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Tony Cook, The Indianapolis Star Published 3:57 p.m. ET March 3, 2017 | Updated 7:11 p.m. ET March 3, 2017

Vice President Mike Pence reportedly used a private email account to conduct public business, including homeland security matters, while he was governor of Indiana. Records of the emails were obtained by IndyStar through a public records request. Dwight Adams/IndyStar

Vice President-elect Mike Pence speaks Nov. 10, 2016, during a welcome-home rally at Indianapolis International Airport.(Photo: Jenna Watson, The Indianapolis Star)

INDIANAPOLIS The Indianapolis Star has been engaged in a long-running effort to obtain emails from Vice President Mike Pences personal AOL account.

The controversy over his use of a private email account exploded Thursday, but the story has its roots in another batch of emails.

In 2014, The Star was investigating a possible conflict of interest involving Seema Verma, a powerful state health-care consultant who was simultaneously working for one of the states largest Medicaid contractors. Verma is now President Trumps pick to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

In conjunction with that investigation, reporters requested emails involving Verma and one of Pences cabinet members with whom she butted heads.

About nine months later well after the paper published its report on Verma the Pence administration provided nearly 1,500 pages of emails.

Related:Pence used personal email for state business and was hacked Related:Here are some of Mike Pence's AOL emails

Tucked among them was an email to Pences personal AOL account from a low-level Pence staffer who was forwarding a news clip from the local business journal.At that time, it was not known whether he used the personal email address routinely for state business or to discuss sensitive issues.

The use of private emails to conduct public business later exploded as a major presidential campaign issue. Thats when The Star filed a public records request seeking emails from Pences personal account.

What ensued was a monthslong effort to access those records.

Related:Mike Pence: 'No comparison' between his, Clinton's email practices Related:Photo captures Hillary Clinton reading about Pence's emails

In September, reporters requested all emails between Pences AOL account and any state government account, but his administration declined to fulfill that request, arguing it was too broad. The Indianapolis Star narrowed its request, but the administration again argued it was too broad.

In a third public records query, the request was narrowed to meet the administrations parameters that it name a specific sender and recipient, include a date range of no more than six months and specify search terms.

Pences office accepted that request. On Oct. 27, Shelley Triol, Pences communications director, said, We will send responsive records on a rolling basis as they are located and reviewed for confidential material.

Related:Mike Pence asks Indiana high courtto stay out of his redacted emails Related:With Pence gone, fellow Republicans undo his work in Indiana

But Pences office never provided any records.

In the weeks before he left the governors office, the paper filed a complaint with the public access counselor arguing that the administration had failed to provide the records in a timely manner and expressing concerns about how the records request would be fulfilled since the incoming administration would have no access to Pences personal email account.

The access counselor decided in the states favor, arguing that Pences transition to the White House presented extenuating circumstances.

Related:Pence vows Senate vote on high court nominee 'one way or the other' Related:Elusive funding for Pences bicentennial projects dogs his home state

Despite the setback, Star reporters continued to pursue the records under the new administration of Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Late last week, Holcomb's office released 29 pages of emailsbut withheld an unknown number of others, arguing they are exempt from Indiana's records laws.

The Indianapolis Star continues to pursue additional recordsas well as more information about those that the Holcomb administration is withholding.

Follow Tony Cook on Twitter:@indystartony

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Indiana took months to reveal Mike Pence emails - USA TODAY