IG: Some at FBI Suspected ‘Political Bias’ in Obama’s Public Exoneration of Hillary

President Barack Obama’s public comments about Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server – while the FBI was still investigating it -- raised “a suspicion” among some at the FBI that “there was a political bias...going on from the Executive Branch,” as one official told the Justice-Department inspector-general.

Several FBI officials told the inspector general they were concerned about "the potential impact on the investigation" after Obama told CBS's "60 Minutes" that Hillary made a "mistake" but she did not endanger national security. (See transcript of Obama's comments on CBS below.)

According to the report:

Former EAD [Executive Assistant Director] John Giacalone told the OIG, “[W]e open up criminal investigations. And you have the President of the United States saying this is just a mistake.... That’s a problem, right?”

Former AD [Assistant Director] Randy Coleman expressed the same concern, stating, “[The FBI had] a group of guys in here, professionals, that are conducting an investigation. And the...President of the United States just came out and said there’s no there there.” Coleman said that he would have expected someone in FBI or Department leadership to contact one of Obama’s national security officials, and “tell [him or her], hey knock it off.”

Michael Steinbach, the former EAD for the National Security Branch, told the OIG that the comments generated “controversy” within the FBI. Steinbach stated, “[Y]ou’re prejudging the results of an investigation before they really even have been started.... That’s...hugely problematic for us.”

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