The White House said on Monday that President Barack Obama does not believe that FBI Director James Comey is trying to influence the election with his decision to review new evidence in the probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state.
"The president's assessment of his integrity and his character has not changed," White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters during the daily briefing. "The president does not believe that Director Comey is intentionally trying to influence the outcome of an election. The president does not believe that he is secretly strategizing to benefit one candidate or one political party."
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Comey has come under fierce criticism — including from Clinton's campaign — for telling lawmakers of his decision to revive the FBI's inquiry just 11 days before the election. Donald Trump has seized on the news to try to drive home the idea that Clinton can't be trusted and would enter the White House under a cloud of criminal suspicion.
And while Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid suggested over the weekend that Comey might have "broken the law" with his latest move, the White House was more sympathetic.
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