Ahead of James Comey’s testimony in front of the House Oversight Committee, Chairman Jason Chaffetz had harsh words for the FBI director.
“I worry that there are two standards: that if your name is Clinton or you’re part of the rich and powerful, you live under a different set of rules than everybody else,” the Utah Republican said on a roundtable on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Thursday morning. “Because it does appear based on the fact pattern laid out by the director that if you had done those things, you’d probably be in handcuffs, you’d probably be going to jail and probably should, based on the statute.”
According to Chaffetz, because the federal government won’t prosecute Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state, they should provide all the information the House Oversight Committee asks for.
Chaffetz said they will point toward other cases that involve someone from the federal government being prosecuted for inappropriate actions with classified information, such as the case of former Director of Central Intelligence John M. Deutch. Years after Deutch left the CIA, it was revealed that several of his laptop computers contained classified information wrongfully labeled as unclassified and his security clearance was revoked. President Bill Clinton pardoned him before the Justice Department could file a case against him.
“Look, we’re talking about classified information. And it wasn’t one innocent mistake. This was something that went on for years. It put people’s lives in jeopardy,” Chaffetz said of Clinton’s use of a private email server.
According to Chaffetz, Comey “is getting as close to that line, saying she put people’s lives at risk unnecessarily.”
“I recently went overseas and the State Department plead with me, told me I can’t bring any electronic communication,” Chaffetz argued. “And yet, the secretary goes and uses her own personal email. How does that happen?”
Chaffetz questioned how Comey came to a conclusion that there’s “no consequence” after all of what he said Clinton did wrong.
Because other workers of the federal government “would be held accountable” if they did what Clinton did, the decision not to prosecute is a “double standard,” Chaffetz argued.
By not prosecuting, Comey is setting a precedent that “[I]f you mishandle classified information there is no consequence.”
“I do think it’s appropriate, now that the case is closed, to have the FBI director come and explain and show us what he saw, because is there something wrong with the statute? Or is it simply a double standard?” he explained.
