New Clinton emails under FBI review came from Anthony Weiner investigation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is reviewing another slew of emails related to Hillary Clinton’s private server — apparently thanks to Anthony Weiner. FBI Director James Comey sent a letter to congressional leaders Oct. 28 saying that his agency recently discovered additional emails that are pertinent to the previously concluded investigation into whether Clinton mishandled classified information using a private server from her home in Chappaqua, N.Y. Comey said these new emails were found in “connection with an unrelated case.” Later in the day, the New York Times and the Associated Press reported that the additional emails were discovered on former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner’s electronic devices during the FBI’s investigation of his sexting habits. According to the Times, the FBI is looking at inappropriate text messages Weiner allegedly sent to a 15-year-old girl. Weiner’s estranged wife, Huma Abedin, is a longtime top aide to Clinton. Abedin announced earlier this year that she would divorce Weiner, whose political career has been rocked by multiple sexting scandals. Friday evening, Clinton called for the Comey and the FBI to release the “full and complete facts” from the probe. New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin attend a news conference in New York, U.S. on July 23, 2013. (Photo: Eric Thayer/Reuters) Then-New York city mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, in 2013. (Photo: Eric Thayer/Reuters) More But her competitor for the White House, Republican candidate Donald Trump, capitalized on the FBI’s announcement by releasing a statement that accuses Clinton of “criminal and illegal conduct.” “Hillary Clinton’s corruption is on a scale we have never seen before. We must not let her take her criminal scheme into the Oval Office,” Trump said. “I have great respect for the fact that the FBI and the DOJ are now willing to have the courage to right the horrible mistake that they made. This was a grave miscarriage of justice that the American people fully understand. It is everybody’s hope that it is about to be corrected.” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, tweeted that Americans were already aware of Clinton’s “lifelong pattern of corruption” and that elected officials should be held accountable regardless of how high they rise in politics.

Clinton calls on FBI to release ‘full and complete facts’ from email probe

Hillary Clinton and her campaign criticized the FBI’s Friday announcement that it would be examining more emails potentially connected to its earlier investigation of her email server, calling it “extraordinary” that the news would break less than two weeks before a presidential election. Clinton said she expects the examination of newly discovered material reportedly uncovered in a criminal probe of Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of longtime Clinton aide Huma Abedin, to result in no new charges. “The American people deserve to get the full and complete facts immediately. The director himself has said he doesn’t know whether the emails referenced in his letter are significant or not. I’m confident whatever they are will not change the conclusion reached in July,” Clinton told reporters Friday evening after a Des Moines, Iowa, rally. Clinton campaign chair John Podesta first called on FBI Director James Comey on Friday afternoon to provide the “full details” of what new emails he is now probing before Clinton echoed the call. Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP)View photos Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP) More Clinton, who briefly answered questions from the press, said she was confident any new information would not change the decision the FBI reached months ago. But with the presidential election 11 days away — and early voting already underway in many states — she was eager to put the matter to rest. “We’ve heard these rumors. We don’t know what to believe. And I’m sure there will be even more rumors. That’s why it’s incumbent upon the FBI to tell us what they’re talking about, because right now your guess is as good as mine,” Clinton said. FBI Director James Comey wrote to Congress on Friday that he had uncovered emails in an unrelated case that “appear to be pertinent” to the agency’s previous investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state. Comey said investigators would look into whether the emails contained classified information. In July, Comey announced he would not be recommending prosecution in Clinton’s case, because no laws were broken, though he chastised Clinton for being “careless” with classified information. The New York Times and the Associated Press reported Friday that the new emails were uncovered while the FBI was investigating inappropriate text messages that Weiner allegedly sent to a 15-year-old girl. Weiner is the husband of Clinton’s longtime aide Huma Abedin, and the FBI seized devices that belonged to both Weiner and Abedin in the investigation, the Times reported. Abedin announced she was separating from Weiner several months ago. 2016 The Choice: Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman on FBI reopening Clinton’s email investigation On Friday, Oct. 28, 2016, Yahoo News and Finance Anchor Bianna Golodryga talks with Yahoo News Chief Investigative Correspondent Michael Isikoff and Yahoo News Deputy Editor Daniel Klaidman about the FBI reopening the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server and the news that it stems from electronic devices belonging to Huma Abedin, a top aide to Mrs. Clinton, and her husband, Anthony Weiner. The Clinton campaign’s statement also said the FBI’s announcement did not indicate the agency was “reopening” the previous investigation into Clinton. “FBI Director Comey should immediately provide the American public more information than is contained in the letter he sent to eight Republican committee chairmen,” Podesta said. “Already, we have seen characterizations that the FBI is ‘reopening’ an investigation, but Comey’s words do not match that characterization.” Everett Starling contributed to this story.

