Sorry, GOP: FBI Again Says Hillary Clinton ‘Did Not Originate’ Any Emails With Classified Intel

Bureau Sends Republicans in Congress Letter Explaining Why Clinton Did Nothing Criminal

The FBI Tuesday afternoon stated in very clear and specific terms that Hillary Clinton did not originate any emails that contained classified information. In a three-page letter addressed to GOP Rep. Jason Chaffetz, chairman of House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Rep. Elijah Cummings, the nation’s top Democrat on that Committee, FBI Acting Assistant Director Jason V. Herring wrote, “The FBI conducted this investigation, as it does all investigations, in a competent, honest and independent way.”

The letter, which accompanies a report containing the FBI’s notes from its year-long investigation into Clinton’s email server, reiterates the sworn testimony of FBI Director James Comey, a Republican.

“The fact that Secretary Clinton received emails containing ‘(C)’ [classified] portion markings is not clear evidence of knowledge or intent,” Herring said in a key portion of his communication to Congress.

“As the director stated, the FBI did find evidence that Secretary Clinton and her colleagues were extremely careless in their handling of certain, very sensitive, highly classified information,” the letter said. “The term ‘extremely careless’ was intended to be a common sense way of describing the actions of Secretary Clinton and her colleagues. The director did not equate ‘extreme carelessness’ with the legal standard of ‘gross negligence’ that is required by the statute. In this case, the FBI assessed that the facts did not support a recommendation to prosecute her or others within the scope of the investigation for gross negligence.”

“The term ‘extremely careless’ was intended to be a common sense way of describing the actions of Secretary Clinton and her colleagues,” Herring explains. “The director did not equate ‘extreme carelessness’ with the legal standard of ‘gross negligence’ that is required by the statute. In this case, the FBI assessed that the facts did not support a recommendation to prosecute her or others within the scope of the investigation for gross negligence.”

“Ultimately, the FBI did not recommend prosecution based on an assessment of the facts and review of how these statutes have been charged in the past,” Herring added.

 

Image: Screenshot via Bloomberg Politics/YouTube