Former FBI Director James Comey often removed sensitive national security documents from FBI headquarters and stored documents at his home, according to high-ranking FBI officials who called such actions a violation of a host of federal laws.

In essence, Comey handled certain classified government documents in the identical manner Hillary Clinton handled classified documents and emails; By breaking strict government protocols and breaching laws governing the security of sensitive documents.

Yet Comey was tasked with investigating Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State, for improper handling of classified documents.

At the same time he was mishandling classified documents.

Little wonder why Hillary was never charged with a crime.

FBI sources said Comey kept a home office and often worked on FBI-related business and justified the need for such documentation at his home. One well-placed source said Comey believed he could take or print classified case documents to and from his FBI office to his home and not violate security protocols designed to protect government secrets.

According to high-ranking FBI sources, this is not accurate. Transporting such documents to his home from FBI would require at least notifying the Attorney General’s office and even then, likely, would still not be legally permitted. Likewise, printing documents and storing them at home while connected to a secure remote FBI computer network is not allowed.

Comey confided to colleagues he kept FBI documents locked up in a safe at his home, sources said.

During one recent media interview on Comey’s book tour he acknowledged storing FBI files in his home in a locked safe. However, Comey said because they were copies of original FBI documents, he believed it was permissible.

Federal laws stipulating the handling of classified evidence clearly stipulates the opposite.

Federal law dealing with the unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material — 18 U.S. Code § 1924 — stipulates:

(a) Whoever, being an officer, employee, contractor, or consultant of the United States, and, by virtue of his office, employment, position, or contract, becomes possessed of documents or materials containing classified information of the United States, knowingly removes such documents or materials without authority and with the intent to retain such documents or materials at an unauthorized location shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both. (b) For purposes of this section, the provision of documents and materials to the Congress shall not constitute an offense under subsection (a). (c) In this section, the term “classified information of the United States” means information originated, owned, or possessed by the United States Government concerning the national defense or foreign relations of the United States that has been determined pursuant to law or Executive order to require protection against unauthorized disclosure in the interests of national security.

One high-ranking FBI official questioned whether Comey still has documents or evidence related to FBI cases stored at his home. Or locked away outside of FBI headquarters.

Comey could leak such documents to the media, sources said.

And we know he has leaked documents before.

Did Comey return the evidence and documents to the FBI since he was removed from office by President Trump?

The ultimate irony of this most recent Comey revelation is the possibility that Comey transported or printed classified case file documents from Hillary Clinton’s email investigation to his home for review or storage. Comey would have in fact committed the same crimes the FBI was investigating Hillary for but using documents and classified intelligence from her case to do it.

Besides violating federal records protocols and likely felony breaches of national security, Comey’s actions violated the FBI Records Management Division’s policies on handling national security and sensitive Bureau documents and evidence, sources said.

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