END OF INVESTIGATION HURTS SANDERS,

Fading Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders suffered a crippling defeat yesterday when the FBI all but cleared Hillary Clinton of illegally using a private email server — a move that deprived him of a potential political weapon.

“If they had said this was worthy of future investigation or something more, it would have breathed new life into the Sanders campaign, but that didn’t happen,” said Democratic strategist Scott Ferson. “Sanders may end up being the biggest loser in this scenario. It doesn’t give his campaign a place to go.”

FBI director James B. Comey announced yesterday he would not recommend criminal charges against Clinton for her mishandling of classified emails as secretary of state. But he called Clinton and her staff “extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.”

Sanders initially undercut himself in a debate last October when he said: “Enough about the damn emails.”

“That was his opportunity, but he largely took the question off the table for Democrats in the way he responded,” Ferson said. “If he said something about it now, he would basically be an agent of the Republicans.”

Phil Johnston, the former chairman of the Democratic Party in Massachusetts and a Sanders supporter, said, “Bernie Sanders has said from the beginning that he wasn’t going to exploit the email issue, and that continues. There are policy issues that are central to his candidacy.”

Johnston noted the delegate math favors Clinton anyway, adding that yesterday’s announcement will have little effect on delegates.

“I don’t think the outcome of the nomination will change because of the FBI decision,” Johnston said. “I think (Sanders) is focused on a platform, and I think he wants the most progressive platform we can get.”

Sanders, meanwhile, stayed quiet on social media — sending out a few tweets about a GMO labeling bill, but otherwise staying out of the fracas kicked up by Comey’s announcement.

The Sanders campaign did not respond to requests for comment. But his backers took to social media and called the system “rigged.”

“Comey, director of @FBI called @HillaryClinton ‘extremely careless.’ can we please not have an extremely careless President? #OurRevolution,” tweeted record producer Tommie Sunshine.

Actress Rosario Dawson tweeted: “The #SystemIsRigged indeed. So disgusted. #Demexit #Dexit #BernieOrBust #OurRevolution #NotMeUs #UpToUs #TimeIsNow.”