The FBI’s investigation into the “secret server” Hillary Clinton used as President Obama’s top diplomat has not halted political contributions from the very department that may be tasked with her prosecution.
Donations from Department of Justice employees to the former secretary of state have dwarfed those made to her political opponents. Mrs. Clinton hauled in $73,437 thus far during the 2016 presidential cycle, compared to $8,900 for Vermont Sen. Bernard Sanders and $381 for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump.
“I’m not surprised in the least to see more evidence that shows the politicization of the Justice Department,” David Bossie, president of the watchdog group Citizens United, told the Washington Free Beacon Tuesday. “How can Democrat political appointees fairly investigate someone who is about to become their nominee for president?”
Twelve of the 228 donations by Justice Department employees to Mrs. Clinton reached $2,700, the maximum individual amount allowed by law, the website reported.
Mr. Bossie said the hefty donations are further proof that Attorney General Loretta Lynch should appoint a special counsel to determine whether Mrs. Clinton or her aides violated a subsection of the Espionage Act related to “gross negligence” in handling government documents.
“This investigation needs to be conducted free of political influence once and for all,” he added.
SEE ALSO: Bryan Pagliano emails MIA: State cannot find documents by Hillary Clinton’s former IT aide
The Free Beacon’s reporting comes one day after the State Department said it still cannot locate emails to or from Mrs. Clinton’s senior information technology staffer during her tenure.
Bryan Pagliano set up the Democratic front-runner’s email server in 2009, but a Freedom of Information Act request-turned lawsuit by the Republican National Committee has turned up nothing since last year. A search of over 30,000 documents turned up a single “Happy Birthday Madam Secretary” email from 2012.
The Justice Department did not return the Free Beacon’s request for comment.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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