Comey Influenced by Secret Intel to End Clinton Probe
A newly-declassified appendix to a Justice Department watchdog report reveals that former FBI Director James Comey ended the Clinton probe in 2016 due to secret intelligence reports—reports the FBI ultimately never investigated. The appendix also shows the bureau failed to examine thumb drives containing potentially vital evidence related to Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server during her time as Secretary of State.
The documents, released by Senator Chuck Grassley, detail how classified intelligence alleging interference by Obama administration officials—including Attorney General Loretta Lynch—played a major role in Comey’s decision to unilaterally announce the conclusion of the investigation without DOJ approval. The internal report noted that Comey feared the Russian government might leak these intelligence reports, potentially undermining the credibility of any decision made by Lynch.
Despite this, the FBI determined the reports were “not credible” and took no further steps to verify them. Grassley condemned the bureau’s “extreme lack of effort and due diligence,” adding that thumb drives recovered during the Clinton investigation—containing data from U.S. government agencies, Barack Obama’s emails, and potentially even Congress—were never reviewed, despite internal recommendations to do so.
The watchdog report also confirms that Comey replaced the legally significant phrase “gross negligence” with “extremely careless” in his public statement—avoiding the language necessary to recommend charges under 18 U.S. Code § 793, a statute dealing with the mishandling of national defense information.
Senator Grassley called the DOJ’s decision to release the appendix “a critical step for transparency” and accused the FBI of abandoning a “thorough and complete investigation.” Grassley and others argue the contrast between the Clinton email probe and the aggressive pursuit of the Trump-Russia investigation illustrates a politically motivated double standard.
The report further highlights internal dissent, with then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates offering conflicting accounts of her knowledge of the intelligence, and former Clinton campaign officials named as receiving leaked FBI information via Lynch.
Comey’s public announcement that Clinton would face no charges came just weeks after Lynch’s infamous tarmac meeting with Bill Clinton. Despite acknowledging Clinton’s handling of 110 classified emails across 52 email chains, Comey declined prosecution, citing prosecutorial discretion.
The FBI also delayed reviewing Clinton-related emails discovered on Anthony Weiner’s laptop. Horowitz’s report raises concerns that this delay may have been motivated by an internal desire to prioritize the Crossfire Hurricane investigation over the Clinton probe. The DOJ Inspector General concluded that the Midyear investigation was “incomplete,” “politically infected,” and inconsistent with long-standing DOJ protocol.
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