The Big Three networks seemed full of glee Thursday evening as they reported that FBI Director James Comey was being investigated by the Justice Department’s inspector general. “Hoping for a measure of vindication,” announced anchor Lester Holt to kick off NBC Nightly News, “The Hillary Clinton campaign is welcoming the surprise news out of Washington today, that the Justice Department's Inspector General will take a deep look into how the FBI handled the investigation…”
They were all eager to slam Comey for making things difficult for Hillary Clinton. “You’ll remember Director James Comey going public reigniting the e-mail investigation involving Hillary Clinton only to then reveal there was nothing,” declared an angry sounding David Muir on ABC’s World News Tonight, “Critics say there is no question it affected the election…” ABC’s coverage was the most viscous, with their senior justice correspondent, Pierre Thomas reporting:
Tonight, the FBI director James Comey under intense new scrutiny. A new Inspector General investigation asking the critical question, “Did Comey's actions in the Clinton e-mail probe violate Justice Department policies and protocol?” Something critics have maintained severely hurt Clinton's chance at the presidency.
Thomas whined that Comey “spent 15 minutes laying out the case harshly criticizing her” before saying he wouldn’t bring charges against her. He noted that Clinton’s team believes Comey’s statements were “devastating” before playing audio of Clinton spokesperson Brian Fallon proclaiming, “If this election had been held ten days earlier, prior to the sending of Jim Comey’s letter, Hillary Clinton would be the 45th president of the United States.”
Following Comey’s testimony in a Congressional hearing, Thomas seemed to accuse the FBI director of misdeeds by asking, “Director Comey are you comfortable in the role that you played in the election, sir?”
On NBC, justice correspondent Pete Williams parroted Clinton lines that, “the review should’ve been launched much earlier, right after the unusual news conference in July.” “If he opened an investigation then, it might have prevented Comey from sending that letter in October, which I think ultimately might have been decisive in the presidential election,” a Clinton support told Williams.
What they failed to mention was that the investigation would also be looking into whether there as any breach in protocol in Clinton’s favor. “The OIG investigation is also exploring whether FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe should’ve recused himself from the Clinton e-mail case after his wife received about a million dollars for a state senate race from Democrats including longtime Clinton confidant Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe,” reported Fox News’ Catherine Herridge on Special Report.
She also noted that the investigation would include “Justice Department Official Peter Kadzik, a longtime friend of Clinton's campaign manager” because of allegations he passed along information regarding e-mail dumps and congressional hearings to Clinton.
CBS Evening News was the only network to mention these other facets of the investigation, but they were quick to hammer Comey for not being willing to talk about investigations involving Trump during a Congressional hearing this week.
Transcripts below:
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NBC Nightly News
January 12, 2017
7:01:25 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening. Hoping for a measure of vindication. The Hillary Clinton campaign is welcoming the surprise news out of Washington today, that the Justice Department's Inspector General will take a deep look into how the FBI handled the investigation into Clinton's e-mail server during the height of the presidential campaign. The probe to include the public disclosures made by FBI Director Comey himself and his letter to members of Congress that threatened to shake up the race just days before the election. With details, here’s justice correspondent Pete Williams.
[Cuts to video]
PETE WILLIAMS: The Justice Department's independent watchdog says he'll look at public disclosures by FBI Director James Comey and others about the e-mail investigation. Word of the review was welcomed by Clinton supporters who say they believe the FBI affected the election.
JOEL BENENSON: When a law enforcements agency breaches protocol in such an unusual and unprecedented way, I think, for the confidence of that agency, everybody should get to the bottom of what happened.
...
WILLIAMS: But some Clinton supporters say the review should’ve been launched much earlier, right after the unusual news conference in July.
MATTHEW MILLER: If he opened an investigation then, it might have prevented Comey from sending that letter in October, which I think ultimately might have been decisive in the presidential election.
...
ABC
World News Tonight
January 12, 2017
6:31:17 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: And we begin tonight with the head of the FBI under the microscope. The Justice Department’s Inspector General revealing that they will investigate whether actions taken by the FBI director before the presidential election broke policy and protocol. You’ll remember Director James Comey going public reigniting the e-mail investigation involving Hillary Clinton only to then reveal there was nothing. Critics say there is no question it affected the election, and here's ABC's senior justice correspondent, Pierre Thomas tonight.
[Cuts to video]
PIERRE THOMAS: Tonight, the FBI director James Comey under intense new scrutiny. A new Inspector General investigation asking the critical question, “Did Comey's actions in the Clinton e-mail probe violate Justice Department policies and protocol?” Something critics have maintained severely hurt Clinton's chance at the presidency. Just 11 days before the election, Clinton and her team huddled on her plane. Learning only upon landing, that James Comey had just publicly re-ignited the e-mail investigation.
...
THOMAS: Also under scrutiny, Comey’s rare decision in July to hold a press conference to announce charges would not be filed against Clinton even as he spent 15 minutes laying out the case harshly criticizing her.
COMEY: They were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.
THOMAS: But then saying.
COMEY: No reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case.
SALTZBURG: Rarely does a prosecutor go into length like Comey did with respect to Hillary Clinton.
THOMAS: Comey says he made tough decisions based on bad options, while wrestling with the need for transparency, but the Clinton team says Comey’s move, 11 days before the election, was devastating.
BRIAN FALLON: If this election had been held ten days earlier, prior to the sending of Jim Comey’s letter, Hillary Clinton would be the 45th president of the United States.
...
FNC
Special Report
January 12, 2017
6:05:04 PM Eastern…
CATHERINE HERRIDGE: The OIG investigation is also exploring whether FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe should’ve recused himself from the Clinton e-mail case after his wife received about a million dollars for a state senate race from Democrats including longtime Clinton confidant Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. Last fall, the FBI said an internal review had cleared McCabe of any conflict. Investigators are also probing whether Justice Department Official Peter Kadzik, a longtime friend of Clinton's campaign manager, also broke the rules when the two men met socially during the investigation. Leaked document suggest Kadzik tipped off the Clinton campaign about e-mail releases as well as Congressional hearings.
There is no indication tonight the inspector general will look into the Attorney General Lynch’s meeting with Bill Clinton one week before Hillary Clinton’s FBI interview. That meeting was the catalyst for Lynch's decision to rely on the FBI director's recommendation because it created the appearance of a conflict of interest. Though Lynch insisted the conversation was not work-related.
…
