The FBI has announced it will not recommend criminal charges against Hillary Clinton over her use of private email while she was secretary of state.
FBI Director James Comey said "no reasonable prosecutor" would pursue a case but said the likely Democratic presidential nominee was "extremely careless" with classified information.
The decision ends the legal uncertainty that has dogged the Clinton campaign.
Just hours later, she appeared on stage with President Barack Obama.
Neither mentioned the case and Mr Obama offered her an enthusiastic endorsement at a rally in North Carolina - his first appearance with her during the campaign.
He said he believes in Mrs Clinton and there has never been any man or woman more qualified for the presidency.
But Mr Comey was highly critical of Mrs Clinton and her staff.
"There is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information."
The FBI's key findings:
- it is possible that "hostile actors" gained access to Mrs Clinton's email account
- there were more than 100 emails that contained classified information when they were sent or received, contrary to her claim she never sent classified emails
- but there was no evidence she had knowingly shared sensitive material
- she did not delete emails in an effort to conceal them
Although the criminal investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server is drawing to a close, the political fallout could last through the November general election.
The top-line from James Comey's news conference - no recommended indictments - is positive for the presumptive Democratic nominee, but the bureau's findings are sure to sting.
At this point, Donald Trump and the Republicans have a choice. They could attack the FBI for failing to throw the book at Mrs Clinton - as many on the right will be up in arms over this. Or they could hammer the former secretary of state on what Comey did say - using his words to paint her as evasive and reckless.
Do the former, and their message will likely be written off as yet more partisan conspiracy-mongering. Do the latter, and the blows will likely land on target.
In the past Mr Trump has overplayed his hand when presented with a target of opportunity. He was widely criticised for his response to the Orlando attacks and the UK Brexit vote, for instance.
Now he has been handed a golden cudgel, courtesy of the FBI. Will he know how to use it?
The likely Democratic presidential nominee's use of private email has been a talking point in the election, with critics saying Mrs Clinton believes she is above the law.
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump called the decision "very unfair" and said it was proof that they system was rigged.
The Clinton campaign said on Tuesday that they were "glad that this matter is now resolved".
Mrs Clinton said she set up the email address for reasons of convenience, because it was easier to do everything from one device than to have several phones or tablets.
She had previously said she did not knowingly send any classified material from her account.
But investigators found that a number of messages that were marked classified at the time were sent from her account.
The FBI ended its investigation after agents interviewed Mrs Clinton for more than three hours over the weekend about her email habits.
The Department of Justice will ultimately decide whether to press charges, but Attorney General Loretta Lynch has said she would follow the FBI's recommendation.
Mrs Clinton's campaign says it showed that her practices were consistent with those of other secretaries of state who "also used personal email" and she was "not unique" in doing it.
However, she has apologised for using the private email system, calling it "a mistake".
"As I look back at it now, even though it was allowed, I should have used two accounts... I'm sorry about that. I take responsibility," she said.
What the media is saying
- The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza writes that despite the lack of indictment,Mr Comey's comments were "devastating"
- Betsy Woodruff of The Daily Beast wrote "it's now clear that a host of arguments she's made to defend herself are not based in fact".
- Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo wrote that the lack of indictment was "predictable, indeed almost inevitable, based on the facts that were publicly known about the case".
- Benjamin Wittes of the Lawfare Blog wrote that this "will be a politically damaging finding—as well it should be".
- In Politico Gabriel Debenedetti wrote that Clinton supporters think that "with no indictment, this remains a political, not legal, headache".
culled from BBC NEWS
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