Colin Powell says Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Democratic super PAC to hit Trump in battleground states over coronavirus deaths Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE’s campaign has been trying to use him to help justify her use of a private email server while she was secretary of State.

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The Democratic presidential nominee reportedly told FBI investigators that Powell, also a former secretary of State, recommended she use a private email account.

Clinton allegedly discussed email practices with her predecessor during a dinner after she became the top U.S. diplomat in 2009, The New York Times said Thursday.

On Sunday, Powell told the New York Post’s Page Six that Clinton was using her private email long before their meeting.

“The truth is she was using it for a year before I sent her a memo telling her what I did [during my term as secretary of State],” he said.

“Her people have been trying to pin it on me.”

But the Post reported that “despite appearing angered by the situation,” Powell added, “it doesn’t bother me. It’s OK, I’m free.”

Journalist Joe Conason first reported the talk in his forthcoming book about Bill Clinton’s life after the presidency, “Man of the World: The Further Endeavors of Bill Clinton William (Bill) Jefferson ClintonBattle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight Sunday shows - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death dominates Bill Clinton on GOP push to fill Ginsburg vacancy: Trump, McConnell 'first value is power' MORE.”

An advanced copy states that Clinton spoke with Powell during a dinner party in Washington, D.C., hosted by Madeleine Albright, another former secretary of State.

“Toward the end of the evening, over dessert, Albright asked all of the former secretaries to offer one salient bit of counsel to the nation’s next top diplomat,” Conason wrote.

“Powell told [Clinton] to use her own email, as he had done, except for classified communications, which he had sent and received via a State Department computer,” he added.

Powell’s office released a statement late Thursday saying he had no recollection of the dinner conversation.