title=Freida Pinto To Star As Huma Abedin In TV Series Adaptation Of Abedin's Memoir 'Both/And' In Works At eOne |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=2022-07-13 |accessdate=2022-07-13 }}

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• {{Official|https://www.huma-abedin.com/}}
• {{C-SPAN|98979}}
• [https://www.nytimes.com/topic/huma-abedin?searchResultPosition=1 Collected news and coverage] at The New York Times
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120201121228/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/huma-abedin/gIQA27jCAP_topic.html Collected news and coverage] at The Washington Post

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