HICKORY, North Carolina — Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence tells New Hampshire residents that “mishandling classified information is a crime” and is discussing Hillary Clinton’s ethical lapses.
During a rally in North Carolina on Sunday, Pence taled about FBI Director James Comey, shortly after news broke that Comey issued a written that the bureau had “not changed” its conclusions that Clinton should not face indictment over her raucous email scandal.
Speaking at the Hickory Regional Airport, Pence said, “You have a four-star general that might get five years in prison, before the end of this year, for mishandling classified information,” of retired Gen. James Cartwright who was charged with lying to the FBI about discussing classified information with reporters about Iran’s nuclear program, during a probe.
Pence continued, “you have a sailor that just went to jail for taking a half-a-dozen photographs in a classified area of a nuclear submarine. So let me say this, if only for their decades of self-dealing with the politics of personal enrichment, mishandling classified information and compromising our national security, we must ensure that Hillary Clinton is never elected president of the United States of America.”
Pence declared, “the American people have had enough,” “and they have especially had enough of the fast and loose ethics of Bill and Hillary Clinton.” The crowd enthusiastically chanted, “Lock her up!”
FBI Director James Comey issued the bureau’s conclusion through a written statement on Sunday. This second probe into Clinton’s emails was conducted using classified materials that were unearthed in emails found in the Anthony Weiner underage sexting investigation.
Comey wrote, “Based on our review, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July with respect to Secretary Clinton.”
Pence was not having it. “Ladies and gentlemen, mishandling classified information is a crime.” He reminded the audience that “Hillary Clinton said there’s nothing marked classified on her emails, sent or received, and the FBI director told to Congress, that’s not true.”
He also pointed out that Clinton said she did not email any classified information to anyone. “And the head of the FBI told to Congress, there was classified information that was emailed.”
Separate emails also indicated that a top State Department official had attempted to offer the FBI quid pro quo if the bureau agreed to let Clinton alter the classified status of the documents found on her private server.
RNC chairman Reince Priebus issued a statement to Breitbart News, following Comey’s announcement, making it clear that the FBI’s public corruption investigation of the Clinton Foundation — which has raised billions of dollars — is ongoing:
The FBI’s findings from its criminal investigation of Hillary Clinton’s secret email server were a damning and unprecedented indictment of her judgment. The FBI found evidence Clinton broke the law, that she placed highly classified national security information at risk and repeatedly lied to the American people about her reckless conduct. None of this changes the fact that the FBI continues to investigate the Clinton Foundation for corruption involving her tenure as secretary of state. Hillary Clinton should never be president.
Pence thanked the sizable crowd that had gathered at the airport hanger to see him, and payed a special thanks to those who trekked from the Appalachian Mountains, which are at least an hour drive away from the location of Sunday evening’s event.
Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Lea Trump, was also present during Sunday’s rally. Pence invited her on stage after he spoke, to stand with him and his wife, Karen.
Lara is originally from North Carolina. She is married to Trump’s third-born, Eric Trump.
Both the Pence and Trump families have spoken of their beliefs in the importance of building a foundation with strong family values.
“In two days, the American people can put an end to decades of political corruption,” Pence said. “We can close the history books on the Clintons once and for all by electing Donald Trump as President of the United States of America. The American people are sick and tired of pay-to-play politics. And that’s exactly the kind of politics that’s going to come to a crashing halt the day that Donald Trump walks into the Oval Office.”
He reminded those gathered that “his only special interest will be you: the American people.”
Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter and Periscope @AdelleNaz
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