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FBI Director James Comey has placed himself at the centre of the US presidential election campaign after ignoring advice from the US justice department and revealing a new investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email use.

The move, described by Mrs Clinton as “unprecedented” and “deeply troubling”, was said by officials to be inconsistent with rules designed to avoid the appearance of interference in an election.

Back in July Mr Comey took the decision not to charge the Democratic presidential candidate over her use of private email at a time when she was secretary of state in the Obama administration.

The announcement created a storm of Republican protest and he was forced to justify his decision amid calls to testify to a House committee.

Mr Comey also said in July that although he had been a registered Republican “for most of my adult life”, he was no longer a member of the party.

In 2006, the removal of eight US attorneys at the justice department triggered an investigation into whether the move was politically motivated.
Democrats attempted to force the resignation of then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, accusing him of firing the prosecutors for political reasons and then lying about the reason for their dismissal.

But Mr Bush dismissed the attempts to remove Mr Gonzales as themselves political.

Mr Comey stated his disapproval of Mr Gonzales in testimony to a Congressional committee.

He said that the department had to be perceived as nonpartisan and non-political in order to function effectively.

“The US attorneys are political appointees of the president,” he said, adding that once those positions were taken, it was important that the institution be seen as representing the interests of the American public.

“My people had to stand up before juries of all stripes, talk to sheriffs of all stripes, judges of all stripes. They had to be seen as the good guys, and not as either this administration or that administration,” he said.

http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-37816325