The FBI released a series of email documents Friday afternoon detailing the Department of Justice response to the fallout of the secret Phoenix tarmac meeting between Attorney General Loretta Lynch and former President Bill Clinton in June 2016. The dates on the emails range from July 1-3, 2016. On July 5, 2016, FBI Director James Comey announced former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would not face criminal charges for mishandling classified information.
A series of emails show one FBI official, whose name and email are redacted, fuming over leaks to the media about the meeting and what happened on the tarmac. The official received an email from a "layman" alleging a local Phoenix police officer who may have talked to a reporter "sounds like a security threat." Officials went back and forth about finding out if the officer was SWAT or simply worked the motorcade and that "at a minimum" he should never work another detail again. One asked if local law enforcement assisting the FBI on motorcades should sign non-disclosure agreements in the future. Another official called an Observer article about the meeting, with details about how President Clinton got to Lynch's private plane, "infuriating."
Talking points about how to handle the fallout are referenced, but fully redacted.
Another email shows correspondence between senior leadership at the FBI, including former FBI Director James Comey and Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, about the developments in the media fallout after the meeting. There are also emails from FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok.
Lynch maintains she only discussed grandchildren and golf with President Clinton during their 30-minute long meeting.
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