Politics

Cummings: IG Investigation Of FBI Necessary, Or A ‘Crisis Of Legitimacy’ Will Happen

(REUTERS/Gary Cameron)

Kerry Picket Political Reporter
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WASHINGTON–Democratic Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings welcomed news that the Justice Department’s Inspector General would be investigating the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s handling of the Clinton email investigation, saying the situation could otherwise reach a “crisis of legitimacy.”

“In our committee one of the things that we say is that we have integrity, and of all the organizations that we have, the FBI is the one that we must have trusted. And I think this investigation by the IG, I don’t know what it will reveal, but you know I think we need to go through that process, because if we’re not careful we will reach a crisis of legitimacy with regard to the very fabric of our country and the fabric–when I say the fabric, I’m talking about organizations like the CIA, FBI and others,” Cummings told reporters.

Cummings joined the chorus of other Democrats claiming the FBI treated Hillary Clinton unfairly throughout the investigation over her private email server. DOJ IG Michael Horowitz will be looking into allegations that the DOJ and FBI did not follow protocol related to FBI Director James Comey’s July 5 public announcement that the agency’s findings did not necessitate urging Clinton for criminal prosecution.

Additionally, the IG will look into Director Comey’s letters to Congress on Oct. 28 and Nov. 6 about the further investigation into the Clinton emails. Clinton supporters point to the October 28 email as a linchpin to what helped Donald Trump win the election.

“That’s why we’re trying to figure all out this out. I mean you know I think a lot of people are left confused. They see Clinton treated one way. Our committee has asked whether there were investigations with regard to Russia and [Paul] Manafort and it seemed like we couldn’t get answers,” Cummings said.

Cummings denied he blames the October 28 letter sent to the House Oversight Committee as the reason why Hillary Clinton lost. When asked to respond to a remark made by Georgia Democratic Rep. John Lewis calling Trump “illegitimate,” Cummings replied, “Donald Trump was elected president of the United States of America. He is the he will be the president for the next four years.”

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