It appears that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in the clear.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Wednesday that she has accepted FBI Director James Comey’s recommendation not to prosecute Clinton for her well-documented and controversial use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state.
“Late this afternoon, I met with FBI Director James Comey and career prosecutors and agents who conducted the investigation of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email system during her time as Secretary of State,” Lynch said.
“I received and accepted their unanimous recommendation that the thorough, yearlong investigation be closed and that no charges be brought against any individuals within the scope of the investigation.”
Comey notably said Tuesday that “no reasonable prosecutor’’ would pursue a criminal case against Clinton, while at the same time calling her actions and the actions of her aides ‘‘extremely careless.”
FBI agents spent the last year investigating the matter following a referral from the intelligence community’s inspector general. As part of that investigation, agents pored over tens of thousands of State Department emails and interviewed top Clinton aides and, finally, Clinton herself this past weekend.
Lynch on Friday announced she was prepared to endorse whatever findings and recommendations were presented to her, and she has.
According to Lynch, the case is closed, but the fallout is probably just beginning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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