Kevin Johnson

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — FBI Director James Comey offered the latest defense of his decision not to recommend criminal charges in the now-closed investigation of Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server in a colorful memo to bureau employees.

"Those suggesting that we are 'political' or part of some 'fix' either don't know us, or they are full of baloney (and maybe some of both),'' the director wrote.

He said the ultimate decision not to recommend charges "was not a cliffhanger; despite all the chest-beating by people no longer in the government, there really wasn't a prosecutable case.''

The FBI Agents Association, whose members were among those who received the memo, declined to comment Wednesday.

Fact check: The FBI files on Clinton’s emails