The FBI on Friday announced it is reopening its investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server, another shocking October surprise for the Democrat candidate days from the presidential election.
In a letter to committees and lawmakers relevant to the matter, FBI Director James Comey cited “recent developments” for the bureau’s decision to look into new emails which may contain classified information and how they may relate to its previous investigation.
“In previous congressional testimony, I referred to the fact that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had completed its investigation of former Secretary Clinton’s personal email server. Due to recent developments, I am writing to supplement my previous testimony,” Comey wrote in the letter obtained by CNBC.
“In connection with an unrelated case, the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation. I am writing to inform you that the investigative team briefed me on this yesterday, and I agreed that the FBI should take appropriate investigative steps designed to allow investigators to review these emails to determine whether they contain classified information, as well as to assess their importance to our investigation.”
“Although the FBI cannot yet assess whether or not this material may be signifcant, and I cannot predict how long it will take us to complete this additional work, I believe it is important to update your Committees about our efforts in light of my previous testimony,” Comey stated.
Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz, who led an Oversight Committee effort to pursue perjury charges against Hillary, tweeted about the FBI’s announcement.
FBI Dir just informed me, “The FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation.” Case reopened
— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) October 28, 2016
Back in July, Comey announced the FBI’s investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state would not result in a recommendation to the Justice Department to pursue charges.
“Although the Department of Justice makes final decisions on matters like this, we are expressing to Justice our view that no charges are appropriate in this case,” the FBI director stated in a speech at the time.
“A Clinton campaign spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment,” reported the Washington Post on Friday.
Democrat vice presidential pick Tim Kaine said he’s “got to read a little more” when asked about the FBI investigation during an early voting site visit in Tallahassee, Florida, Friday.
Likewise, Hillary ignored questions shouted at her from reporters when she disembarked from her campaign plane for a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, according to the Associated Press.
WATCH: Hillary Clinton does not comment on FBI email review as she deplanes in Cedar Rapids, IA https://t.co/J54RiABFFl pic.twitter.com/DNVnSOtlR1
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 28, 2016
She did not address the FBI announcement during her speech.
Reports state the campaign was unaware of the news until they touched down in Iowa as her plane did not have wi-fi:
Clinton’s plane did not have WiFi. Her advisors learned about the FBI letter when you did. https://t.co/C0uSXheh1i https://t.co/BAGhckS2aN
— CNN (@CNN) October 28, 2016
However, one Wall Street Journal writer claims the plane does indeed have wi-fi:
The Hillary plane has wifi. https://t.co/dLZ0tigZhP
— Byron Tau (@ByronTau) October 28, 2016
“So it just happens to go out today?” asks the American Mirror’s Kyle Olson.
The campaign later released a statement saying “FBI Director Comey should provide the American public more information than is contained in the letter he sent to eight Republican committee chairmen.”
Full Clinton campaign statement on the Comey letter, via @johnpodesta pic.twitter.com/cpmXDYimDx
— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) October 28, 2016
“Already we have seen characterizations that the FBI is ‘reopening’ an investigation but Comey’s words do not match that characterization,” the campaign claimed.
Trump: I have great respect that the FBI and Department of Justice have the courage to right their horrible mistake pic.twitter.com/LeDNgWvqa2
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) October 28, 2016
Speaking at a campaign rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump jumped on the bureau’s decision to reopen its case:
“The FBI has just sent a letter to Congress informing them that they have discovered new emails pertaining to the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s investigation. And they are reopening their case into her criminal and illegal conduct that threatens the security of the United States of America.”
“Hillary Clinton’s corruption is on a scale we have never seen before. We must not let her take her criminal scheme into the Oval Office.”
“I have great respect for the fact that the FBI and the Dept. of Justice are now willing to have the courage to right the horrible mistake that they made. This was a grave miscarriage of justice that the American people fully understood and it is everybody’s hope that it is about to be corrected.”
CNBC reports, “Stocks turned negative after the report of the new probe,” adding that “Many analysts have said that markets were pricing in a Clinton victory in November.”
More on this as it develops…
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