Newly released FBI records describe repeated interventions by DOJ and bureau leadership that stalled corruption inquiries into the Clinton Foundation while other politically sensitive investigations advanced.
Byline: By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Newly declassified FBI timelines released by the Senate Judiciary Committee describe years of internal resistance that repeatedly stalled federal investigators seeking to examine whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in pay-to-play corruption while Hillary Clinton served as secretary of state.
According to a Just the News report, the records were provided by FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley. The documents include a detailed chronology written by investigators who said their efforts were blocked by FBI headquarters and senior Justice Department officials beginning during the 2016 election cycle.
The longer timeline quotes agents describing frustration with repeated denials from leadership, stating they were “told ‘NO’ by FBI HQ” when attempting to expand inquiries into the Clinton Foundation. Investigators said those restrictions persisted even as parallel investigations involving then-candidate Donald Trump moved forward.
Grassley released the records produced to his office after earlier disclosures showed a shorter 2017 timeline documenting similar interference. That earlier record, later obtained by Just the News, cited former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates as ordering prosecutors to “shut it down,” according to agents involved.
Investigators said they sought to determine whether donations to the Clinton Foundation coincided with official actions taken by the State Department. The timelines describe investigative activity in New York, Little Rock, and Washington that included confidential sources, recordings, and wire intercepts tied to campaign finance concerns.
The documents reference Democratic fundraiser Sant Singh Chatwal, whose 2014 guilty plea to campaign finance violations was announced by the Justice Department and later resulted in probation, which was reported by The New York Times. Investigators said efforts to expand related inquiries toward the Clinton Foundation were denied.
The timelines also cite actions by former FBI official Timothy Thibault, whose social media activity later drew scrutiny for anti-Trump bias and whose conduct was referenced in Senate correspondence documented by Grassley. Lawmakers later accused Thibault of attempting to slow-walk investigations involving Hunter Biden and of helping initiate the “Arctic Frost” inquiry, as detailed in Senate records.
The timelines describe repeated directives from then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe requiring his personal approval for any investigative steps. Inspector General Michael Horowitz later reported that McCabe maintained oversight of the Clinton Foundation inquiry until shortly before the 2016 election and did not fully comply with his recusal.
The records also reference the FBI’s limited access to Clinton emails and the bureau’s handling of the Midyear investigation, which Horowitz later examined in a 2018 inspector general report. Former FBI agent Peter Strzok later testified to Congress that consent agreements prevented access to certain Clinton Foundation emails.
Investigators also cited the sale of Uranium One to Russia’s Rosatom, a deal that drew scrutiny after reporting by The Hill described evidence of bribery involving Russian nuclear officials. The Durham special counsel later addressed aspects of the Clinton-related inquiries in his final report, noting contrasts between the handling of the Clinton Foundation matters and the rapid launch of the Trump-Russia investigation.
Additional Justice Department records cited include correspondence from Attorney General Jeff Sessions directing a review by U.S. Attorney John Huber, as well as a DOJ letter to Congress released publicly addressing calls for a special counsel.
The timelines also reference internal DOJ watchdog findings released by the Office of Inspector General and subsequent inspector general conclusions that McCabe misled investigators, as detailed in a separate 2018 report.
Grassley said the cumulative evidence shows DOJ leadership improperly limited investigations involving Clinton while allowing aggressive inquiries into Trump to proceed. The Clinton Foundation did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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