Princeton economics and international affairs professor Paul Krugman listens during his introduction as the 2008 Nobel prize winner in economics at a new conference on the campus of Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey.
"It's bad enough having the media do the 'raises questions,' substance-free innuendo thing. Worse when the FBI director does it. Disgraceful," Krugman, a Clinton supporter, wrote on Twitter. "Comey needs to provide full info immediately. Otherwise he has clearly made a partisan intervention, betraying his office."
James Comey, the FBI director, wrote in a letter to congressional leaders on Friday that investigators had learned of "the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation" that compelled agents to continue their probe, which ended in July with no charges recommended against Clinton.
"The FBI cannot assess whether or not this material may be significant," Comey wrote, adding, "I cannot predict how long it will take us to complete this additional work."
Krugman condemned how Comey handled the entire ordeal, calling his behavior "inexcusable" and "grotesque."
He added that "so far this is a story about Comey and his behavior. We know nothing at all about what if anything this has to do with HRC."
View some of his tweets below:
Comey probably not trying to elect Trump. But is he trying to help R senators? If he just leaves this hanging, that will be best guess
If we don't hear more from Comey, we just have to conclude that he was trying to swing election. And *that* should be the story.
- Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) October 28, 2016
Journalist Twitter is full of shock at FBI behavior here. That same shock should make it into news reports; not doing so misleads public
- Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) October 28, 2016
No, Comey needs to realize that he can't be cute. This is the second time he has put a finger on the scales without charges. Not OK. https://t.co/qLjPZqE0dA
- Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) October 28, 2016NBC's Pete Williams reported that the renewed investigation has nothing to do with any emails that Clinton or her campaign may have withheld during the investigation, to which Krugman replied that the announcement has done "measurable damage" to the Clinton campaign anyway.
"Which was predictable," he added. "Comey behavior inexcusable."
"If Pete Williams is right, this is probably nothing important. Yet here we are, with a potentially huge political impact," Krugman continued.
So does it even have anything to do with HRC? Will we even find out before 11/8? But all the public hears is "emails/Clinton/FBI" Grotesque. https://t.co/uxnUDkmNTT
So this may be a nothing burger -- that could swing the election, for the Senate if not the WH. Great work, FBI. https://t.co/9j8AAE96qC
- Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) October 28, 2016Many on Twitter have condemned the FBI's handling of the announcement that it would reopen the investigation.
"I have zero faith that anyone will handle this responsibly," former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau wrote. "It's insane. He [Comey] at least owes the country a press briefing - anything more than a vague letter."
"Director Comey should give a more complete explanation. Is this reviewing newly found emails? Is this reopening? Too much at stake," wrote John Weaver, the former campaign strategist for Gov. John Kasich of Ohio.
The Clinton campaign has not yet commented on the FBI announcement.