Testifying in front of the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, Attorney General Loretta Lynch refused to answer questions surrounding the FBI’s recommendation not to prosecute presumptive Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for using multiple private email servers to host and transmit top secret, classified information during her time as Secretary of State.
“As you are aware, last week I met with [FBI] Director Comey and career prosecutors and agents who conducted that investigation. I received and accepted their unanimous recommendation that the thorough, year long investigation be closed and no charges be brought against any individuals within the scope of the investigation,” Lynch said in her opening statement.
When pressed by Chairman Bob Goodlatte to explain her decision to accept Comey’s recommendation without further analysis, Lynch referred back to Comey. She was also asked whether she believes Clinton’s claim, made under oath, that she never sent or received classified information on a private server. The FBI confirmed last week Clinton in fact hosted and transferred hundreds of pieces of classified information on her private servers.
“Director Comey has decided to provide great detail into the basis for his recommendations that were ultimately provided to me. He’s chosen to provide detailed statements and I would refer you to those statements. I as Attorney General am not able to provide any further comment on the facts or the substance of the investigation,” Lynch said.
House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz and Goodlatte formally submitted a request to the FBI yesterday for an investigation into whether Clinton committed perjury about her email server during Congressional testimony last fall.