By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
Attorney General
Loretta Lynch said Tuesday she wont answer any more questions about her decision not to prosecute
Hillary Clinton for her mishandling of classified information saying only that it would be inappropriate" for her to get into details.
She put the onus on FBI Director
James Comey saying that she accepted his recommendation but she refused to say how she herself saw the information.
I would have to refer you to Director
Comey" she said.
She did defend her decision not to recuse herself from the investigation into Mrs.
Clinton who was the wife of her former boss President
Clinton and the political ally of her current boss President Obama.
The matter was handled like any other matter" she said.
Ms. Lynch also defended her social conversation" with
Mr. Clinton at an airport just days before FBI agents interviewed
Mrs. Clinton.
Mr. Comey last week said
Mrs. Clinton may well have broken federal laws by sending and receiving classified information on her secret server kept at her home in New York. But
Mr. Comey a former prosecutor and top Justice Department official himself said
Mrs. Clinton was too unsophisticated to understand the technology or the classification system for him to prove she intended to mishandling the information and he concluded no prosecutor could make a case.
Ms. Lynch who had the final say said she agreed with
Mr. Comey and closed out the case. But she has not explained her own thinking.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte prodded
Ms. Lynch asking her whether she agreed with
Mr. Comeys conclusions that
Mrs. Clinton may have broken laws. Mr. Goodlatte also asked
Ms. Lynch to detail her understanding of the key parts of law that govern classified information.
She replied that the law speaks for itself and refused to say any more.
For many Republicans on Capitol Hill and indeed many voters the law on its face would appear to indict
Mrs. Clintons behavior. It requires only gross negligence" in handling classified information a standard
Mr. Comey said
Mrs. Clinton likely met.
But
Mr. Comey said even though its not written explicitly into the law the statute requires
Mrs. Clinton to have knowingly mishandled the information. Her lack of sophistication undercut his ability to make that case he said.
Republicans were stunned that
Ms. Lynch refused to answer questions.
You are in charge of the Department of Justice. The buck stops with you" said Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. Wisconsin Republican.
He said
Ms. Lynch has created a credibility gap by prosecuting members of the military for sending emails with classified information but failing to go after
Mrs. Clinton.
You have a problem madame attorney general" he said.
She replied: Every case stands on its own separate facts."
