The lengthy transcript released Saturday of James Comey’s closed-door interview with congressional lawmakers showed the former FBI director called certain aspects of the Hillary Clinton email case “unusual” – and revealed a former bureau lawyer called her handling of classified information “appalling.”
While much of the questioning Friday by House lawmakers concerned the genesis of the Russia probe now led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, GOP lawmakers repeatedly returned to the Clinton investigation.
Comey said he thought the Justice Department did, without objection from the FBI. Gowdy noted they’ve interviewed some bureau officials who considered that “unusual,” considering Mills and Samuelson were “fact witnesses” allowed to be present during the interview of another, Clinton.
Comey agreed that the arrangement was “certainly unusual in that you had two people who had been witnesses, who were … the subject’s lawyers, who after we cleared as to them were allowed to attend the interview.”
Another portion of the transcript revealed additional details about the recent congressional interview of former top FBI lawyer James Baker.
Fox News previously reported Baker gave “explosive” closed-door testimony that, according to Republican lawmakers, detailed how the Russia probe was handled in an “abnormal fashion.”
But in Friday’s interview, Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, revealed Baker’s purported comments about the Clinton case. He told Comey that Baker said Clinton’s alleged mishandling of classified information on her private email server was “appalling.’ – READ MORE