Clinton Camp Slams FBI Director for Going 'Light on Facts, Heavy on Innuendo' in Letter on Email Probe
— -- Hillary Clinton's senior campaign staff on Saturday blasted FBI Director James Comey for issuing a letter that was 'short on facts, long on innuendo' about the agency's review of fresh emails connected to the probe of the former secretary of state's use of a private server.
Twenty-four hours after Comey sent the letter to congressional leaders, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said, "The more explanation that comes out the more overblown it all seems."
The campaign staff renewed their call for the FBI director to release all information connected to the fresh emails that are under review.
Podesta said Comey's letter on Friday gave so little information or context that it played into the hands of Republican congressional leaders eager to hurt Clinton in the run-up to the Nov. 8 election.
"This is exactly the problem that Director Comey has created sending this letter," Podesta said. "By providing selective information he’s allowed partisans to distort and exaggerate to inflict maximum politcal damage."
Among those he was referring to as partisans, the Clinton campaign chair singled out GOP Congressman Jason Chaffetz of Utah, who heads the House Oversight Committee and who said earlier this week that he was ready to spend years probing the record of President Clinton if she is elected, according to the Washington Post.
Podesta said the campaign hasn't heard from the FBI to learn more about the review of newly found emails. He also emphasized that the FBI director acknowledged the agency can't assess yet if any of the fresh emails are significant.
Further, the campaign chair said there are reports that many of the newly found emails are duplicates of messages already seen by the FBI.
"There’s no evidence of wrongdoing ... no indication this is even about Hillary," Podesta said, referring to the fact that the emails were found in connection with an unrelated investigation of former Democratic U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York, whose estranged wife, Huma Abedin, is a top aide to Clinton.
The Democratic nominee's campaign staff also stressed that they are staying on course in their race for the presidency.
"We’re not going to be distracted and Hillary’s not going to be distracted over nothing," Podesta said.
Campaign manager Robby Mook said that in fact they are seeing "a growing intensity among our supporters, both online and out in the field." The situation around the Comey letter has "only increased the momentum" to elect the Democratic candidate president, he said.
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