President Donald Trump tweeted Friday that the revelation that former FBI Director James Comey drafted “exoneration” statements before interviewing Hillary Clinton means the that Clinton was saved by a “rigged system.”
Republican senators Lindsey Graham and Chuck Grassley said in a letter to the FBI Thursday that Comey’s investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state was ran on a “conclusion first, fact-gathering second” basis. “The FBI should be held to a higher standard than that, especially in a matter of such great public interest and controversy,” the senators wrote. (RELATED: Comey Drafted Statement Clearing Hillary Before Interviewing Key Witnesses)
Trump reacted to this and tweeted, “Wow, looks like James Comey exonerated Hillary Clinton long before the investigation was over…and so much more. A rigged system!”
The White House also commented on the revelation during Thursday’s press briefing. Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked about Graham and Grassley’s letter and she said, “If it is as accurate as they say it is, I think that would certainly give cause and reason that Jim Comey was not the right person to lead the FBI.”
President Trump dismissed Comey in May amid continuing investigations into Russian election interference.