“Not About Politics”

Washington, D.C. – At today’s House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Director James Comey confirmed the investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server for official business. Two Inspectors General have already reported that classified information was contained within Secretary Clinton’s private email and have referred the matter to the Justice Department.  During Chairman Goodlatte’s questioning, Director Comey vowed that the investigation will be conducted “promptly, professionally, and independently.” Chairman Goodlatte issued this statement following the comments made by Director Comey: “Contrary to the assumptions of some that the investigation is political, the confirmation by Director Comey that an investigation is being conducted by the FBI ‘promptly, professionally, and independently’ confirms this is a matter worthy of investigation and is not about politics. The Director must follow through with his promise to get to the bottom of these troubling accusations.”

 

Transcript of Chairman Goodlatte’s exchange with Director Comey: 

Chairman Goodlatte: The Director of the National Security Agency has said that former Secretary of State Clinton’s private email server would be a sought after target for a foreign intelligence agency. Do you also believe that a foreign intelligence agency, particularly an adversary’s, could benefit from acquiring and exploiting sensitive and classified information of a top level U.S. government official?

Director Comey: Mr. Chairman, I respectfully say that’s one I’m not going to comment on. As you know, the FBI is working on a referral given to us by inspectors general in connection with former Secretary Clinton’s use of her private email server. As you also know about the FBI, we don’t talk about our investigations while we’re doing them. This is one I’m following very closely and get briefed on regularly. I’m confident we have the people and the resources to do it in the way I believe we do all our work, which is promptly, professionally, independently. But I don’t want to do anything that would compromise my ability to do it that way by commenting beyond that.

Chairman Goodlatte: Well how about answering my generic question not directed at the specifics of that case but rather the question whether you believe that a foreign intelligence agency particularly an adversary could benefit from acquiring and exploiting sensitive and classified information of a top level U.S. government official.

Director Comey: Thank you Mr. Chairman, I hope you’ll understand why I don’t think it’s appropriate to answer that. I want to preserve my ability to oversee this investigation in a way that is both in reality independent and fair, and is perceived that way. I believe the Bureau is three things: we are competent, we are independent, and we’re honest, and I want to make sure the American people have confidence that that’s the way we are doing our business, and if I start answering questions like yours which is a reasonable question, I worry that I could infringe upon that.