Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., suggested a dozen times in approximately six minutes Monday that the FBI is guilty of a double standard for revealing last week that it had found additional emails possibly related to Hillary Clinton’s private sever.
The Democratic vice presidential candidate’s comments were made in reference to two separate issues.
First, FBI Director James B. Comey informed Democratic and Republican lawmakers last week that an investigation of disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner turned up additional emails possibly related to the private server Clinton maintained when she worked at the State Department. The additional emails were found on a laptop shared by Weiner and his estranged wife and longtime Clinton aide, Huma Abedin.
Second, CNBC and the Huffington Post reported Monday evening that Comey opposed adding his name to a statement accusing Russia of interfering in the presidential election because it was too close to Nov. 8. Both news reports are based entirely on anonymous sources.
For Kaine, to violate standard Justice Department protocol to inform Congress of the additional emails, but to oppose accusing Russia of trying to interfere in the election, demonstrates a clear “double standard.”
And the senator was pretty insistent on that he latter point Monday as he spoke with reporters after a campaign rally in North Carolina.
“There is a very clear and extremely troubling double standard in Director Comey’s actions of September 26th and October 7th with the letter of October 28th,” the Democratic vice presidential candidate said. “I think the director owes the American public and Congress a clear explanation of why there is a double standard.”
Kaine questioned again why Clinton’s emails should be mentioned before the election, but not Russia’s alleged meddling.
“I think the American public and Congress deserve an answer to why there’s a double standard in this case,” he said.
A reporter asked Kaine if he thinks it’s appropriate to question Comey’s motives.
Kaine responded, “I’m not raising questions about his motives. I’m just saying there’s a double standard and they ought to explain it.”
Another reporter asked Kaine whether the Clinton administration would be able to work with Comey.
Kaine reported it looked like a “double standard,” and he added it would be “premature to discuss what we would conclude until he does.”
In total, the Virginia senator suggested 12 times in a brief five-minute gaggle with reporters Monday that Comey is guilty of a double standard, according to CNN’s Betsy Klein.
