"AMERICA'S NEWSROOM," I'M
SANDRA SMITH.
>> Bill: HOW ARE YOU HANGING IN
THERE?
>> Sandra: DOING ALL RIGHT.
HAPPY FRIDAY.
>> Bill: I'M BILL HEMMER.
THE MAGAZINE POTENTIALLY
PUTTING THE F.B.I. ON ITS HEELS.
AS MUCH AS THE BUREAU'S ROUGHLY
14,000 SPECIAL AGENTS MIGHT
LIKE TO TUNE OUT THE NEWS,
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL REPORTS
HAVE FOUND LAPSES THROUGHOUT
THE AGENCY.
LONG-TIME OBSERVERS LOOKING
PAST THE PARTISAN HAZE SEE A
TROUBLING PICTURE.
SOMETHING IS WRONG AT THE F.B.I.
CATHERINE HERRIDGE PICKS IT UP
FROM THERE.
GOOD MORNING.
WHAT DO YOU TAKE FROM THIS
PIECE?
>> GOOD MORNING.
THE FORMER F.B.I. DIRECTOR
SEEMED TO PLAY DOWN "TIME"
MAGAZINE'S ASSESSMENT TELLING
CBS NEWS THIS MORNING THE TOUGH
DECISIONS HE HAD TO MAKE ON THE
CLINTON EMAIL INVESTIGATION AND
COMEY SAID HE STOOD BY HIS
DECISIONS BUT WERE INFORMED BUT
F.B.I. SENIOR LEADERSHIP.
>> I HAVE A GREAT SENSE OF PAIN
OVER A LOT THAT'S GOING ON.
OUR BEING STUCK IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ELECTION BUT I'M AT
PEACE WITH THE DECISIONS WE
MADE.
I'M ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE
DECISIONS BUT IT WAS A LARGE
GROUP OF TALENTED PEOPLE WHO
MADE THOSE.
>> CRITICS POINT TO THE FACT
THAT A HALF DOZEN SENIOR F.B.I.
EXECUTIVES WHO WORKED UNDER
COMEY HAVE SINCE BEEN FIRED,
REASSIGNED OR CHOSEN TO RETIRE
INCLUDING HIS DEPUTY F.B.I.
DIRECTOR ANDREW MCCABE FIRED
FOR LYING TO FEDERAL
INVESTIGATORS ABOUT HIS ROLE IN
A MEDIA LEAK ABOUT THE CLINTON
FOUNDATION.
F.B.I. AGENT PETER STRZOK AND
LAWYER LISA PAGE WERE REMOVED
FROM THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION
AFTER THEIR PERSONAL TEXTS
REVEALED BIAS AGAINST THE
PRESIDENT AND JAMES BAKER LEFT
THE POSITION ALONG WITH HIS
FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF.
IF YOU ADD THE HEAD OF PUBLIC
AFFAIRS TO THE LIST YOU SEE
OVER A HALF DOZEN SENIOR
EXECUTIVES WHO HAVE LEFT THE
BUREAU SINCE COMEY WAS FIRED.
>> Bill: I'M HEARING THE
PRESIDENT TALKING ON THE SOUTH
LAWN.
WHEN WE GET THAT TAPE ON CAMERA
WE'LL PLAY IT BACK FOR OUR
VIEWERS.
FIRST THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
REPORT ON THE BUREAU RIGHT NOW
AND EXPECTED TO TESTIFY NEXT
WEEK ON THE HILL.
IS THAT STILL HAPPENING?
>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMIND
PEOPLE WHEN THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR GENERAL
TASKED TO LOOK AT THE CLINTON
EMAIL INVESTIGATION IT WAS VERY
BIPARTISAN.
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.
THE EXPECTATION IS THAT REPORT
WOULD PROBABLY BE READY EARLIER
THIS YEAR BUT ALL OF THE
DEADLINES OR TIMELINES HAVE
SEEMED TO SHIFT.
THE BEST DAY WE HAVE ON THE
CALENDAR IS FOR NEXT WEEK WHEN
HOROWITZ IS SCHEDULED TO
TESTIFY BEFORE ONE OF THE HOUSE
COMMITTEES.
BUT OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT
THAT COULD ALSO SHIFT IN TERMS
OF THE TIMELINE BECAUSE HE HAS
CONTINUED TO RECEIVE NEW LEADS
HE HAS PURSUED ON THE HANDLING
OF THE F.B.I.'S INVESTIGATION
INTO THE CLINTON EMAILS AND
ALSO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S
RESPONSE, BILL.
