Top GOP senator wants details on FBI’s Clinton probe

by TheHill.com - 07/06/16 10:21 AM ET

Sen. Ron Johnson wants FBI Director James Comey to provide more details on his decision to recommend no charges for Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server while secretary of State.

The Wisconsin Republican, who is chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, sent a letter to the FBI chief saying he wants to “better understand the resources that the FBI employed during this investigation.”

{mosads}Johnson wants to know how many FBI employees were involved in the investigation of Clinton, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, the investigation’s cost and a list of “FBI components and resources” that were used on the probe.

The letter from Johnson — which was sent Tuesday but released Wednesday — is the latest sign of backlash from congressional Republicans over the FBI’s decision. They argue that the decision to recommend against indicting Clinton proves that she is above the law and can’t be trusted by voters.

Johnson, according to the letter, also wants details on the legal reasoning for Comey’s decision, asking about the difference between “extreme carelessness” and “gross negligence.”

“If the evidence that the FBI collected about Secretary Clinton’s use of a private email account and server did not constitute gross negligence, what set of facts would cause the FBI to recommend criminal charges under the gross negligence standard?” he asked in the letter.

Comey is under growing pressure to hand over information about the bureau’s Clinton probe.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is calling on him to testify before his committee on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, in a statement on Tuesday urged Comey to hand over any information tied to the investigation.

Johnson, who is running for reelection, is giving Comey roughly two weeks to hand over the requested information.

The Wisconsin Republican took heat from Democrats on the email case last year when they accused him of selectively leaking information about Clinton’s server.

Johnson rebuffed those accusations, saying he was trying to be transparent.

– Updated at 2:05 p.m.

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