NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

FBI warned about Comey's decision to update Congress

By Sari Horwitz at Washington Post
Washington Post·
29 Oct, 2016 07:30 PM7 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Watch: Clinton ignores email probe, hammers Trump
Hillary Clinton is ignoring the FBI's decision to examine more emails in the controversy over her private email server. At an Iowa rally, she hammered Donald Trump, saying he's trying to depress the vote in the upcoming election. ...
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
0:00
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      Flood fears for Auckland

      UP NEXT:

      Autoplay in
      3
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      Hillary Clinton is ignoring the FBI's decision to examine more emails in the controversy over her private email server. At an Iowa rally, she hammered Donald Trump, saying he's trying to depress the vote in the upcoming election.
      NOW PLAYING • Watch: Clinton ignores email probe, hammers Trump
      Hillary Clinton is ignoring the FBI's decision to examine more emails in the controversy over her private email server. At an Iowa rally, she hammered Donald Trump, saying he's trying to depress the vote in the upcoming election. ...

      Senior Justice Department officials warned the FBI that Director James Comey's decision to notify Congress about renewing the investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server was not consistent with long-standing practices of the department, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

      Comey told Justice Department officials that he intended to inform lawmakers of newly discovered emails. These officials told him the department's position is "that we don't comment on an ongoing investigation. And we don't take steps that will be viewed as influencing an election," said one Justice Department official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the high-level conversations.

      "Director Comey understood our position. He heard it from Justice leadership," the official said. "It was conveyed to the FBI, and Comey made an independent decision to alert . . . (Capitol) Hill. He is operating independently of the Justice Department. And he knows it."

      Comey decided to inform Congress that he would look again into Hillary Clinton's handling of emails during her time as secretary of state for two main reasons: a sense of obligation to lawmakers and a concern that word of the new email discovery would leak to the media and raise questions of a coverup.

      The rationale, described by officials close to Comey's decision-making on the condition of anonymity, prompted the FBI director to release his brief letter to Congress on Friday and upset a presidential race less than two weeks before Election Day. It placed Comey again at the centre of a highly partisan argument over whether the nation's top law enforcement agency was unfairly influencing the campaign.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Emails were found on the computer of Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of top Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Photo / AP
      Emails were found on the computer of Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of top Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Photo / AP

      In a memo explaining his decision to FBI employees soon after he sent his letter to Congress, Comey said he felt "an obligation to do so given that I testified repeatedly in recent months that our investigation was completed."

      "Of course, we don't ordinarily tell Congress about ongoing investigations, but here I feel I also think it would be misleading to the American people were we not to supplement the record," Comey wrote to his employees.

      The last time Comey found himself in the campaign spotlight was in July, when he announced that he had finished a months-long investigation into whether Clinton mishandled classified information through the use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state. After he did so, the denunciation was loudest from Republican nominee Donald Trump and his supporters, who accused the FBI director of bias in favour of Clinton's candidacy. There was also grumbling within FBI ranks, with a largely conservative investigative corps complaining privately that Comey should have tried harder to make a case.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      This time the loudest criticism has come from Clinton and her supporters, who said Friday that Comey had provided too little information about the nature of the new line of investigation and allowed Republicans to seize political ground as a result. The inquiry focuses on Clinton emails found on a computer used by former US congressman Anthony Weiner, now under investigation for sending sexually explicit messages to a minor, and top Clinton aide Huma Abedin, who is Weiner's wife. The couple have since separated.

      "It is extraordinary that we would see something like this just 11 days out from a presidential election," John Podesta, the chairman of Clinton's presidential campaign, said in a statement. "The Director owes it to the American people to immediately provide the full details of what he is now examining. We are confident this will not produce any conclusions different from the one the FBI reached in July."

      Officials familiar with Comey's thinking said the director on Thursday faced a quandary over how to proceed once the emails, which number more than 1000 and may duplicate some of those already reviewed, were brought to his attention.

      Comey's action has been blasted by some former Justice Department officials, Clinton campaign officials and Democratic members of Congress. Photo / AP
      Comey's action has been blasted by some former Justice Department officials, Clinton campaign officials and Democratic members of Congress. Photo / AP

      Comey had just been briefed by a team of investigators who were seeking access to the emails. The director knew he had to move quickly because the information could leak out.

      Discover more

      World

      Trump cuts Clinton's lead in new poll

      29 Oct 09:10 PM
      World

      Man pulls out machete at US airport

      29 Oct 09:30 PM
      Entertainment

      Baldwin brothers brawl on Twitter after Alec Baldwin's Trump impersonation

      30 Oct 01:00 AM
      World

      What happened to Flight 980?

      30 Oct 12:19 AM

      The next day, Comey informed Congress that he would take additional "investigative steps" to evaluate the emails after deciding the emails were pertinent to the Clinton email investigation and that the FBI should take steps to obtain and review them.

      In July, Comey had testified under oath before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that the FBI was finished investigating the Clinton email matter and that there would be no criminal charges. Comey was asked at the hearing whether he would review any new information the FBI came across.

      "My first question is this, would you reopen the Clinton investigation if you discovered new information that was both relevant and substantial?" Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, asked Comey during the hearing.

      "It's hard for me to answer in the abstract," Comey replied at the hearing. "We would certainly look at any new and substantial information."

      In the Friday memo to his employees, Comey acknowledged that the FBI does not yet know the import of the newly discovered emails. "Given that we don't know the significance of this newly discovered collection of emails, I don't want to create a misleading impression," Comey wrote.

