Story highlights Republicans have argued ex-CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus' mishandling of classified information was far less egregious than Hillary Clinton's private email

FBI director James Comey explained why he thought that was an incorrect comparison Thursday

(CNN) Republicans have long insisted that former CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus' mishandling of classified information was far less egregious misconduct than Hillary Clinton's private email use while leading the State Department.

The talking point has gained steam this week after FBI Director James Comey recommended that the Justice Department bring no charges against Clinton, with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump even suggesting a nefarious motive behind the decision.

On Thursday, Comey was given an opportunity to rebut some of those charges during a hearing on Capitol Hill before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

"The Petraeus case, to my mind, illustrates perfectly the kind of cases the Department of Justice is willing to prosecute," Comey told the committee.

Petraeus, the four-star general who oversaw military operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq, resigned as CIA director in 2012 after his extramarital affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell, became public.

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