WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Adding to the drama surrounding the upcoming election, the FBI has once again cleared Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton of criminal charges related to her use of a private email server while Secretary of State.
'Based on our review, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July with respect to Secretary Clinton,' FBI Director James Comey wrote in a letter sent to members of Congress on Sunday.
Late last month, Comey revealed that the FBI re-opened its probe of Clinton after learning of the existence of new emails on a device obtained in connection with an unrelated investigation.
U.S. officials familiar with the case told the Washington Post the new emails were either personal or duplicative of those found earlier.
Comey announced in July that he would not recommend criminal charges against Clinton over her use of a private email server.
The FBI Director described Clinton's handling of classified information as careless but argued that it did not rise to the level of a crime.
In his letter to lawmakers, Comey praised the professionals at the FBI for doing an extraordinary amount of high-quality work in a short period of time, but Republican nominee Donald Trump has raised questions about the speed of the investigation.
'You can't review 650,000 new emails in eight days. You can't do it, folks,' Trump said at a rally in Sterling Heights, Michigan, on Sunday.
He added, 'Hillary Clinton is guilty. She knows it, the FBI knows it, the people know it, and now it's up to the American people to deliver justice at the ballot box on November 8th.'
With the developments coming so close to the election, some lawmakers have also raised questions about the FBI's handling of the high-profile investigation.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., argued that Comey's actions were contrary to Justice Department rules and longstanding practice.
'By confirming that the new emails were meaningless, today's letter underscores the irresponsibility of Director Comey's original letter,' Reid said.
Additionally, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said the growing number of unanswered questions about the FBI's investigation demand explanations.
'For months now, I've been urging the FBI to provide details regarding the scope of its investigation,' Grassley said. 'Another vague announcement by the FBI has again failed to provide this context.'
A day before Election Day, the RealClearPolitics average of national polls shows Clinton with a slim 46.4 percent to 44.4 percent lead over Trump.
(Photo: Gage Skidmore)
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