WASHINGTON - The State Department says it can't find emails belonging to a former department employee who helped set up and maintain Hillary Clinton's private email server when she was secretary of state.

Spokesman Alec Gerlach says the department has found emails from Bryan Pagliano's work as a private contractor, but says the files were created after Clinton left office in January 2013. Gerlach said the agency is continuing to search for emails Pagliano sent and received during Clinton's tenure.

Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley and other Republican lawmakers are seeking Pagliano's emails as part of a wide-ranging investigation into Clinton's use of a private email account and server while she was secretary of state.

Grassley, who is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called retrieval of Pagliano's emails a top priority.