Compliance Management, Privacy

Lynch accepts FBI recommendation, won’t prosecute Clinton over email

Although the controversy surrounding presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server when she was Secretary of State is unlikely to dissipate any time soon, Attorney General Loretta Lynch put a period on the Justice Department's investigation by accepting the FBI's recommendation not to bring criminal charges against the former First Lady.

“Late this afternoon, I met with FBI Director James Comey and career prosecutors and agents who conducted the investigation of Secretary Hillary Clinton's use of a personal email system during her time as Secretary of State," Lynch said in a statement.  "I received and accepted their unanimous recommendation that the thorough, year-long investigation be closed and that no charges be brought against any individuals within the scope of the investigation.”

Lynch's decision capped a week of partisan agitation and raised eyebrows after former President Bill Clinton had an impromptu meeting with the AG at an airport, Secretary Clinton was interviewed by the FBI, whose director only days later both rebuked Clinton for sloppy handling of sensitive information and recommended that her actions didn't meet the criteria for prosecution. 

Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon took to Twitter to applaud Lynch's decision. "With the AG accepting Director Comey's recommendation, this case is resolved, no matter Republicans' attempts to continue playing politics," Fallon tweeted.

Predictably, Republicans cried foul with Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Preibus calling Lynch's stance "a slap in the face to the many Americans entrusted with classified information who play by the rules and those who have been punished for lesser offenses."

Get daily email updates

SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news

By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.