WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of Senate Judiciary Committee members sent a letter to former Attorney Loretta Lynch Friday seeking to confirm if she attempted to stifle the FBI investigation into the Hillary Clinton email probe. Members gave Lynch a deadline to answer their questions by July 6.
Citing May 3, 2017 testimony from former FBI Director James Comey — who expressed concern about the Obama Justice Department — and the June 2016 meeting between Lynch and Bill Clinton, the lawmakers asked the former attorney general to answer further questions about her relationship with not only the Clintons but also the Democratic National Committee.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, Subcommittee Chairman Lindsey Graham, and Ranking Subcommittee Member Sheldon Whitehouse asked Lynch to answer questions that include:
“Did anyone from the FBI ever discuss or otherwise mention to you emails, memos, or reports such as those described in these media reports?”
“During your time in the Justice Department, did you ever have communications with Rep. Wasserman Schultz, her staff, her associates, or any other current or former DNC officials about the Clinton email investigation? If so, please describe the communications and provide all records relating to them.”
“To the best of your knowledge, did any of your Justice Department staff or your other associates communicate with Rep. Wasserman Schultz, her staff, her associates, or any other current or former DNC officials about the Clinton email investigation? If so, please describe the communications and provide all records relating to them.”
The senators also want to know about any communications with Amanda Renteria, a Clinton campaign staffer who reportedly had contact with Lynch, according to a disputed email document from Russian intelligence.
Similar letters by the committee leader were sent to Open Society Foundations’ General Counsel Gail Scovell, Renteria, and Open Society Fellowship’s Leonard Bernardo seeking details about reported communication and copies of any related documents. Additionally, the senators asked if the FBI contacted them to investigate the alleged communications.
“The reports come amidst numerous allegations of political interference in controversial and high-profile investigations spanning the current and previous administrations. The Senate Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction over the FBI and Justice Department and is obliged to oversee any potential misconduct or inappropriate political influence at these agencies,” Grassley said in a press statement.
