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Comey defends Federal Bureau of Investigation probe into Clinton emails

The 800-page report found no wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton, who was secretary of state at the time and is now the presumptive 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, but revealed that she used an unapproved private email server for government business.

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Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey found Clinton, while careless, did not break the law.

Comey told a packed room he looked at two things, what did the person do and what were they thinking when they did it. He said Clinton did not break the law.

So it’s both the case that the Republicans overzealously pursued the Clintons – and that the Clintons were dumb enough not to let it force them to cling to the highest standards of appearance and conduct. Trump crowed to the New York Post, “I would rather face her than nearly anybody else”.

“I have said, and I repeat, that it was a mistake to use personal email”, she added.

Members of the committee gave Comey a soft target with their insistence that Clinton’s behaviour was worse than that of General David Petraeus, who had to step down as head of the Central Intelligence Agency and cop a plea when he was found to have mishandled classified information. The Justice Department on Wednesday accepted the recommendation, bringing the probe to an end.

He said three of the emails in question bore classification markings in the body despite Clinton’s assertions that nothing she had sent or received was marked classified.

The committee’s chairman, Trey Gowdy (R-South Carolina), indicated Friday a review process into possible evidence of perjury leaves open the possibility that Clinton or other witnesses could be further investigated.

Clinton brushed off this characterization today, arguing the State Department may have marked material classified that shouldn’t have been marked as such.

A USA attorney previous year, for example, went after a Naval reservist named Bryan Nishimura for mishandling classified materials in nearly exactly the same way as the former secretary of state.

In the letter, which was published in whole on Politico, Ryan said that, as a former Vice Presidential nominee with Mitt Romney in 2012, he is aware that Clinton will be given classified information hearings if she officially secures the nomination after the Democratic National Convention. “I am certainly relieved and glad that the investigation has concluded”. And I’m very proud of our diplomats and our other professionals, who have to act in real time. And they are doing the best they can.

Asked if she agreed that she was “extremely careless”, Mrs Clinton said she was not, adding that Mr Comey had “clarified” his remarks.

Clinton’s honesty and trustworthiness have been suspect among many Americans for years, but the even larger question raised by her use of this unsecured server is one of judgment.

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“There is no evidence”. He was referring to the charitable non-profit organization run by Bill and Hillary Clinton that has been rumored to be under FBI investigation for improper ties to Clinton’s Secretary of State office.

FBI Director Can Expect A Grilling On Capitol Hill Over Clinton Investigation