Loretta Lynch Pressured FBI To Downplay Clinton Email Investigation, Comey Says
Peter Hasson
Associate Editor
Barack Obama’s attorney general pressured former FBI Director James Comey to downplay the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state, Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday.
Former FBI Director James Comey testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 8, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Former FBI Director James Comey testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 8, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Loretta Lynch instructed Comey not to call the criminal investigation into the Clinton server a criminal investigation. Instead, Lynch told Comey to call it a “matter,” Comey said, “which confused me.”
Comey cited that pressure from Lynch to downplay the investigation as one of the reasons he held a press conference to recommend the Department of Justice not seek to indict Clinton.
Comey also cited Lynch’s secret tarmac meeting with Bill Clinton as a reason he chose to hold the press conference, he said, as he was concerned about preserving the independence of the FBI.
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