Former Attorney General Eric Holder says renewed focus on ex-FBI Director James B. Comey’s early conclusions about Hillary Clinton’s infamous email server is a non-issue because he’s an “honest” guy.
President Trump used Twitter on Wednesday to spotlight Mr. Comey’s draft letter in 2016 exonerating Mrs. Clinton of criminal wrongdoing while an investigation into her secret email server was underway. That prompted CNN’s Jake Tapper to ask Mr. Holder how a document written in May — well before key witnesses and the focus of the investigation were interviewed — could credibly exist.
“You can make determinations about where an investigation is likely to go before you actually speak to the subject of that investigation,” Mr. Holder told the host of “The Lead.” “That inquiry had been underway for an extended period of time.”
Mr. Comey addressed the nation July 5, 2016, in which he said “extremely careless” handling of the nation’s top secrets by the former secretary of state did not warrant a criminal prosecution.
Then U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch closed the case two days later.
“He’s an honest guy, and the determination that he made and I think inappropriately announced, I think is based on the facts, based on his interpretation of the law, and it was nothing more than that,” Mr. Holder added, The Washington Free Beacon reported. “It was a good-faith assessment by a person who I think has done a lot for this country.”
Mr. Trump disagrees.
“Wow, FBI confirms report that James Comey drafted letter exonerating Crooked Hillary Clinton long before investigation was complete,” the president tweeted Wednesday. “People not interviewed, including Clinton herself. Comey stated under oath that he didn’t do this-obviously a fix? Where is Justice Dept? […] He was the best thing that ever happened to her!”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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