WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey disputed on Wednesday allegations from President Donald Trump that he gave former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a free pass by not filing criminal charges in the investigation into her use of a private email server.
"No, that was not my intention," Comey told the US Senate Judiciary Committee when asked if he gave Clinton a free pass.
On Tuesday night, Trump attacked Comey’s handling of the Clinton investigation. The US president said Comey was the best thing that happened to Clinton in that he gave her a free pass for many bad deeds.
FBI Director Comey was the best thing that ever happened to Hillary Clinton in that he gave her a free pass for many bad deeds! The phony…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 3 мая 2017 г.
Furthermore, Comey said he knew the decision to reveal 11 days prior to the election that the FBI had reopened the investigation would have political consequences, but that it was the best choice he had available.
Comey said at that he knew publicly revealing the bureau had reopened an investigation into Clinton’s private email server would have political consequences.
"I knew there would be ramifications," Comey stated. "I just tried not to care about them."
The Department of Justice and FBI closed the Clinton investigation in July 2015 without filing criminal charges, although Comey said at the time the former secretary of state had been extremely careless by using a private email server.
