Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, has a close personal relationship with a senior Justice Department official overseeing the investigation into Clinton's private email server, hacked emails show.
Assistant Attorney General Peter Kadzik had his son apply for a job on the Clinton campaign with Podesta, dined with Podesta in January in the middle of the Clinton email probe, and referred other job candidates to Podesta, the Washington Examiner reported Tuesday. Kadzik also was invited to attend a small birthday gathering for Podesta's brother.
Kadzik is the Justice Department official who notified Congress on Monday that the department intended to work with the FBI on the Clinton email investigation and "dedicate all necessary resources" to it.
Podesta in 2008 recommended Kadzik to help with President Obama's transition team while they were preparing for the new administration, the Examiner noted.
In 2008, Podesta raved about Kadzik to Cassandra Butts, a member of President Obama's transition team, and noted Kadzik was "willing to help" with vetting for Obama's Cabinet.
"Fantastic lawyer. Kept me out of jail," Podesta wrote of Kadzik.
The Examiner also mentioned recent reports detailing how the deputy director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, has a connection with a top Clinton supporter, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe. Organizations either controlled or closely connected to McAuliffe had donated over $675,000 to the Virginia State Senate campaign of McCabe's wife in 2015.
Critics have also said there may be a conflict of interest with Attorney General Loretta Lynch regarding the Clinton email probe. Days before FBI Director James Comey announced that he would not recommend charges against Clinton back in July, Lynch privately met with Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, aboard the attorney general's plane. Both Clinton and Lynch denied discussing the FBI investigation.