Fired FBI Director James Comey on Thursday said his decision to announce the result of his bureau’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server was “ultimately” influenced by former President Bill Clinton’s tarmac meeting with then Attorney General Loretta Lynch.
“That was the thing that capped it for me, that I had to do something separately to protect the credibility of the investigation, which meant both the FBI and the Justice Department,” Comey said.
He said the meeting influenced his decision “in an ultimately conclusive way.”
Comey said Lynch asked him “not to call it an investigation, but instead to call it a matter, which confused and concerned” Comey.
“That was one of the bricks in the load that led me to conclude, I have to step away from the Department if we’re to close this case credibly,” he said.
