Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) is calling on James Comey to resign after the FBI director sent a letter Friday to lawmakers telling them the bureau would be reviewing new emails it says are “pertinent” to its investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of State.
Cohen criticized Comey for sending the letter against the advice of the Justice Department and echoed Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s charge that Comey may have violated a U.S. law the prohibits government officials from interfering with an election.
{mosads}”FBI Director James Comey’s recent public comments on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her emails, apparently before seeing any evidence, and against the advice of the Justice Department according to press reports, and even, some have suggested, in violation of the Hatch Act, make it clear for the good of the FBI and the Justice Department, he should resign his position effective immediately,” Cohen, a supporter of Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, said in a statement.
Cohen said Comey’s letter to Congress notifying them that the FBI was looking into the newly uncovered emails was “premature, careless and unprecedented.”
“Director Comey stated in the letter that he had no idea of ‘the significance of this newly discovered collection of emails’ which makes his decision all the more disturbing,” Cohen said.
“At a minimum, Director Comey’s actions are, to use his own verbiage, ‘extremely careless’ this close to the election and without any apparent substance,” Cohen said.
“If Director Comey cares about the Bureau and the rule of law, as I have felt he has in the past, I’m sure upon reflection of this action, he will submit his letter of resignation for the nation’s good.”
Supporters of Clinton have criticized Comey aggressively since he notified congressional committees of the FBI’s actions.
The decision threatens to upturn an election that will take place in just eight days. Clinton has been ahead in polls, and millions of people have already cast ballots.
The FBI director this summer was criticized by some Republicans and praised by Democrats for deciding against bringing charges against Clinton for her handling of classified information over a private email server.
Democrats and Clinton aides are pushing the FBI to release more details about the significance of the new emails, which were found during a separate investigation of former Rep. Anthony Weiner (R-N.Y.).
Weiner is separated from his wife, top Clinton aide Huma Abedin.