'Political theater': Trump's AG slammed for MAGA 'distraction' after releasing Clinton email doc
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Monday that the Justice Department has released a declassified appendix from the 2018 Inspector General’s report, shedding new light on the FBI’s investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s private email server.
This step follows a long-standing appeal from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who has consistently advocated for more openness about the investigation.
Grassley released the document on Monday after receiving it from Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.
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The newly released appendix shows the FBI retrieved thumb drives, described as containing hacked State Department data, including messages from former President Barack Obama — but did not fully analyze their contents, per the Washington Examiner.
The Clinton email controversy dates back to 2009–2013, when Clinton conducted official business via a private, home-based email system. The FBI concluded she had been “extremely careless” but did not find evidence of criminal intent, opting not to press charges.
Bondi’s Monday announcement also intersects with ongoing controversy over the handling of documents related to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Conservatives had pressed for the release of Epstein’s “client list,” but a DOJ-FBI memo later said that no such list existed and emphasized that most materials remain sealed to protect victims.
Responding to calls for further disclosure, the Justice Department filed a request Friday to unseal grand jury transcripts in the Epstein case — following directives from President Donald Trump and public pressure.
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However, legal experts have warned that the request is unlikely to reveal much new information, pointing out that grand jury presentations in the Southern District of New York usually include only enough detail to support an indictment, not exhaustive evidence.
Meanwhile, Bondi's Monday decision was criticized as a "distraction" on social media.
Podcaster Brian Allen wrote on the social platform X: "Trump’s DOJ just reopened the Clinton email investigation — releasing documents from the failed 2016 probe under James Comey. Pam Bondi’s DOJ says this is about 'transparency.' But we all know what this really is: political theater to distract from the Epstein fallout and criminal referrals now hitting Trump’s own administration. They’re flailing. And they’re running out of cards to play."
Another X user wrote: "NEW: Here we go again… it’s 2025 and they’re still yelling 'BUT HER EMAILS!' Pam Bondi is releasing more Clinton email drama, because when Trump world feels the Epstein heat, they always reach for Hillary. It’s not about justice or anything serious, other than about a distraction for MAGA base. The smoke machine is on full blast."
"The desperation is so obvious," wrote another account.
