New email issues spell potential trouble for Clinton
MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (AP):
THE FEDERAL Bureau of Investigations (FBI) says it will investigate whether there is classified information in newly discovered emails that appear to be related to its probe of Hillary Clinton’s email practices, reinjecting one of the most toxic political issues into the presidential campaign less than two weeks before election day. The new emails came from a sexting investigation of Anthony Weiner, a US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorised to comment publicly. Weiner is the estranged husband of Huma Abedin, a longtime Clinton aide who now is a top official on her campaign team.
Donald Trump immediately pounced on the turn of events, seeing an opportunity to press the argument he has long tried to make against Clinton – that she thinks she is above the law and that she put US security at risk by using her personal email.
The GOP (Republican) nominee told cheering supporters at his first campaign rally of the day that he has “great respect” for the fact that the FBI and the Department of Justice are now “willing to have the courage to right the horrible mistake that they made” in concluding the investigation earlier.
BIGGER THAN WATERGATE
Trump said of Clinton: “We must not let her take her criminal scheme into the Oval Office. This is bigger than Watergate.”
The Friday afternoon disclosure raises the possibility of the FBI reopening the criminal investigation involving the Democratic presidential nominee, which the agency said was complete in July.
In a letter sent on Friday to congressional leaders, FBI Director James Comey said that new emails have emerged, prompting the agency to “take appropriate investigative steps” to review information that flowed through the private email sever Clinton used while serving as secretary of state.
Clinton’s email use has been one of the biggest vulnerabilities in her campaign for the White House. Even if she wins, Republicans have vowed the issue will follow her, promising continuing investigations.
Clinton made no mention of the FBI development at a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, though she warned her supporters, “Anything can happen” in the campaign’s closing days.
She told the crowd that Trump is particularly trying to get women, young people and minorities to stay home – “part of his scorched earth campaign, the last refuge of a bankrupt candidate”.