Donald Trump says it’s now up to the American people to ‘deliver justice’ to Hillary Clinton after she is cleared in FBI email probe
Donald Trump said he believed the FBI rank and file would not let Hillary Clinton get away with her “crimes” after she was cleared in the latest email probe.
The Republican nominee called on the American people to “deliver justice” to Mrs Clinton, claiming she was being protected by a “rigged” system.
“You can’t review 650,000 emails in eight days, folks, you can’t do it,” he said.
“Hillary Clinton is guilty. She knows it, The FBI knows it. The people know it. It is now up to the American people to deliver justice at the ballot box on November 8,” he said. “Unbelievable. What she gets away with folks. Unbelievable.”
Republicans reacted with fury to the FBI announcement, as pressure mounted on the agency’s director.
Newt Gingrich, the Republican former house speaker and adviser to Mr Trump said last night: “The destruction of James Comey by political pressure is painful to watch. He is being twisted into an indefensible pretzel of contradictions.”
Mike Pence, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, rejected James Comey’s ruling. “Mishandling classified information is a crime”.
He said in two days Americans can “close the history book on the Clintons once and for all”.
Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, claimed that the latest announcement had changed nothing and that Mrs Clinton should be barred from the presidency.
“None of this changes the fact that the FBI continues to investigate the Clinton Foundation for corruption involving her tenure as secretary of state,” he said . “Hillary Clinton should never be president.”
Mrs Clinton pointedly decided to ignore the bombshell announcement during her two evening rallies last night, although her team welcomed the announcement, with communications director Jennifer Palmieri telling reporters: “We’re glad this matter is resolved.”
Other senior Democrats also rounded on the FBI. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said the latest letter from Mr Comey “underscores the irresponsibility” of the law enforcement chief’s notice to Congress nine days ago about Hillary Clinton.
Speaking last night, Mrs Clinton said America was facing a “moment of reckoning”. “We have to heal this country,” she insisted.
In financial trading yesterday, Asian stocks bounced and the dollar strengthened after the FBI announcement.
The news boosted S&P 500 Index futures by 1.2 percent, a gain that is likely to snap a nineday losing streak in the US stock index - its longest in more than 35 years.
But volumes were thin, indicating many investors had already taken to the sidelines ahead of the vote.
“This will surely boost the chance of Clinton’s victory. Barring another unexpected scandal on her side, it looks likely that she will win the race,” said Norihiro Fujito, senior investment strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities in Tokyo.
“Given that the market had been slipping for nine days, there will be short-covering.”
The market wilted on October 28 after the FBI notified Congress that it was reviewing new, potentially relevant emails linked to Mrs Clinton that had been found during a separate investigation into the alleged sexting of an underage girl by Anthony Weiner, the disgraced, estranged husband of top Clinton aide, Huma Abedin.
Mrs Clinton is generally viewed in market terms as a far more stable option for the presidency.
The two candidates have one final day of campaigning today before voting proper begins.
Mr Trump had six events planned in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan (twice) and New Hampshire.
Mrs Clinton and Barack Obama also visited Michigan for two separate events. She later took the stage with the Obamas and her husband in Philadelphia in the evening, where Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi provided the entertainment, before a final late night rally in North Carolina.
Theresa May, the British Prime Minister, called for a “calm and measured” presidential vote. “I take a simple view about the way in which I like to see campaigns conducted. I like to see them conducted in a calm and measured way with proper consideration of the issues,” she said yesterday.
“As to the result of the election, it’s up to the American people and we’ll know that very soon.”