Biodun Iginla, BBC News

Biodun Iginla, BBC News

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

FBI recommends no charges against Hillary Clinton over emails


Media captionFBI Director James Comey said Hillary Clinton was "extremely careless" with emails

by Melissa Gruz and Biodun Iginla, BBC News, Washington DC
The FBI has announced it will not recommend criminal charges against Hillary Clinton over her use of private email while she was secretary of state.
FBI Director James Comey said "no reasonable prosecutor" would pursue a case but said the likely Democratic presidential nominee was "extremely careless" with classified information.
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump called the decision "unfair".
Mrs Clinton's use of private email compromised national security, he said.
Mrs Clinton said she set up the email address for reasons of convenience, because it was easier to do everything from one device than to have several phones or tablets.
Mrs Clinton had previously said she did not knowingly send any classified material from her account.
However, FBI found more than 100 emails that were classified at the time on Mrs Clinton's servers in multiple email chains.
Donald Trump tweets: FBI director said Crooked Hillary compromised our national security. No charges. Wow! #RiggedSystem
FBI ended its investigation after agents interviewed Mrs Clinton for more than three hours over the weekend about her email habits.
The likely Democratic presidential nominee's use of private email has been a talking point in the election, with critics saying Mrs Clinton believes she is above the law.
Mrs Clinton's campaign says it showed that her practices were consistent with those of other secretaries of state who "also used personal email" and she was "not unique" in doing it.

Analysis: Anthony Zurcher, BBC News North America Reporter

Although the criminal investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server is drawing to a close, the political fallout could last through the November general election.
The top-line from James Comey's news conference - no recommended indictments - is positive for the presumptive Democratic nominee, but the bureau's findings are sure to sting.
At this point, Donald Trump and the Republicans have a choice. They could attack the FBI for failing to throw the book at Mrs Clinton - as many on the right will be up in arms over this. Or they could hammer the former secretary of state on what Comey did say - using his words to paint her as evasive and reckless.
Do the former, and their message will likely be written off as yet more partisan conspiracy-mongering. Do the latter, and the blows will likely land on target.
In the past Mr Trump has overplayed his hand when presented with a target of opportunity. He was widely criticised for his response to the Orlando attacks and the UK Brexit vote, for instance.
Now he has been handed a golden cudgel, courtesy of the FBI. Will he know how to use it?

However, Mrs Clinton has apologised for using the private email system, calling it "a mistake".
"As I look back at it now, even though it was allowed, I should have used two accounts. ... I'm sorry about that. I take responsibility," she said.
On Tuesday, Mrs Clinton and President Barack Obama will campaign together in North Carolina.

More on this story

No comments:

Post a Comment