Despite the horrendous reporting, the FBI is NOT reopening the Clinton email investigation

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Clarifying: Comey doesn’t say the FBI is reopening the Clinton investigation per se, rather that it’s assessing newly found emails.

— Shane Harris (@shaneharris) October 28, 2016 x

MORE: "Premature" to say FBI investigation into Clinton email server has been reopened, sources tell @jeffpeguescbshttps://t.co/o7w8uhSREWpic.twitter.com/PIkOSoGJat

— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 28, 2016 x

Pete Williams has sources saying not about Clinton world w/holding emails. Not about Podesta emails. Not emails from Clinton.

— Sam Stein (@samsteinhp) October 28, 2016 x

NBC’s Pete Williams: Sr. officials say—During separate investigation “a device” led to add'l emails–not from Clinton https://t.co/QmmNoxXhOx

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) October 28, 2016 x

Newly discovered emails which FBI is examining were not found on private email server in Clinton home: govt source https://t.co/GMF3n9Rdknpic.twitter.com/Z514udMgv3

— Reuters Politics (@ReutersPolitics) October 28, 2016 x

Every news channel reporting that the FBI is "reopening" their investigation into Hillary's emails. FBI, however, didn't use that language.

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 28, 2016

Legum:

The FBI, in other words, is not reexamining its previous findings. It is not questioning its previous legal conclusion that “no reasonable prosecutor” could determine that charges are warranted. Based on the letter, it appears that the FBI will simply provide the same scrutiny to these newly uncovered emails as it previously applied to the emails it already reviewed when it determined that criminal charges are not warranted.

Though the initial narrative to emerge from this new letter — a narrative pushed by Republican House Oversight Chair Jason Chaffetz — is that the FBI has “reopened” the case against Clinton, several reporters did acknowledge on Twitter that this narrative is not true.

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the FBI is NOT reopening their investigation, people. read. just like, read the letter.

— josie duffy rice (@jduffyrice) October 28, 2016 x

1) Based on the actual text of Comey's letter, this looks like a much smaller deal than it will be made out to be.https://t.co/m8eLv5JKiO

— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) October 28, 2016 x

This whole FBI story is a complete nonstory. It's custodial updating and all of this rushing to breathlessly report it is irresponsible.

— Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) October 28, 2016 x

It's bad enough having the media do the "raises questions," substance-free innuendo thing. Worse when the FBI director does it. Disgraceful

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) October 28, 2016 x

What an utterly reckless and irresponsible act by Comey. No context, no recognition of explosiveness of impact. One paragraph. Outrageous

— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) October 28, 2016 x

Not a re-opening of the probe as the @GOP is spinning this https://t.co/EgWVgWuqQu

— Raju Narisetti (@raju) October 28, 2016 x

Comey refused to even tell Congress if FBI was investigating Trump camp for Russia hack, but regular updates on Clinton are apparently A-ok.

— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) October 28, 2016 x

3. What is the purpose of the letter, other than to provoke speculation?

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 28, 2016 x

5. Even though the letter says the FBI hasn't even assessed whether the emails are significant, I don't expect the coverage to reflect that

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 28, 2016 x

For Comey to do this 12 days before the election -- & in light of way email issue has been discussed -- is just head shakingly irresponsible

— Michael Cohen (@speechboy71) October 28, 2016 x

This really does show how the FBI & Comey in particular have allowed their actions to be politicized this election year.

— Michael Cohen (@speechboy71) October 28, 2016 x

I wrote a piece in July on why Comey's public comments about Clinton were such an inappropriate abuse of power. 1/ https://t.co/G8croz4qWZ

— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) October 28, 2016

And from tragedy to farce in record time.

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it has to come to this https://t.co/UlLiYnrxIk

— Sam Stein (@samsteinhp) October 28, 2016