US House Speaker Asks National Intel Deny Clinton Access to Classified Data

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton should not have access to classified information for the duration of her campaign, US House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a letter to Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper released on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, FBI Director James Comey announced that the FBI would not recommend charges against Clinton based on a criminal probe into her use of a private server and email account. Comey said, however, that the FBI found evidence that Clinton and her staff were "extremely careless" in handling highly classified information.

"Given the FBI’s findings [in Clinton’s server probe], denying Secretary Clinton access to classified information certainly constitutes appropriate sanctions," Ryan stated.

Ryan explained that as a Democratic presidential nominee, Clinton will likely begin to receive intelligence briefings after the Democratic National Convention in July.

"There is no legal requirement for you [Clapper] to provide Secretary Clinton with classified information, and it would send the wrong signal to all those charged with safeguarding our nation’s secrets if you choose to provide her access to this information despite the FBI’s findings," Ryan wrote.

On Wednesday, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said she had accepted FBI’s recommendation to bring no charges against Clinton.