CNN stood out from its Big Three competitors on Thursday in actually covering the latest development into the FBI investigations into possible Clinton Foundation corruption. However, CNN Newsroom pointed the finger at conservative author Peter Schweitzer for the "growing turmoil" at the Bureau over the investigations. Evan Perez played up that "a lot" of the Clinton Foundation investigation was "based on this book called Clinton Cash...published by Peter Schweizer, and he's now an editor at Breitbart." He added that "a lot of the allegations in there have not been substantiated." [video below]
Anchor Carol Costello teased correspondent Evan Perez's report by trumpeting, "It's not just a problem for Clinton's campaign. That e-mail investigation apparently causing deep divisions within the FBI." Costello led into the segment by touting the "growing turmoil behind closed doors — much like the presidential election has revealed deep divisions among Americans, CNN is learning of a similar rift within the FBI — the government agency shaken up, in particular, by the Clinton e-mail investigation."
Perez underlined that in this "toxic year of politics, it turns out, even inside the FBI, there have been arguments over Clinton; and, in particular, over the Clinton Foundation." He noted that "several investigations...were ongoing...into allegations of impropriety in the Clinton Foundation. And behind the scenes, because some agents thought that things weren't moving fast enough, they started believing conspiracies that, perhaps, politics were at play." He continued with his line about Schweizer:
EVAN PEREZ: ...[B]ack here at [FBI] headquarters in Washington, there was an effort to try to make sure that the agents had what they thought they had — that they had the goods to bring some kind of investigation, to make it a full-blown investigation. It turns out that a lot of what they had, Carol, was based on this book called Clinton Cash. It was published by Peter Schweizer, and he's now an editor at Breitbart. But a lot of the allegations in there have not been substantiated. The FBI headquarters here in Washington and Justice Department prosecutors thought that the agents needed to do a lot more work. So, what you have is a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of innuendo as to what exactly was going on.
The latest development involving the FBI investigations into the Clinton Foundation were also mentioned by two guests on CNN's New Day morning newscast — North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows during the 7 am Eastern hour and Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway during the 8 am Eastern hour.
The full transcript of the Evan Perez report from CNN Newsroom on November 3, 2016:
CAROL COSTELLO: Growing turmoil behind closed doors — much like the presidential election has revealed deep divisions among Americans, CNN is learning of a similar rift within the FBI — the government agency shaken up, in particular, by the Clinton e-mail investigation.
Evan Perez has more for you from Washington. Good morning.
[CNN Graphic: "FBI Turmoil: Tensions Over Handling Over Clinton Email Probe"]
EVAN PEREZ: Good morning, Carol. This has been a toxic year in politics; and apparently, it's infected just about every part of the American government — including the FBI where, we have — you know, for several months, people have been arguing over whether—
COSTELLO: Hey, Evan — Evan, Evan, do you have your microphone on? I'm just—
PEREZ: I do. I do, Carol—
COSTELLO: Oh, it is! You just sound like—
PEREZ: Can you hear me?
COSTELLO: Now, I can.
PEREZ: Okay. (Costello and Perez laugh) Again, things are supposed to work the way they are supposed to; and then — then, they don't. But back — back to 2016 and the toxic year of politics, it turns out, even inside the FBI, there have been arguments over Clinton; and, in particular, over the Clinton Foundation.
Now, we know that, obviously, the FBI has been conducting this e-mail investigation that took over a year; but behind the scenes, there's also been several investigations that were ongoing in four different offices — Los Angeles, Little Rock, Washington, and New York — into allegations of impropriety in the Clinton Foundation. And behind the scenes, because some agents thought that things weren't moving fast enough, they — they started believing conspiracies that, perhaps, politics were at play. And back here at headquarters in Washington, there was an effort to try to make sure that the — the agents had what they thought they had — that they had the goods to bring some kind of investigation, to make — to make it a full-blown investigation.
It turns out that a lot of what they had, Carol, was based on this book called Clinton Cash. It was published by Peter Schweizer, and he's now an editor at — at Breitbart. But a lot of — a lot of the allegations in there have not been substantiated. The FBI headquarters here in Washington and Justice Department prosecutors thought that the — the agents needed to do a lot more work. So, what you have is a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of innuendo as to what exactly was going on, Carol.
[CNN Graphic: "FBI Director's decision not to pursue criminal charges was flashpoint"]
COSTELLO: All right. Evan Perez, reporting live from Washington, thank you.
