WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), chairman of the U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, today released the following statement following the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) announcement that it has reopened its investigation of the use of an insecure, private email server to conduct official business by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas): “A smoking gun has long been evident in the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private email server, and the decision to reopen the investigation is a step in the right direction to determine who pulled the trigger. On September 28 at a Congressional hearing, I called on FBI Director Comey to reopen the FBI’s investigation into former Secretary Clinton’s use of a private email server because of the many unanswered questions that remained after its initial inquiry closed. Today’s news that the FBI has discovered new information that has led it to determine that its investigation is incomplete and requires additional review by FBI investigators is a welcome and overdue development.
“Throughout the investigation of the security of former Secretary Clinton’s private server, the committee’s inquiries have been met with resistance and obstruction by companies and organizations associated with former Secretary Clinton. Given this reasoning, I recently announced that the committee intends to hold her private server company, Platte River Networks, in contempt of Congress.
“The American people deserve a transparent government and the assurance that our nation’s security will not be jeopardized. I look forward to continuing the committee’s investigation into the security of former Secretary Clinton’s private email server.”
Background
On Oct. 20, Smith announced plans to hold the company that set up and maintained former Secretary Clinton’s private server, Platte River Networks, in contempt of Congress.
At a Sept. 28 House Judiciary Committee hearing, Rep. Smith urged FBI Director James Comey to reopen the FBI’s investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s private email server.
On Sept. 20, Rep. Smith issued a subpoena to FBI Director Comey for documents and information related to the security of Clinton’s private email account and server. The Committee requested these documents in a Sept. 9 letter. Director Comey has failed to produce any documents pursuant to the previous request.
On Aug. 22, Smith issued subpoenas to the three companies who maintain former Secretary Clinton’s private server with the support of U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, after the companies failed to comply with the Science Committee’s voluntary request for documents and interviews.
Smith’s subpoenas built on July 12 bicameral efforts to request information and earlier investigations initiated separately by Chairman Smith and Chairman Johnson.
The Science Committee has jurisdiction over the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which sets standards pursuant to the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA). The materials subpoenaed by the Science Committee center exactly around the Committee’s jurisdiction over cybersecurity standards in FISMA.