It was a dark cloud looming above her campaign, but this morning FBI director James Comey cleared it, announcing the bureau will not recommend criminal charges against Hillary Clinton for her handling of classified information. The news comes just hours before she and President Obama were set to campaign together in North Carolina.
While not indictable, Comey accused Clinton as being “extremely careless” in her use of a personal email address and server for sensitive information. Comey also said that an ordinary government official could have faced administrative sanction for such conduct.
To warrant a criminal charge, Comey said, there had to be evidence that Clinton intentionally sent or received classified information — something that the F.B.I. did not find.
“Our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case,” said Comey.
However you slice it, the decision by the FBI is a huge relief for Clinton and Democrats who are just a few weeks away from their national convention. Clinton has been leading Donald Trump in national polls and in the key battleground states. She also has a campaign fundraising advantage of about 9-1.
The Clinton campaign is hoping with the FBI’s decision it can quickly bridge some trust issues with supporters of Bernie Sanders and independent voters in critical swingstates like Ohio and Virgina.
Trump reacted to the FBI’s decision on Twitter with outrage:
The system is rigged. General Petraeus got in trouble for far less. Very very unfair! As usual, bad judgment.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2016
FBI director said Crooked Hillary compromised our national security. No charges. Wow! #RiggedSystem
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2016
Comey said that past instances, like Petraeus, have “involved some combination of clearly intentional and willful mishandling of classified information or vast quantities of information exposed in such a way as to support an inference of intentional misconduct or indications of disloyalty to the United States or efforts to obstruct justice. We do not see those things here.”
“As a result,” said Comey, “although the Department of Justice makes final decisions on matters like this, we are expressing to Justice our view that no charges are appropriate in this case.”