Washington, May 26 (RHC)-- The U.S. State Department says its former chief Hillary Clinton broke federal rules by using her own personal e-mail for communicating sensitive materials.  The department said Clinton ignored clear directives as she never sought approval to conduct government business over private e-mail.

The findings of an inquiry by the U.S. inspector general also revealed that hacking attempts forced Hillary Clinton off e-mail at one point in 2011, though she insists the personal server she used was never breached.

The U.S. State Department has released more than 52,000 pages of Clinton's work-related e-mails, including some that have since been classified.  Hillary Clinton has withheld thousands of additional e-mails, saying they were personal.

A nine-month FBI investigation into whether laws were broken as a result of the server kept in her New York State home has overshadowed Clinton's campaign for president of the United States.

More than 2,000 e-mails sent and received by Clinton while working as the top U.S. diplomat between 2009 and 2013 include classified information, which the government bans from being handled outside secure, government-controlled channels.

Critics, including likely Republican presidential election rival Donald Trump, say she endangered government secrets and evaded transparency laws.