White House: FBI Director Comey Not Trying to Sway Election
TREADING LIGHTLY
FBI Director James Comey has been facing some harsh criticism from Hillary Clinton and her allies since he sent his letter to Congress outlining his intention to investigate more emails that may or may not be related to the former secretary of state's private server. But the Obama Administration is at least attempting to stay neutral on the issue as White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters on Monday. Earnest described Comey as a man of "principle" and "integrity" and said President Obama does not believe the FBI director is "intentionally trying to influence the outcome of the election," nor is he "secretly strategizing to benefit one candidate or one political party." He added of Comey, "He's in a tough spot, and he's the one who will be in a position to defend his actions in the face of significant criticism from a variety of legal experts, including individuals who served in senior Department of Justice positions in administrations led by presidents in both parties."