      An official familiar with Comey's thinking said that "he felt he had no choice".

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "What would it look like if the FBI inadvertently came across additional emails that appear to be relevant to the Clinton investigation and not at least inform the Oversight Committee that this occurred?" the official said. "What would be the criticism then? That the FBI hid it? That the FBI purposely kept this information to themselves?"

      The official said the decision came down to which choice "was not as bad as the others."

      Comey's action has been blasted by some former Justice Department officials, Clinton campaign officials and Democratic members of Congress.

      Comey knew that the announcement would cause controversy. Photo / AP
      Comey knew that the announcement would cause controversy. Photo / AP

      "Without knowing how many emails are involved, who wrote them, when they were written or their subject matter, it's impossible to make any informed judgment on this development," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who called the release "appalling."

      "However, one thing is clear: Director Comey's announcement played right into the political campaign of Donald Trump, who is already using the letter for political purposes. And all of this just 11 days before the election," Feinstein said.

      Matthew Miller, a former Justice Department spokesman in the Obama administration, said the FBI rarely releases information about ongoing criminal investigations and does not release information about federal investigations this close to political elections.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "Comey's behaviour in this case from the beginning has been designed to protect his reputation for independence no matter the consequences to the public, to people under investigation or to the FBI's own integrity," Miller said.

      Miller and other former officials pointed to a 2012 Justice Department memo saying that all employees have the responsibility to enforce the law in a "neutral and impartial manner," which is "particularly important in an election year".

      Miller said he had been involved in cases related to elected officials in which the FBI waited until several days after an election to send subpoenas. "They know that if they even send a subpoena, let alone announce an investigation, that might leak and it might become public and it would unfairly influence the election when voters have no way to interpret the information," Miller said.

      Nick Ackerman, a former federal prosecutor in New York and an assistant special Watergate prosecutor, said Comey "had no business writing to Congress about supposed new emails that neither he nor anyone in the FBI has ever reviewed".

      He added: "It is not the function of the FBI director to be making public pronouncements about an investigation, never mind about an investigation based on evidence that he acknowledges may not be significant."

      In Comey's note to employees, he seemed to anticipate that his decision would be controversial.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "In trying to strike that balance, in a brief letter and in the middle of an election season, there is significant risk of being misunderstood," Comey wrote.

      Save

        Share this article

      Latest from World

      World

      'Robbed of all dignity': UK postman jailed for gruesome murder

      Premium
      World

      JFK assassination: Files reveal CIA secrets, but experts say there's more

      World

      'Truly historic': King Charles to host Donald Trump for second state visit


      Sponsored

      Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Recommended for you

      'Strange': Naturists react to controversial nude Lotto ad
      New Zealand

      'Strange': Naturists react to controversial nude Lotto ad

      'Totally unacceptable': Cannabis cake taken to shared lunch at Hawke’s Bay Hospital
      Hawkes Bay Today

      'Totally unacceptable': Cannabis cake taken to shared lunch at Hawke’s Bay Hospital

      Fog disupts, cancels dozens of flights in and out of South Island airports
      Travel news

      Fog disupts, cancels dozens of flights in and out of South Island airports

      Airplane noise may harm hearing, experts warn
      Lifestyle

      Airplane noise may harm hearing, experts warn

      'Robbed of all dignity': UK postman jailed for gruesome murder
      World

      'Robbed of all dignity': UK postman jailed for gruesome murder

      Peeni Henare hits back at Te Pāti Māori 'greedy' byelection contest claim
      Politics

      Peeni Henare hits back at Te Pāti Māori 'greedy' byelection contest claim



      Latest from World

      'Robbed of all dignity': UK postman jailed for gruesome murder
      World

      'Robbed of all dignity': UK postman jailed for gruesome murder

      He texted his girlfriend's mother, pretending she was alive, after the murder.

      15 Jul 01:04 AM
      Premium
      Premium
      JFK assassination: Files reveal CIA secrets, but experts say there's more
      World

      JFK assassination: Files reveal CIA secrets, but experts say there's more

      15 Jul 12:20 AM
      'Truly historic': King Charles to host Donald Trump for second state visit
      World

      'Truly historic': King Charles to host Donald Trump for second state visit

      15 Jul 12:03 AM


      Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
      Sponsored

      Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

      06 Jul 09:47 PM

      NZ Herald
      • About NZ Herald
      • Meet the journalists
      • Newsletters
      • Classifieds
      • Help & support
      • Contact us
      • House rules
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of use
      • Competition terms & conditions
      • Our use of AI
      Subscriber Services
      • NZ Herald e-editions
      • Daily puzzles & quizzes
      • Manage your digital subscription
      • Manage your print subscription
      • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
      • Subscribe to Herald Premium
      • Gift a subscription
      • Subscriber FAQs
      • Subscription terms & conditions
      • Promotions and subscriber benefits
      NZME Network
      • The New Zealand Herald
      • The Northland Age
      • The Northern Advocate
      • Waikato Herald
      • Bay of Plenty Times
      • Rotorua Daily Post
      • Hawke's Bay Today
      • Whanganui Chronicle
      • Viva
      • NZ Listener
      • Newstalk ZB
      • BusinessDesk
      • OneRoof
      • Driven Car Guide
      • iHeart Radio
      • Restaurant Hub
      NZME
      • About NZME
      • NZME careers
      • Advertise with NZME
      • Digital self-service advertising
      • Book your classified ad
      • Photo sales
      • NZME Events
      • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
      TOP
      search by queryly Advanced Search