Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on Thursday released internal Justice Department and FBI records indicating that senior federal officials declined to investigate alleged campaign finance violations by Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee.
The documents show agents had identified a "fact pattern" suggesting potential misconduct.
The development matters now because it raises questions about whether federal law enforcement agencies allowed political considerations to override the enforcement of campaign finance laws.
In his release of a set of internal communications, Grassley said that the records show officials in the Department of Justice's Public Integrity Section, including Richard Pilger, along with J.P. Cooney at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, declined to authorize a referral for prosecution despite an FBI electronic communication arguing that the evidence supported an inquiry into the Clinton campaign and the DNC.
The electronic communication, provided to Grassley under congressional oversight, reportedly details work by FBI agents that identified efforts by the Clinton campaign and DNC to conceal payments to the opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which in turn produced the debunked Steele dossier targeting then-candidate Donald Trump.
"Courageous whistleblowers came to my office years ago to sound the alarm that the Justice Department inappropriately interfered in efforts to investigate potential criminal activity committed by Hillary Clinton and her campaign," he said.
"These records show the same partisans who rushed to cover for Clinton rabidly pursued Arctic Frost, which was a runaway train aimed directly at President Trump and the Republican political apparatus."
The release also notes that in 2022, the Federal Election Commission fined the Clinton campaign and the DNC for disguising expenditures to pay Fusion GPS.
If federal prosecutors indeed declined to pursue charges despite evidence of payment concealment, critics argue that it suggests a double standard in enforcement, depending on party affiliation.
The records come amid broader scrutiny of whether federal investigative agencies treated conservative and Republican subjects differently, including through the Arctic Frost investigation, which Grassley and others have linked to alleged targeting of Republicans.
For the Clinton campaign and the DNC, the new disclosures may revive questions about whether proper investigative channels were pursued and whether politics rather than strictly legal criteria influenced enforcement decisions.
For the Trump administration, the episode reinforces ongoing partisan debates about accountability for investigations of Trump's candidacy and presidency.
Grassley said he will continue his oversight, stating he appreciates Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel's efforts to "turn over the information I requested, and I'll continue investigating this matter."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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