Rep. Jim Jordan, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, argued Monday that FBI Director James Comey erred by announcing the reopened Clinton investigation after new emails came to light only 11 days before election day.
“I think this was probably not the right thing for Comey to do — the protocol here — to come out this close to an election, but it’s consistent. This whole case has been mishandled and now it is what it is,” Jordan said on Fox News. The emails were found during an investigation into former Rep. Anthony Weiner, who exchanged messages with a 15-year-old girl, and likely belong to his top Clinton aide Huma Abedin, his wife.
“He probably felt, in light of what he’s done before, he had to bring this out. Quite frankly, because he had done the press conference and all the things he had before, he probably did have to send a letter to Congress like he did last week,” Jordan said. “But I would argue all of this has been wrong from the get-go in the way it’s been handled.”
Since the news emerged on Friday, Republicans, particularly those supporting Donald Trump, have been effusive with praise for the FBI director, while many Democrats have denounced his decision to issue the letter just over a week out from the Nov. 8 election.
On Monday, the White House declined to pile on Comey’s decision, saying that Comey isn’t trying to influence the outcome of the election, adding that he is a “man of principle” and “integrity.”
