Pressed by Chaffetz Thursday on whether Clinton lied, Comey said during a hearing that he had not reviewed Clinton’s testimony because it had not been referred to him by Congress. Chaffetz assured Comey he would soon get a referral.
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“I think when you come to Congress you need to provide truthful testimony and if you don’t provide truthful testimony there should be a effect”, Chaffetz told reporters after the hearing.
Mrs Clinton had said there were none whose content was classified at the time they were written. If you haven’t yet watched Rep. Trey Gowdy’s brief questioning of James Comey this morning, in which Comey repeatedly said that statements made by Hillary were not true, you should do so.
Following the hearing, Clinton’s campaign released a statement saying Comey’s testimony “shut thte door on any remaining conspiracy theories once and for all”. “I am certainly relieved and glad that the investigation has concluded”.
In his opening statement, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, accused Comey of setting “a dangerous” precedent that will allow officials to “sloppily” handle classified information with “no outcome”.
House Republicans on Friday approved a report into the deadly 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya – and signaled an investigation of Hillary Clinton might continue.
“We will aim to be as expeditious as possible, but we will not put artificial deadlines on the process”, department spokesman John Kirby said, noting that the internal review could proceed now that the Justice Department investigation wrapped up with no charges filed against the former secretary of state.
Comey also testified that while people copied on Clinton emails had security clearances, some contractors who maintained the server and lawyers who examined her emails did not.
Presidential candidates in the U.S. are normally granted access to classified information once they are formally nominated as their party’s candidate.
But, he said, the bureau would recommend to the Justice Department that she not be charged with a crime because his investigators had found no clear evidence that Mrs. Clinton had intentionally broken the law.
“Not to my knowledge – I don’t think there has been a referral from Congress”, Director Comey replied. By pressing ahead against Comey, they risk making Clinton’s email transgressions seem just another political vendetta. He rebuked her for “extremely careless” handling of classified information but said no reasonable prosecutor would charge her or her staff criminally.
The hearing served as a means to energize a conservative base that might be disillusioned with Trump, as Republicans are working to hold onto their majority in Congress.
Meanwhile, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, Russ Feingold, broke his silence about Clinton – who he’s endorsed for president.
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“We try very hard to apply the same standard whether you are rich or poor, white or black, old or young, famous or not known at all”, he said.
