WASHINGTON — Attorney General Loretta Lynch defended her decision to close the Hillary Clinton email investigation without criminal charges, saying Tuesday that she had no reason to reject the unanimous recommendation of FBI investigators.
"The matter was handled like any other matter," Lynch told the House Judiciary Committee.
The panel's chairman, GOP Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, criticized Lynch over the investigation's outcome, charging that it "does not seem to be a responsible way to uphold your constitutionally sworn oath."
Goodlatte also questioned why Lynch didn't recuse herself after a recent meeting with former President Bill Clinton on her airplane. And he tried to draw her out on whether Clinton lied about her handling of classified email. Goodlatte and other House Republicans on Monday formally asked the Justice Department to investigate whether Clinton lied to Congress.
Lynch refused to be drawn into debating Clinton's conduct or the facts of the case, repeatedly referring Goodlatte to testimony given by FBI Director James Comey last week.
She praised the FBI team that investigated Clinton and recommended against charges.
Lynch's testimony Tuesday came amid a roiling national debate over police violence and as House Republicans seek further investigations of Clinton months before the November election.
"This has now become an issue for Congress in that it appears Secretary Clinton testified falsely when appearing under oath before the Select Committee on Benghazi," Goodlatte told Lynch, referring to Clinton's assertions that she did not send emails marked classified at the time from her private server.
"Frankly, the FBI's conclusion leaves many more questions than answers."
Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.