(Bloomberg) -- House Speaker Paul Ryan called on Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to deny Hillary Clinton access to classified information during the presidential campaign.
Referring to FBI Director James Comey's finding that Clinton was "extremely careless" in her handling of classified information by using a private e-mail system, Ryan told reporters Wednesday that she shouldn't be allowed to receive the customary briefings granted to presidential candidates.
"After the convention, you get the full, deep classified information as the nominee," Ryan said. He added that Congress would explore whether it could block those briefings if the administration won't.
Republicans continue to express frustration that Comey didn't recommend criminal charges against Clinton, and plan to press the FBI director and others about their findings.
Pair of Hearings
House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz announced that Comey would testify before his panel on Thursday, along with the inspectors general of the State Department and the intelligence community, about the investigation into Clinton's e-mail use.
"The FBI's recommendation is surprising and confusing," Chaffetz of Utah said in a statement. "Congress and the American people have a right to understand the depth and breadth of the FBI's investigation."
Separately, Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia said that Attorney General Loretta Lynch would appear next week, on July 12, for a hearing that would include questions about the FBI investigation, as well as Lynch's controversial impromptu meeting with former President Bill Clinton last week.
"The recent announcement by FBI Director Comey that he does not recommend criminal charges be brought against Hillary Clinton for her mishandling of classified information raises serious concerns," Goodlatte said in a statement. "It is uniquely troubling in light of Attorney General Lynch's secret meeting with former President Bill Clinton. No one is above the law and the American people need to know that federal law enforcement is taking this misconduct seriously."
To contact the reporter on this story: Steven T. Dennis in Washington at sdennis17@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Kevin Whitelaw at kwhitelaw@bloomberg.net, Larry Liebert
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