Republicans Friday slammed Hillary Clinton’s effort to “clarify and explain” a statement she made that FBI Director James Comey said that her previous answers about her private email use were “truthful” to a group of journalists, with Donald Trump’s campaign labeling it as “habitual lying” that endangered national security.
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And during testimony before a House committee, Comey said it was “not true” that nothing Clinton sent or received was marked classified.
Then Tapper replayed Comey’s congressional hearing testimony with Rep. Trey Gowdy, where the Federal Bureau of Investigation director repeatedly debunked many of Clinton’s claims.
On “Fox News Sunday” last weekend, Clinton said, “Director Comey said my answers were truthful and what I’ve said is consistent with what I have told the American people”.
Clinton said she had meant to point to Comey’s statement that FBI investigators found her to be forthcoming and cooperative during their sit-down with her. Comey, however, said Clinton’s past statements about never sending or receiving classified material were not accurate because investigators found several emails that did contain classified information, though it was not labeled properly, meaning Clinton may have not realized she had received it.
The Democratic presidential nominee was asked about emails Friday during an appearance at a joint session of associations of black and Hispanic journalists in Washington. “But even if information is not marked “classified” in an e-mail, participants who know or should know that the subject matter is classified are still obligated to protect it”, Comey said.
More than seven months since her last formal press conference, the former secretary of State addressed a room full of journalists and took a few questions.
Today, Clinton attempted to excuse her claims by saying that “she may have short-circuited” and would attempt to “clarify” further. That really is the bottom line here …
She said, “Just maybe when I’m actually running for a job there is a real benefit from those on the other side with trying to stir up as much trouble as possible”.
“Clinton knows the actions she has taken are disqualifying for someone wishing to become Commander-in-Chief, and that is why today’s painful, pretzel-like response to a simple question about her illegal server was obvious to everyone watching”, Jason Miller, Trump senior communications adviser, said in a statement.
WELKER: Is the one inconsistency, though, that you said you never sent or received classified material?
“Director Comey said that only three out of 30,000 [emails] had anything resembling classified markers”.
A factor in Americans’ lack of trust in Clinton is the fact that, while serving as Secretary of State, Clinton relied on a private e-mail server to correspond with colleagues at the State Department and other agencies.
Clinton said Friday that the three emails cited by Comey “did not have the appropriate markings” and as a result, “it was therefore reasonable to conclude that anyone, including myself, would not have suspected that they were classified”.
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As the e-mail controversy has dogged her presidential campaign, Clinton has shifted her language in talking about the e-mails and included caveats, saying she didn’t knowingly send or receive material that was marked classified at the time.
