The FBI has expanded its probe into the private email arrangement of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to determine if there's any evidence she violated a federal law for providing false statements.
The FBI has made a statement saying
the agency is now focusing on U.S. Code 18, Section 1001 — a provision that pertains to "materially false" statements given either in writing, orally or through a third party — a felony punishable by five years in prison.
Former FBI agent Timothy Gill explains the section of the federal statute on false statements that may apply to Clinton "is a broad, brush statute that punishes individuals who are not direct and fulsome in their answers.The problem for a defendant is when their statements cause the bureau to expend more time, energy, resources to de-conflict their statements with the evidence."
Citing two unnamed government officials, also reports the FBI is doing its own classification review of the Clinton emails — "effectively cutting out what has become a grinding process at the State Department."
One government source says the FBI is identifying suspect emails, and then going directly to the agencies who originated them — and who, under the regulations, have final say on the classification.
Clinton has been under fire for months for using a private email server while serving as secretary of state, and has repeatedly insisted it was never used for classified information.
