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Department of Justice releases report on Clinton email server investigation DOJ report accuses Comey, says several FBI employees ‘cast cloud’ over Clinton probe
(35 minutes later)
The US Department of Justice has released a long-awaited report looking into the FBI’s handling of its investigation into the use of a private email server by former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Former FBI Director James Comey “usurped authority” and made a “serious error or judgment” in handling the Hillary Clinton email probe in 2016, says the newly published report by the Department of Justice inspector general.
Republicans had been impatiently awaiting the release of the report into the law enforcement agency’s probe, and recent reports had suggested that Inspector General Michael Horowitz's document would be critical of both the Justice Department itself and the FBI. Inspector General Michael Horowitz's document contains criticism of Comey, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch and several FBI employees involved in the Clinton email probe, known as “Midyear Exam.”
Former FBI Director James Comey made a "serious error of judgment" when he announced shortly before the 2016 U.S. presidential election that he was reopening an investigation into candidate Hillary Clinton's use of a private e-mail server, the Justice Department's internal watchdog said in the report . Text and instant messages between these employees - including agent Peter Strzok and attorney Lisa Page, as well as three others not identified by name - “brought discredit to themselves, sowed doubt about the FBI’s handling of the Midyear investigation, and impacted the reputation of the FBI,” the report says.
Inspector General Michael Horowitz concluded that Comey did not exhibit any political bias or try to influence the election.
It also criticized him for violating Justice Department policies and accused him of usurping the authority of Attorney General Loretta Lynch when in July 2016 he announced there would be no charges against Clinton for her email use as secretary of state. The employees' use of FBI devices to send messages "demonstrated extremely poor judgment and a gross lack of professionalism."
In addition, the report was highly critical of Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, two FBI staff members who exchanged highly charged political messages, finding their texts cast a cloud over the FBI and created the appearance of bias. The report cites one exchange between Strzok and Page in particular, where Page asks if Donald Trump could become president, and Strzok replies, "No. No he won’t.  We’ll stop it."
Comey caused outrage in 2016, when 10 days before the presidential election between Trump and Hillary Clinton, he announced the reopening of the investigation into Clinton’s use of an email server – something which Democrats said was a major cause of her defeat. This is "not only indicative of a biased state of mind but, even more seriously, implies a willingness to take official action to impact the presidential candidate’s electoral prospects," the report says, calling it "antithetical to the core values of the FBI and the Department of Justice."
Inspector General Michael Horowitz's probe has already exposed two incidents that Republican lawmakers say show wrongdoings by the DOJ. In April, former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe was the subject of a harsh report accusing him of leaking information to the media to “advance his personal interests” and subsequently misleading the department during an investigation into the incident. Horowitz's probe has already exposed two incidents that Republican lawmakers say show wrongdoings by the DOJ. In April, former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe was the subject of a harsh report accusing him of leaking information to the media to “advance his personal interests” and subsequently misleading the department during an investigation into the incident.
Horowitz also revealed internal text messages between two FBI agents and FBI lawyer Lisa Page, which were critical of Trump and which Republicans used as further proof that law enforcement agencies were acting against Trump’s campaign.Horowitz also revealed internal text messages between two FBI agents and FBI lawyer Lisa Page, which were critical of Trump and which Republicans used as further proof that law enforcement agencies were acting against Trump’s campaign.
Comey angered Trump when, after his firing, he handed over memos documenting his interactions with the president to a friend and asked him to share them with the media in the hope that they would lead to the appointment of a special counsel to lead an investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged dealings with Russia, which ultimately happened with the appointment of Robert S. Mueller in 2017.Comey angered Trump when, after his firing, he handed over memos documenting his interactions with the president to a friend and asked him to share them with the media in the hope that they would lead to the appointment of a special counsel to lead an investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged dealings with Russia, which ultimately happened with the appointment of Robert S. Mueller in 2017.
Horowitz is expected to come before Congress to be questioned about the report in a series of hearings next week.Horowitz is expected to come before Congress to be questioned about the report in a series of hearings next week.
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