As reported in The Hill Saturday, FBI Director James Comey violated the policies of the Justice Department when he issued a letter to Congress regarding “new allegations” in the prior investigation of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her use of a private email server during her term as secretary of state.

A government official who asked to not be identified told The Hill that Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s position was to refrain from actions that might possibly impact the race of the White House.

The official told The Hill:

‘The AG’s position is consistent with the department’s position not to take investigative steps that would influence an election so close to an election and to not comment on ongoing investigations. Director Comey decided to operate independently of that guidance by sending that letter to the Hill.”

Although the official said that there was no discussion between Comey and Lynch, the Justice Department’s position on the matter was “made clear to the FBI.”

According to The Hill, non-interference in presidential elections is a long-standing policy. In a 2012 memo from the department, then-AG Eric Holder wrote:

‘Law enforcement officers and prosecutors may never select the timing of investigative steps or criminal charges for the purpose of affecting any election, or for the purpose of giving an advantage or disadvantage to any candidate or political party. Such a purpose is inconsistent with the Department’s mission and with the Principles of Federal Prosecution.’

Comey seems to have flouted the DOJ by issuing a note to his staff that said stated that although the FBI did not normally update Congress about ongoing investigations, he felt that “it would be misleading to the American people were we not to supplement the record.”

Comey released a vague and unsettling letter on Friday that implied that the closed investigation in the Clinton emails was being reopened, leaving Comey vulnerable to attacks from both sides for the innuendo and lack of pertinent details. Ultimately, it was revealed that the emails under investigation did not pertain to the Democratic nominee, and were neither from nor to Clinton. They were investigating correspondence to Clinton aide, Huma Abedin and her estranged husband, the former disgraced congressman, Anthony Weiner, and his sexting scandals.

Many Republicans jumped the gun, including GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, who cited the vague letter to congress as proof that the FBI was indeed re-investigating his opponent for possible criminal charges.

On the other side of the aisle, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, California’s Sen. Dianne Feinstein, called Comey’s letter “appalling.”

Feinstein released a statement of Friday, saying:

‘Without knowing how many emails are involved, who wrote them, when they were written or their subject matter, it’s impossible to make any informed judgment on this development. ‘However, one thing is clear: Director Comey’s announcement played right into the political campaign of Donald Trump, who is already using the letter for political purposes. And all of this just 11 days before the election.’

According to The Washington Post, former Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the FBI does not release information about federal investigations so close to an election, adding:

‘Comey’s behavior in this case from the beginning has been designed to protect his reputation for independence no matter the consequences to the public, to people under investigation or to the FBI’s own integrity.’

Former federal prosecutor and assistant special Watergate prosecutor, Nick Ackerman, told the Washington Post:

‘[Comey] had no business writing to Congress about supposed new emails that neither he nor anyone in the FBI has ever reviewed. ‘It is not the function of the FBI director to be making public pronouncements about an investigation, never mind about an investigation based on evidence that he acknowledges may not be significant.’

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