The US attorney general said she would ‘fully accept’ FBI recommendations in reviewing Hillary Clinton case in attempt to curb concerns over brief encounter

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Loretta Lynch, the US attorney general, acknowledged on Friday that her meeting with Bill Clinton this week had “cast a shadow” over the justice department’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state.



Loretta Lynch: Bill Clinton meeting 'cast a shadow' over FBI investigation – live Read more

Lynch said she would “fully accept” whatever recommendations were made by the FBI and prosecutors, but sought to quell concerns stemming from the encounter with Bill Clinton, at an airport in Phoenix, reiterating that the justice department process for the email case remained wholly independent.

Speaking at the Aspen ideas festival in Colorado, Lynch said: “I certainly wouldn’t do it again because I think it has cast this shadow over what it should not, over what it will not, touch.

“It’s important to make it clear that that meeting with President Clinton does not have a bearing on how this matter will be reviewed and resolved.”

Lynch and Clinton met for 30 minutes aboard her plane, prompting criticism from Republicans and some Democrats. Lynch said the conversation was “social”, touching on topics such as grandchildren, recent travels and golf.

Critics said the meeting looked bad amid the ongoing investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

Lynch said she had determined prior to her meeting with Bill Clinton that she would accept the investigators’ recommendations.

“The most important thing for me as attorney general is the integrity of this Department of Justice,” she said. “And the fact that the meeting I had is now casting a shadow over how people will view that work is something that I take seriously and deeply and painfully.

“The recommendations will be reviewed by career supervisors in the Department of Justice and in the FBI, and by the FBI director. And then as is the common process, they present it to me and I fully expect to accept their recommendations.”

Lynch also said she did not know when the investigation was expected to conclude. Federal officials have interviewed several top Clinton aides, including Huma Abedin and Cheryl Mills.

Questions about Clinton’s email loom over her presidential campaign. It was of little surprise that Republicans seized on Lynch’s meeting with her husband. The presumptive GOP nominee, Donald Trump, used Twitter to raise questions over the encounter and its timing.

“Take a look at what happened w/ Bill Clinton. The system is totally rigged. Does anybody really believe that meeting was just a coincidence?” he wrote.

John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, cited concerns over the ability of the justice department to prove its investigation was truly independent.

“This incident does nothing to instill confidence in the American people that [Lynch’s] department can fully and fairly conduct this investigation, and that’s why a special counsel is needed now more than ever,” Cornyn said in a statement on Thursday.

Some Democrats, such as Delaware senator Chris Coons and former Obama aide David Axelrod, said they had little doubt the meeting was innocent but were nonetheless critical of the message it sent.

“I do think that this meeting sends the wrong signal, and I don’t think it sends the right signal,” Coons told CNN. “I think she should have steered clear, even of a brief, casual, social meeting with the former president.”

Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, declined to weigh into the meeting, telling reporters he would leave it to Lynch to describe her role in the investigation and its process.

“This is something that is being handled completely independent of the president and completely independent of the White House,” Earnest said at a press briefing on Friday.

The spokesman said he had not discussed the matter with Barack Obama, nor did he know if he president had spoken with Lynch since the meeting. Earnest simply reiterated Obama’s view that the probe “should be handled without regard to politics”.



“He believes this investigation should be conducted based on facts, not based on the political affiliation or the political standing of anyone involved in it,” Earnest said.

Lynch appeared eager to put the issue behind her on Friday, concluding the discussion with a sarcastic quip when asked to name the one piece of wisdom she wished former attorney general Eric Holder had imparted upon her.



“Where the lock on the plane door was,” she said.



