The Department Of Justice's inspector general said Thursday that he will open a review into how the department and the FBI handled its investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server before the election.
FBI Director James Comey drew heavy criticism for his decision to announce just 11 days before the election that the bureau was looking into emails found on the computer of disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner, whose estranged wife, Huma Abedin, was one of Clinton's top aides.
Nearly all of the emails turned out to be duplicates of ones the FBI had already reviewed, but Comey's letter to Congress announcing the new findings received a torrent of coverage in the news media and gave Republicans a jolt of new life in the late stages of the presidential campaign.
Brian Fallon, Clinton's spokesman during the campaign, called the new investigation into the DOJ and FBI "entirely appropriate and very necessary, but also not surprising" in an interview with MSNBC. Fallon said the FBI's and DOJ's deviations from protocols were "glaring and egregious."
Michael E. Horowitz, the inspector general, is opening the review following requests from lawmakers on oversight committees, members of the public and "various organizations," according to a Department of Justice release.
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Specifically, the DOJ release said, Horowitz will investigate:
whether FBI procedures were followed when Comey made a public announcement in July to not recommend charges against Clinton, sent his Oct. 28 letter to Congress about the new emails and said on Nov. 2 that nothing new was found.
whether Comey should have recused himself from the investigation all together.
whether the DOJ and FBI improperly disclosed "non-public information."
and whether releasing some FOIA documents on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 were made "influenced by improper considerations."
Comey said at a July news conference that Clinton was "extremely careless" in her handling of classified information but said "no reasonable prosecutor" would bring charges against her for it. That seemed to be the end of the Clinton email story for good.
His Oct. 28 letter, though, upended the presidential campaign at a time when Clinton held about a 5-point polling lead over Trump and many millions of voters were casting ballots early. By the time he sent his follow-up letter to Congress two days before the election saying the latest emails had been reviewed, Clinton's polling lead had narrowed to as low as 1.6, according to RealClearPolitics.
FBI Director James Comey drew heavy criticism for his decision to announce just 11 days before the election that the bureau was looking into emails found on the computer of disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner, whose estranged wife, Huma Abedin, was one of Clinton's top aides.
Nearly all of the emails turned out to be duplicates of ones the FBI had already reviewed, but Comey's letter to Congress announcing the new findings received a torrent of coverage in the news media and gave Republicans a jolt of new life in the late stages of the presidential campaign.
Brian Fallon, Clinton's spokesman during the campaign, called the new investigation into the DOJ and FBI "entirely appropriate and very necessary, but also not surprising" in an interview with MSNBC. Fallon said the FBI's and DOJ's deviations from protocols were "glaring and egregious."
Michael E. Horowitz, the inspector general, is opening the review following requests from lawmakers on oversight committees, members of the public and "various organizations," according to a Department of Justice release.
Patch Weekend Movie Guide: 'Patriots Day,' 'Silence,' 'Live By Night'
Wahlberg's a cop, Affleck's a criminal and Scorsese is making Oscar buzz. Find out what to see, plus a horror flick to stay far away from.
Specifically, the DOJ release said, Horowitz will investigate:
whether FBI procedures were followed when Comey made a public announcement in July to not recommend charges against Clinton, sent his Oct. 28 letter to Congress about the new emails and said on Nov. 2 that nothing new was found.
whether Comey should have recused himself from the investigation all together.
whether the DOJ and FBI improperly disclosed "non-public information."
and whether releasing some FOIA documents on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1 were made "influenced by improper considerations."
Comey said at a July news conference that Clinton was "extremely careless" in her handling of classified information but said "no reasonable prosecutor" would bring charges against her for it. That seemed to be the end of the Clinton email story for good.
His Oct. 28 letter, though, upended the presidential campaign at a time when Clinton held about a 5-point polling lead over Trump and many millions of voters were casting ballots early. By the time he sent his follow-up letter to Congress two days before the election saying the latest emails had been reviewed, Clinton's polling lead had narrowed to as low as 1.6, according to RealClearPolitics.
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