Updated November 07, 2016 08:44:06
FBI director James Comey says a recent review of newly discovered emails has not changed the agency's conclusion that no charges were warranted in the case of Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server.
Key points:
- Trump says Clinton is protected by a "rigged system" in response to FBI announcement
- Trump, Clinton court key swing states in final pitch to voters
- US appeals court overturns new voter intimidation rules in Ohio, Democrats may appeal
In a letter to the US Congress, Mr Comey said the agency had completed its review of the new emails and "we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July with respect to Secretary Clinton".
"The FBI investigative team has been working around the clock to process and review a large volume of emails from a device obtained in connection with an unrelated criminal investigation," Mr Comey said in the letter.
"During that process, we reviewed all of the communications that were to or from Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state."
The Clinton campaign said in a statement it was "glad the matter is resolved".
"We're glad to see that [Mr Comey] has found, as we were confident that he would, that he has confirmed the conclusions he reached in July," director of communications Jennifer Palmieri said.
A letter sent by Mr Comey to Congress more than a week ago informing it of the newly discovered emails had thrown Mrs Clinton's presidential race against her Republican rival Donald Trump into turmoil, in the final stretch before Tuesday's election.
Mr Trump responded to Mr Comey's latest letter by saying Mrs Clinton was protected by a "rigged system".
Clinton holds narrow lead in national polls
Mrs Clinton still holds a small lead over Mr Trump in the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal national poll.
Her national average lead, according to the polling website Real Clear Politics, is 1.8 points.
Victory will turn on the outcomes in a handful of swing states being heavily courted by the candidates in these final days.
Mr Trump will hit five states on Sunday local time, to make his final pitch to voters.
His stops in Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia indicate Mr Trump is trying to find a non-traditional path to the White House.
"We win a state like Michigan, as you know, it's all over," Republican chairman Reince Priebus said.
"If I would've told you a year ago, that we have a candidate that can win Florida, Ohio and Michigan, we would say that's a candidate that's going to win."
The Clinton campaign said it was focusing on securing its firewall in the West and Upper Midwest.
Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told NBC's Meet the Press the campaign believed if Mrs Clinton won Nevada and Michigan, she "is going to be the next president of the United States".
The Clinton campaign has in recent weeks deployed its most high-profile allies, including President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, and pop stars such as Beyonce and Katy Perry.
Mrs Clinton started Sunday with the largely African American congregation of Mount Airy Church of God in Christ in Philadelphia.
She was planning to campaign later in the day with basketball superstar Lebron James in Cleveland.
Voter-intimidation rules in Ohio removed
In Ohio, Mr Trump on Sunday won a legal battle when a US appeals court removed new restrictions on partisan poll watchers, which Democrats had sought to prevent election day voter intimidation.
The rules, overturned by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, would have imposed greater penalties on people who harass voters during Tuesday's election.
Voter intimidation already is prohibited under US law but Democrats have pushed for greater restrictions in Ohio and five other battleground states, citing concerns Mr Trump's heated rhetoric might inspire chaos.
On the campaign trail, Mr Trump has warned the election may be rigged and has called on supporters to keep an eye on voting activity for possible signs of fraud in large cities.
Numerous studies have found US voter fraud is exceedingly rare.
On Friday, US District Court Judge James Gwin imposed new restrictions on those who monitor voting activity, saying they may not interrogate voters within 30 metres of a polling place, block them from entering, or photograph them as they come and go.
Those found to violate the rules could be held in contempt of court.
The Trump campaign had argued those restrictions were not justified, given there had been no reported instances of voter harassment in the state so far.
"In the end, plaintiff's case rested on rhetoric, not evidence," attorney Chad Readler wrote in a court filing on Saturday.
The appeals court sided with Mr Trump, lifting the new rules two days before election day.
The ruling came before Democrats had a chance to respond to Mr Readler's motion, and the party said it may appeal.
ABC/Reuters
First posted November 07, 2016 07:44:00
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