FBI Files Show Comey Has Been ‘Enthusiastic’ About Clinton Investigations Since 2001

For any Americans questioning whether FBI Director James Comey’s interest in taking down the Clintons was a longtime hobby or a more recent interest, newly revealed FBI documents should help clear things up.

According to Politico, the recently discovered files show that Comey has been “enthusiastic” about probing the Clintons since he was given the opportunity to do so over 15 years ago.

The report:

FBI Director James Comey—blamed by many Democrats for costing Hillary Clinton the presidential election last year—was excited about pursuing a criminal investigation into President Bill Clinton’s most controversial pardons more than a decade ago, newly released FBI files show.

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A FBI memo about the grand jury investigation into Bill Clinton’s last-minute pardons of fugitive financiers Marc Rich and Pincus Green says that when Comey was about to take over as the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan in 2001 he expressed strong interest in the case.

“Incoming U.S. Attorney, SDNY, James Comey was briefed on 12/12/2001 by AUSA [Assistant U.S. Attorney’s name redacted] USA Comey is enthusiastic about this investigation and supports the proposed investigative plan set forth by AUSA [redacted,]” the FBI message said. The name of the author of the memo was also deleted from the record released publicly but the memo was sent to top officials in the criminal investigative division at FBI headquarters and at the FBI field office in New York.

It looks like Comey’s first taste of taking on the Clintons came long before Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential candidacy was even an idea. More than a decade ago, the current FBI director was chomping at the bit to take on Bill Clinton.

No charges were ever brought against the 41st president in that case either.

Fast forward 15 years and Comey’s behavior during the presidential campaign starts to make a little more sense. Not only did he eagerly – and very publicly – take on the non-scandal involving Hillary Clinton’s emails, but he made sure it was front-and-center as much as possible throughout the election season.

Even after he cleared the former Democratic nominee of any wrongdoing – in a rather bizarre way – last summer, Comey reappeared just days before the election with a vague announcement stating that new emails were discovered that may or may not be related to the initial investigation.

Even though he came out with a second statement two days before the election clearing Clinton yet again, it was enough to cause a media circus and likely sway a decisive number of voters away from the Democratic nominee.

Hopefully, the Justice Department will be as enthusiastic to investigate Comey as he was to bring down the Clintons.

Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.