Former Miss Utah Temple Taggart speaks out against Trump’s threat to sue his accusers

Former Miss Utah Temple Taggart vowed at a Friday press conference to “stand up to Donald Trump” with the help of Gloria Allred, an attorney who specializes in women’s rights. Speaking in Salt Lake City, Taggart, who has accused the Republican presidential candidate of kissing her on the lips without consent on two separate occasions in 1997, reiterated her allegations. She also told reporters that she’d be represented by Allred in the event that Trump follows through on his recent threat to sue her and the 12 other women and counting who have accused him of sexual misconduct. “I’m ready for this battle, but there shouldn’t be one,” Taggart said, reading from a statement directed at Trump. “You should have the decency to admit what you did to me and take responsibility for what you’ve done to the other women.” Taggart’s alleged encounters with Trump first came to light back in May, as part of a New York Times investigation into the Republican presidential candidate’s past behavior with women. She has since been joined by a growing list of women who say that they were also the subjects of Trump’s unwanted advances. The majority of the allegations emerged after the release this month of a 2005 “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump is heard making lewd comments about women and boasting about groping them. Trump apologized for his comments but fiercely denied ever engaging in such behavior. He has accused each of these women of lying and, during a speech in Gettysburg, Pa., last weekend, even declared that “every one of these liars will be sued once the election is over.” Asked Friday about the theory — fueled largely by Trump — that the mounting sexual misconduct allegations, which include assault, are part of a concerted political effort to derail his presidential campaign, Allred noted that while she is a proud supporter of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, Taggart is not. “I’m a Republican,” the former pageant winner confirmed, adding that she has no intention of backing Clinton. Taggart said she is backing the conservative independent candidate Evan McMullin, a Trump critic who is performing surprisingly strong in polls of Utah. Allred, who also currently represents three of Trump’s other female accusers, said Taggart contacted her following the candidate’s promise to sue after the election. (Trump frequently issues legal threats against his foes, often without following through.) “Women should not be intimidated into silence by threats of lawsuits,” said Allred. “This issue is not about sex. It is about the attitude and behavior of a man who seeks the highest office in our country.” Taggart agreed, adding that she feels Trump “is trying to bully and frighten [his accusers] into silence.” “I’m not scared,” she said. “I know I’m telling the truth, and the truth is the greatest defense.”

Donald Trump cheers FBI’s renewed look at Clinton emails

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Donald Trump seized on the FBI’s Friday announcement that it is probing new emails related to Hillary Clinton’s private server, telling supporters here that “perhaps justice will finally be served.” Kicking off a three-state swing here just as the FBI news broke, the Republican presidential nominee canceled a planned roundtable to immediately take the stage where, with a smile, he announced that he had a “very critical breaking-news announcement.” Earlier in the afternoon, FBI Director James Comey said in a cryptic letter to Congress that his organization had “learned of the existence of emails that appear pertinent to the investigation” into Clinton’s server. Comey said investigators would review the messages, but revealed little else — just 11 days before Election Day. But before he could say anything, the celebrity businessman was drowned out by a deafening roar from the crowd here. The audience broke into a loud chant of “Lock her up,” which has been a rallying cry for his supporters since the summer. Donald Trump appears at a campaign event in Manchester, N.H. (Photo: Carlo Allegri/Reuters)View photos Donald Trump at a campaign event in Manchester, N.H. (Photo: Carlo Allegri/Reuters) More After telling the audience that the FBI was again looking into Clinton’s emails and her use of a private email server, Trump offered effusive praise for the FBI and Justice Department, which he has lambasted in recent days for being a part of the “rigged system.” “I have great respect for the fact that the FBI and DOJ are willing to have the courage to right the horrible mistake they made,” Trump said. “This was a grave miscarriage of justice that the American people fully understood, and it is everybody’s hope that it is about to be corrected.” He continued to trash Clinton, saying her “corruption is on a scale we have never seen before. “We must not let her take her criminal scheme into the Oval Office,” Trump said, adding that “perhaps justice finally will be done.” For her part, Clinton campaign chair John Podesta released a statement Friday afternoon calling for the FBI to provide additional details about its investigation: Trump has regularly attacked the FBI investigation of Clinton’s emails, suggesting that the Justice Department was operating as a political arm of the Clinton campaign in refusing to punish Clinton and her aides for putting classified information at risk on her private server. Donald Trump in Manchester, N.H. (Photo: Carlo Allegri/Reuters)View photos Donald Trump in Manchester, N.H. (Photo: Carlo Allegri/Reuters) More “The system is rigged. I think the biggest rigging of all is what has happened with the FBI and Justice Department with respect to Hillary Clinton because she is so guilty in so many ways,” Trump told Fox News host Bill O’Reilly in an interview that aired Thursday night. “She should not even be allowed to run for president.” But on Friday, Trump acknowledged the FBI’s decision and said, “Maybe the system is not as rigged as I thought?” Trump read his statement on the FBI’s decision slowly and carefully, taking his time as his supporters went wild. Pivoting to his regular remarks, Trump joked that maybe he shouldn’t even continue with the speech because it would be “boring” by comparison. Aides, he said, had told him that he could probably cancel the rally. “When it just happened a little while ago, they said, ‘Mr. Trump, … we could skip your speech in New Hampshire, this is so big,'” Trump said. But, he added, he didn’t have “the courage” to. Mike Pence reacts to FBI's new probe into Clinton emails At an Oct. 28 rally, GOP vice presidential nominee Mike Pence voiced his approval for the FBI's investigation of newly discovered Clinton emails.