Does Hillary Clinton need a criminal lawyer? And – if she does – will she do anything about it?

The question has evidently been raised by a trusted legal adviser as the Clinton email scandal refuses to disappear off the political radar. It has, says the adviser (quoting Watergate’s John Dean) become a “cancer on her candidacy”.

The New York Post story about the issue, which could involve Hillary Clinton’s indictment over her mishandling of classified documents on a private email server she had set up while Secretary of State and for lying under oath, would probably kill her presidential aspirations and could be even worse for her personally.

The adviser said he was used to his advice being taken seriously.

“I think Bill takes the matter seriously. But Hillary is still acting as though it’s a political smear job by right-wing zealots.”

The scandal continues to surround Clinton who continues to take her usual resolute stance that has advisers and supporters worried.

Hillary Clinton has insisted that questions about her email server are “just beyond the pale” during an interview on NBC’s “Today” and claimed that it was also not a public service to investigate her private email server suggesting, “My emails were on the government account, more than 90% of them… and I’m happy to go if it still is in operation to testify [to the Benghazi Subcommittee]. I’m happy to turn over my emails.”

The adviser told the Post that there could be “blood in the water”.

His advice to Hillary: Lawyer up now before it’s too late.“Hillary needs to secure the services of an expert legal counsel — preferably a big-league defense attorney from the Republican side of the aisle,” the adviser said. “She needs someone to find out whether the FBI and Justice Department are likely to conclude that she’s violated federal laws governing national security.”