House committees set joint hearing date on DOJ report on Clinton probe

The House Judiciary and Oversight committees announced Thursday that they will hold a hearing on the Justice Department’s Inspector General report on the FBI’s probe into former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s emails during the 2016 presidential election. 

The joint hearing is set for June 19. 

The news comes days before the final version of the inspector general’s report is expected to be made public. Inspector General Michael Horowitz said last month that a draft of the report was complete. In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Thursday, Horowitz said his office planned to release the report on June 14.

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ABC News reported on Wednesday that the inspector general determined that former FBI Director James Comey defied authority at times during his probe into Clinton’s emails. 

The draft of the report is also expected to criticize former Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s handling of the investigation. 

Bipartisan lawmakers originally requested the investigation in order to look into allegations that Comey broke FBI policy with his public disclosures of the Clinton email probe.

Comey announced the FBI was relaunching its probe into Clinton’s emails just days before the election.

Clinton supporters and allies who have blamed Comey’s announcement for contributing to Clinton’s loss in the 2016 election have reacted positively to the launch of the inspector general’s investigation. 

However, President Trump, who fired Comey last year, said on Tuesday that he hoped the report was not being delayed to make it “weaker.” 

“What is taking so long with the Inspector General’s Report on Crooked Hillary and Slippery James Comey.” the president said in a tweet. “Numerous delays. Hope Report is not being changed and made weaker! There are so many horrible things to tell, the public has the right to know. Transparency!” 

What is taking so long with the Inspector General’s Report on Crooked Hillary and Slippery James Comey. Numerous delays. Hope Report is not being changed and made weaker! There are so many horrible things to tell, the public has the right to know. Transparency!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2018