Top GOP lawmaker calls for FBI chief to release evidence on Clinton email probe

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A top Republican lawmaker called on FBI Director James Comey Tuesday to release evidence gathered by the bureau surrounding the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email use as secretary of state, calling for the agency to be “more transparent than ever.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a statement hours after Comey announced that, despite finding evidence the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee was “extremely careless” in her handling of classified emails on a private server, the agency will not recommend that charges be brought against her.

The decision drew swift rebuke from many Republicans, and caused Grassley to call for the evidence gathered by the FBI to be released.

“If [the FBI] wants to avoid giving the impression that the FBI was pulling punches, because many people in a similar situation would face some sort of consequence, the agency must now be more transparent than ever in releasing information gathered during its investigation,” Grassley said in a statement.

“That means more than simply giving the public a brief summary of his view of the facts. It should include the actual evidence so the public can make an educated decision on its own about the judgment and decision-making of all the senior officials involved,” Grassley said.

Despite not recommending charges, Comey said the FBI found 110 emails were sent or received on Clinton’s server containing classified information, and that it was possible that her email account had been compromised.

"Although we did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information," he said.