Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Thomson Reuters FBI investigators discovered possible evidence of corruption linked to the Clinton Foundation in secret recordings from an unrelated investigation, but prosecutors and Justice Department officials discouraged them from pursuing those leads, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Prosecutors viewed the statements from the recordings, which were from a suspect in another corruption investigation, as hearsay, but agents thought they had enough to pursue an investigation into whether Clinton Foundation donors got special treatment from the State Department while Hillary Clinton, now the Democratic presidential nominee, was secretary of state, according to The Journal.

Some sources who spoke to The Journal blamed Andrew McCabe, deputy director of the FBI, or the Justice Department from preventing agents from pursuing their leads in the case.

FBI and Justice Department officials met with public-integrity prosecutors in February to discuss the case, but the prosecutors weren't swayed by the FBI's presentation, according to The Journal. After the meeting, Justice Department officials reportedly sent a "stand down" order to all offices involved in the case.

One of the sources on a recording discussed alleged deals the Clintons had made, but because the person was not from inside the Clinton Foundation, prosecutors thought the evidence wasn't solid enough to justify an aggressive investigation, according to The Journal.

FBI sources told Fox News this week that the Clinton Foundation investigation that has been ongoing for more than a year.

The FBI is investigating pay-for-play allegations about the Clinton Foundation. The investigation is said to be expansive.

Clinton has strongly denied any wrongdoing.

Editor's note: This story has been updated after Fox News anchor Bret Baier retracted a portion of his Wednesday report.