Prof. Painter Authors New York Times Op-Ed on F.B.I.’s Clinton Email Investigation and Election

Professor Richard W. Painter—former chief White House ethics lawyer for George W. Bush—authored an op-ed in the New York Times calling into question recent actions in the F.B.I.’s Clinton email investigation, arguing that they were unethically conducted, a misuse of an official public position, and were in violation of the 1993 Hatch Act, which bars the use of an official position to influence an election. “The F.B.I.’s job is to investigate, not to influence the outcome of an election,” writes Prof. Painter, primarily addressing a letter sent by F.B.I. director James Comey to Congress that made unusual public statements concerning a candidate in an election. “We cannot allow F.B.I. or Justice Department officials to unnecessarily publicize pending investigations concerning candidates for either party while an election is underway.”

Extensive media coverage followed Prof. Painter's piece: Slate, Yahoo! News, NPR, BBC News, People, NBC, Washington Post, KARE11, MSNBC, Star Tribune, and Voice of America.