FBI Director James Comey was reportedly warned against notifying Congress about a batch of newly discovered emails with potential ties to Hillary Clinton's private server.

Before issuing the letter to Congress that sent shock waves through the Clinton campaign Friday, Comey consulted senior Justice Department officials who advised him of the DOJ's position "that we don't comment on an ongoing investigation. And we don't take steps that will be viewed as influencing an election."

"Director Comey understood our position," said one official, who spoke to the Post on the condition of anonymity. "It was conveyed to the FBI, and Comey made an independent decision to alert the Hill. He is operating independently of the Justice Department. And he knows it."

The practice of avoiding any activity that could be perceived as an attempt to influence the results of an election is a long-held Justice Department tradition that, the the New Yorker reported, became an official practice four years ago thanks to a memo from then-Attorney General Eric Holder.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/comey-sent-congress-letter-on-clinton-emails-despite-doj-warning-it-would-breach-policy-180013535.html