FBI Director James B. Comey testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill on March 1. This week Comey has twice stated he will not allow the political calendar to dictate the pace of the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while working at the State Department. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI |
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LONDON, April 21 (UPI) -- FBI Director James Comey said Thursday the coming Democratic National Convention does not constitute a deadline for his agency's investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state.
Multiple media reports have indicated the investigation is in its final stages, with interviews likely of key Clinton aides and, possibly, the Democratic front-runner herself. The FBI is investigating whether Clinton or any of her employees at the State Department violated federal laws over the storage of classified documents on a private email server she had set up in her home in New York, rather than with her government-provided email account.
Comey said events on the presidential election calendar do not constitute a deadline for the investigation to end.
Comey reiterated his desire to wrap up the investigation, and determine whether anyone's actions warrant seeking a federal indictment, as quickly as possible, but said he would not rush the investigation to suit the presidential election calendar.
"Somebody asked me if the Democratic National Convention is a hard stop or a key date for you? 'Are you doing this aimed at that?' And I said, 'no.' We aspire to do all our investigations in two ways -- well and promptly, especially investigations that are of great interest to the public. We want to do them promptly," Comey said.
The FBI director has been personally involved in much of the investigation, noting its sensitive nature and the impact it could have on the outcome of the presidential election, especially if Clinton is found personally responsible for any wrongdoing.
"I want to ensure that we have the resources, the people, the technology, and the space to do those things, and to do it in the way I hope we do all our work, which is competently, honestly, and independently. And I'm confident that it's being done that way," Comey said.
The comments come days after a stop at the FBI field office in Buffalo, N.Y., on Monday, when Comey was asked about the status of the investigation. He declined to comment, except to say it was running its due course.
"The urgency is to do it well and promptly," Comey said. "And 'well' comes first."
