Former NYPD Commissioner Calls for Obstruction Investigation into Clinton Email Probe

Former NYPD Commissioner Benard Kerik warned Wednesday that Americans will “never have faith” in the U.S. government until the FBI’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe is investigated for obstruction of justice.

Kerik’s remarks came in response to transcripts showing former FBI legal counsel Lisa Page testified to Congress that the Department of Justice ordered the FBI not to charge Clinton with “gross negligence” for mishandling classified information.

On Tuesday, House Judiciary Committee member Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) posted a transcript excerpt of Page’s 2018 July testimony to social media in which she made the explosive admission to him. “So let me if I can, I know I’m testing your memory. But when you say advice you got from the Department, you’re making it sound like it was the Department that told you: You’re not going to charge gross negligence because we’re the prosecutors and we’re telling you we’re not going to–,” Ratcliffe asked Page before the former FBI lawyer interrupted by saying “That is correct,” as the Texas Republican concluded his sentence with “bring a case based on that.”

According to Page, Justice Department, led at the time by Attorney General Loretta Lynch, had “multiple conversations” regarding possible charges for Clinton with respect to gross negligence. “[T]hey did not feel they could sustain a charge,” Page said of the Justice Department. Page and fired now-fired FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok, who engaged in an extra-marital affair, sent anti-Trump text messages to one another during the 2016 election. Republican lawmakers have pointed to the messages as evidence of political bias inside the bureau.

Then-FBI Director James Comey announced in a July 2016 press conference that while Clinton, then the Democrat presidential nominee, had been “extremely careless” in handling classified information,  “no reasonable prosecutor” would attempt to bring a case against her.

Reacting to the development Wednesday, President Donald Trump said that Page’s testimony confirmed the Obama-era Justice Department was a “broken and corrupt machine.”

“Hopefully, justice will finally be served. Much more to come!” he added.