[001sky]

White house said this behaviour broke specific policy guidance, but the NY Times reports that setup was well known and a "status symbol"for the SOS. Those two things don't add up.

How can it be that breaking policy was a status symbol?

It would be more normal that having a policy waiver is a status symbol. Flagarantly breaking a rule/law otherwise just allows you to be blackmailed[1]. (you're basically a dead man walking subject to prosecutorial discretion...).

Since that is a common disqualifier for having top-secret security clearance...

none of this makes any sense whatsoever.