FBI reopens probe into Clinton emails
The FBI controversially decided not to charge Hillary Clinton over what it admitted could be the illegal use of a private email server as secretary of state.
Now it says new evidence - apparently gained from an investigation into disgraced sexter Anthony Weiner - has made it reopen the case, less than two weeks before the election.
Newly discovered emails found on a computer seized during an investigation of disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner have prompted the FBI to make new inquiries related to Hillary Clinton’s private email server, according to three people familiar with the deliberations.
FBI Director James B. Comey informed congressional leaders Friday that the agency would take “appropriate investigative steps” to determine whether the newly discovered emails contain classified information and to assess their importance to the Clinton server probe.
The emails were found on a computer used jointly by both Weiner and his wife, top Clinton aide Huma Abedin, according to a person with knowledge of the inquiry. Federal officials have been examining Weiner’s alleged sexually suggestive online messages with a teenage girl...
Comey’s announcement appears to restart the FBI’s probe of Clinton’s server, which previously ended in July with no charges...
In a brief letter to congressional leaders, Comey said that the FBI, in connection with an “unrelated case,” had recently “learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the Clinton investigation.”...
Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta ... noted that Comey, in July, had said that “no reasonable prosecutor” would bring such a case...
When he announced the FBI’s findings in July, Comey said that Clinton had been “extremely careless” in her handling of classified material, which had been found among the emails exchanged on her private server.
He had said that his investigators found evidence of potential violation of laws governing the handling of classified information.
In particular, he said investigators did not find evidence that there had been intentional mishandling of classified material or indications of disloyalty to the U.S. or efforts to obstruct justice.
Well, there's no question that the e-mails have always been the greatest threat to her candidacy for president, that her conduct in regard to the e-mails is really indefensible and if there was going to be more information that came out, it was the one thing, as I said on the air last night, actually that could really perhaps affect this election. We don't know what this means yet except that it's a real bombshell. And it is unthinkable that the Director of the FBI would take this action lightly, that he would put this letter forth to the Congress of the United States saying there is more information out there about classified e-mails and call it to the attention of congress unless it was something requiring serious investigation.
Such unusually bad luck for the reporters traveling with Clinton:
A bombshell rocked the presidential campaign today, and reporters flying with Hillary Clinton were in the dark because the plane’s wifi was reportedly out.
One advisor ... used the patented Obama/Clinton line, “We’re learning about this just like you all are.”
UPDATE
Extraordinary spin from Fairfax correspondent Nick O'Malley:
At present it looks as though the US election, already bitter and coarse, has been thrown into chaos by the relentless, puerile sexting of the former husband of a senior aide.
Reader Richard:
No Nick! At present it looks as though the US election has been thrown into chaos because the former SofS used an illegal email set-up.