DES MOINES--Hillary Clinton is calling on the FBI to release more information about its review of emails that may be related to its investigation into her private server.
Clinton says "Let's get it out."
The Democratic presidential candidate says the American people deserve to have as much information as possible before they vote Nov. 8, and even sooner since early voting is already occurring in some states.
"Voting is underway, so the American people deserve to get the full and complete facts immediately," Clinton said during a brief news conference in Des Moines, Iowa.
FBI Director James Comey announced in a letter to Congress that his agency will investigate newly found emails. The initial investigation into her use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state ended in July when the FBI recommended that the Justice Department not press criminal charges against Clinton because despite her "gross negligence," she set up the private server for convenience, and that there was "no basis to conclude that she lied to the FBI" or that she or her staff illegally discussed classified information.
Comey felt he had no choice but to tell Congress now or risk being accused of hiding relevant information before the election, law enforcement officials said in explaining the timing.
“In connection with an unrelated case, the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear pertinent to the investigation,” Comey wrote in the letter released Friday. “I am writing to inform you that the investigative team briefed me on this yesterday, and I agreed that the FBI should take appropriate investigative steps designed to allow investigators to review these emails to determine whether they contain classified information, as well as to assess their importance to our investigation.”
A U.S. official told The Associated Press that the new emails were uncovered during the sexting investigation of disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner. Weiner is the estranged husband of one of Clinton's closest aides, Huma Abedin.
Clinton says she's confident investigators won't find information that would cause the FBI to change its decision to close the investigation without filing charges in July.
She also said she doesn't think it will change voters' minds, since people formed their opinions about the email scandal months ago.
But Clinton's opponent, Donald Trump, quickly seized on the news, opening his Friday rally in Maine by saying he has "great respect for the FBI for righting this wrong."
He says the "the American people fully understand her corruption" and he hopes "justice will finally be served."
Earlier, Trump said the political system "might not be as rigged as I thought," which a new tune for the Republican, who has repeatedly complained that the Washington establishment has rigged the political system against him.
As for the emails' content, during her presser Clinton said, "Right now, your guess is as good as mine, and I don't think that's good enough."
The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee also seemed to be out for a loop on the content. Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley asked for a briefing from the FBI, saying in a statement that the letter "was unsolicited and, quite honestly, surprising." He says it left more questions than answers.
Grassley said "Congress and the public deserve more context to properly assess what evidence the FBI has discovered and what it plans to do with it."
Meanwhile, top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee called the move "appalling" so close to the election.
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein says she was "shocked" to read Comey's letter to members of Congress about the agency taking "appropriate investigative steps" to review the new emails.
Feinstein added that Comey's announcement "played right into the political campaign of Donald Trump, who is already using the letter for political purposes."
Before Clinton spoke in Iowa, her running mate, Tim Kaine, said it's "very, very troubling" that the FBI is releasing the information about a new probe into emails just 11 days before the election.
Kaine says the FBI director needs to provide more details on the situation. He suggests it's troubling that members of the press are finding out information before campaign officials.
Meanwhile, President Barack Obama is staying silent on the FBI's announcement. He was in Orlando, Florida, Friday encouraging voters — young voters in particular — to take advantage of their opportunity to cast their ballots before Election Day on Nov. 8.
With additional information by CNN.
