The letter sent from the Justice Department Monday night promised to "evaluate" whether an investigation into the Clinton Foundation is warranted, not to prosecute Hillary Clinton, according to legal analysis provided to The Washington Post.
Assistant Attorney General Stephen E. Boyd wrote the letter after multiple requests from the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Va., and other members of the panel. It was later obtained by the Post.
"Monday's letter promises nothing more than that senior federal prosecutors within the Justice Department will 'evaluate certain issues raised' by Republicans and 'will make recommendations as to whether any matters not currently under investigation should be opened, whether any matters currently under investigation require further resources, or whether any matters merit the appointment of a Special Counsel,'" wrote Steve Vladeck, University of Texas professor of law and a legal analyst for CNN.
"In a few more (and more pleasant) words, the basic but undeniable gist of the communique is that the Justice Department will look into the matter, period."
Vladeck does note that the "letter is hardly normal," pointing out that Boyd didn't have to "go out of his way" to mention a second special counsel, that the letter was overly long and unclear about how Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has pledged to recuse himself from campaign-related matters, will be involved.
In testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Sessions said, "The Department's Inspector General has an active review of allegations that FBI policies and procedures were not followed last year in a number of these matters you have raised. And we will make such decisions without regard to politics, ideology, or bias," according to CBS News.
When asked by Goodlatte about an investigation into Clinton, Sessions replied that any probe would "be done without political influence and be done correctly and properly."