Attorney General Loretta Lynch condemned the anonymous release of information about the FBI probe of Hillary Clinton’s private emails during a Justice Department press conference Monday.
Although Lynch was at the event to address the BP oil spill, she fielded a question about the leaks that have driven interest in the FBI’s investigation.
“I think leaks are detrimental to any matter, no matter what it is, no matter who is involved,” Lynch said.
“Everyone wants matters investigated the way the department does — thoroughly, efficiently,” she added.
The attorney general declined to comment on the specifics of the case.
FBI Director James Comey publicly confirmed for the first time last week that the law enforcement agency was looking into the security of Clinton’s private server.
Clinton’s campaign has insisted the probe is a routine “security inquiry” and not a criminal investigation, noting the FBI probe is not targeting the Democratic candidate.
Clinton was forced to transfer custody of the server she used to house her private emails to FBI investigators after inspectors general revealed the presence of classified information on the server.
Republicans on the House Select Committee on Benghazi cited Lynch’s comments Monday in condemning the panel’s Democrats for leaking parts of a closed-door witness interview in an open letter.
