HILLARY

COMEY Finally with respect ░░░░░░░░ our recommendation to the ░░░░░░░░ of Justice In our ░░░░░░░░ the prosecutors make the ░░░░░░░░ about whether charges are ░░░░░░░░ based on evidence that ░░░░░░░░ FBI helps collect Although ░░░░░░░░ don t normally make ░░░░░░░░ our recommendations to the ░░░░░░░░ we frequently make recommendations ░░░░░░░░ engage in productive conversations ░░░░░░░░ prosecutors about what resolution ░░░░░░░░ be appropriate given the ░░░░░░░░ In this case given ░░░░░░░░ importance of the matter ░░░░░░░░ think unusual transparency is ░░░░░░░░ order Although there is ░░░░░░░░ of potential violations of ░░░░░░░░ statutes regarding the handling ░░░░░░░░ classified information our judgment ░░░░░░░░ that no reasonable prosecutor ░░░░░░░░ bring such a case ░░░░░░░░ necessarily weigh a number ░░░░░░░░ factors before deciding whether ░░░░░░░░ bring charges There are ░░░░░░░░ considerations like the strength ░░░░░░░░ the evidence especially regarding ░░░░░░░░ Responsible decisions also consider ░░░░░░░░ context of a person ░░░░░░░░ actions and how similar ░░░░░░░░ have been handled in ░░░░░░░░ past In looking back ░░░░░░░░ our investigations into the ░░░░░░░░ or removal of classified ░░░░░░░░ we cannot find a ░░░░░░░░ that would support bringing ░░░░░░░░ charges on these facts ░░░░░░░░ the cases prosecuted involved ░░░░░░░░ combination of clearly intentional ░░░░░░░░ willful mishandling of classified ░░░░░░░░ or vast quantities of ░░░░░░░░ exposed in such a ░░░░░░░░ as to support an ░░░░░░░░ of intentional misconduct or ░░░░░░░░ of disloyalty to the ░░░░░░░░ States or efforts to ░░░░░░░░ justice We do not ░░░░░░░░ those things here To ░░░░░░░░ clear this is not ░░░░░░░░ suggest that in similar ░░░░░░░░ a person who engaged ░░░░░░░░ this activity would face ░░░░░░░░ consequences To the contrary ░░░░░░░░ individuals are often subject ░░░░░░░░ security or administrative sanctions ░░░░░░░░ that s not what ░░░░░░░░ re deciding now As ░░░░░░░░ result although the Department ░░░░░░░░ Justice makes final decisions ░░░░░░░░ matters like this we ░░░░░░░░ expressing to Justice our ░░░░░░░░ that no charges are ░░░░░░░░ in this case I ░░░░░░░░ there will be intense ░░░░░░░░ debate in the wake ░░░░░░░░ this recommendation as there ░░░░░░░░ throughout the investigation What ░░░░░░░░ can assure the American ░░░░░░░░ is that this investigation ░░░░░░░░ done honestly competently and ░░░░░░░░ No outside influence of ░░░░░░░░ kind was brought to ░░░░░░░░ I know there were ░░░░░░░░ opinions expressed by people ░░░░░░░░ were not part of ░░░░░░░░ investigation including people in ░░░░░░░░ but none of that ░░░░░░░░ to us Opinions are ░░░░░░░░ and they were all ░░░░░░░░ by insight into our ░░░░░░░░ because we did our ░░░░░░░░ the right way Only ░░░░░░░░ matter and the FBI ░░░░░░░░ them here in an ░░░░░░░░ apolitical and professional way ░░░░░░░░ couldn t be prouder ░░░░░░░░ be part of this ░░░░░░░░ Thank you very much.”