Judicial Watch is asking the Justice Department’s inspector general to open an investigation into whether Attorney General Loretta Lynch violated ethics rules by meeting secretly with Bill Clinton this week while his wife is the subject of an FBI investigation.
The conservative watchdog group also noted in a letter to the IG that if recent reports are true, the former president himself may be the center of a Justice Department probe into his family charity, the Clinton Foundation.
“Employees shall endeavor to avoid any actions creating the appearance that they are violating the law or the ethical standards set forth in this part. Whether particular circumstances create an appearance that the law or these standards have been violated shall be determined from the perspective of a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts,” Judicial Watch wrote to the IG, referring to executive orders governing employee ethics.
On Monday, Lynch met privately with Clinton on board her parked airplane on the tarmac of Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport.
The meeting was not made public until a Phoenix TV station asked Lynch about it during a press conference on Wednesday. Lynch claimed that Clinton requested the meeting and that it lasted for about 30 minutes. She claimed that the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails was not brought up and that she and the former president talked about their travels, golf, and his grandchildren.
“Attorney General Lynch’s meeting with President Clinton creates the appearance of a violation of law, ethical standards and good judgment,” writes Judicial Watch, which has filed numerous lawsuits against the federal government for records related to Clinton’s emails and the Clinton Foundation.
“Attorney General Lynch’s decision to breach the well-defined ethical standards of the Department of Justice and the American legal profession is an outrageous abuse of the public’s trust,” the group added.
“Simply stated, Attorney General Lynch’s June 29, 2016 meeting with former President Clinton creates the broad public impression that ‘the fix is in.'”
The watchdog’s letter also refers to reports from earlier this year that the Justice Department is conducting a public corruption investigation involving the Clinton Foundation.
“Additionally, there are press reports that a federal public corruption investigation is on-going concerning conflicts of interest and abuse of official government office involving the financial ‘commitments’ to the Clinton Foundation, speaking fees for President Clinton and former Secretary Clinton’s official acts,” the letter reads.
“President Clinton may be a target of that investigation.”
“Judicial Watch requests your immediate and thorough investigation of the facts, circumstances, and appearances of ethical, regulatory and legal violations by Attorney General Lynch in connection with her meeting with former President William J. Clinton — and that you report your findings and recommendations to the American public.”
The Justice Department has not responded to The Daily Caller’s requests for additional details about the Lynch-Clinton conclave.