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Bringing Down America |
The FBI is declining to turn over files related to
its investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s emails
by arguing a lack of public interest in the matter.
Ty Clevenger, an attorney in New
York City, filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in March of
2016 asking for a variety of documents from the FBI and the Justice
Department, including correspondence exchanged with Congress about the
Clinton email investigation.
But in a letter sent this week and obtained by Fox
News, the head of the FBI’s Records Management Division told Clevenger
that the bureau has “determined you have not sufficiently demonstrated
that the public’s interest in disclosure outweighs personal privacy
interests of the subject.”
"You must show that the public interest sought is a significant one"
“Therefore, records regarding your subject are
withheld pursuant to FOIA exemptions,” David M. Hardy of the FBI’s
Records Management Division told Clevenger.
Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016,
was investigated by the FBI for using a private email address and
server to handle classified information while serving as secretary of
state.
In July 2016, then-FBI Director James Comey famously
called Clinton’s email arrangement “extremely careless” though he
decided against recommending criminal charges.
HILLARY CLINTON'S BOOK RELEASE HAS DEMS WORRIED, IRRITATED
Though Clinton lost the election, Clevenger is still
attempting to obtain documents related to the investigation. He's
seeking to prove she committed perjury, the Washington Times reported.
He specifically asked for all documents resulting
from a September 6, 2016 referral to the Justice Department from
then-House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican.
At the time, Chaffetz asked the department to
“investigate and determine whether Secretary Clinton or her employees
and contractors violated statues that prohibit destruction of records,
obstruction of congressional inquiries, and concealment or cover up of
evidence material to a congressional investigation.”
On Aug. 8, the FBI asked Clevenger to detail why the public would be interested.
“If you seek disclosure of any existing records on
this basis, you must demonstrate that the public interest in disclosure
outweighs personal privacy interests,” the letter stated. “In this
regard, you must show that the public interest sought is a significant
one, and that the requested information is likely to advance that
interest.”
Clevenger expressed disbelief at the request.
“Frankly, I am stunned I should have to explain why
my request pertains to a matter of public interest,” Clevenger wrote in
an Aug. 11 letter to the FBI.
He cited how Clinton was the Democratic nominee for
president of the United States, a former secretary of state and a former
senator.
Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this report.