In an admittedly unusual press conference on Tuesday morning, FBI Director James Comey announced the conclusion of the long investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of email, particularly in regards to her handling of classified information on unsanctioned private servers.
FBI: “No Charges Are Appropriate”
Before revealing the FBI’s findings, Comey noted that his remarks had not been coordinated with the Justice Department. “They do not know what I’m about to say,” he stated.
Comey then revealed the process through which his team uncovered that Clinton had actually used multiple servers throughout her tenure as Secretary of State, culminating in the FBI’s retrieval of thousands of unreported emails. Although Comey delivered a strong rebuke of what he called Clinton’s “careless” use of a private server to access and disseminate classified information, he strongly stressed the absence of “strength of the evidence, especially regarding intent” that would allow for criminal charges.
Stating that “no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case,” Comey announced the FBI’s final recommendation to the Justice Department, which was that no charges were “appropriate in this case.”
Reactions
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump took to his favorite medium, Twitter, to weigh in on the conclusion of the investigation. Trump held what he called a “rigged system†at fault for the FBI’s recommendation. He also stated via Twitter that the lack of charges was “very, very unfair.â€
The system is rigged. General Petraeus got in trouble for far less. Very very unfair! As usual, bad judgment.
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2016
Backing up Trump in an emailed statement, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus called the FBI’s findings a “glaring indictment of Hillary Clinton’s complete lack of judgment, honesty, and preparedness to be our next Commander-in-Chief.”
Citing the much discussed meeting between former President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Priebus concluded that,”The American people will rightly be left second-guessing whether justice was really served.â€
Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon stated the campaign was, “Pleased that the career officials handling this case have determined that no further action by the Department is appropriate.
“As the Secretary has long said, it was a mistake to use her personal email and she would not do it again.†Fallon said. “We are glad that this matter is now resolved.”