Retracted

'FBI reopens Clinton email investigation' headlines walked back

Within minutes of James Comey's letter to Congress 11 days before the election, outlets reported that the FBI had reopened its investigation of Clinton's private email server, echoing Rep. Jason Chaffetz's tweet.

First reported Oct 28, 2016 · CNN, Politico, The Washington Post, AP/PBS

Screenshot of the original report as published — Screenshot of the report as published: cnn.com (archived copy, Wayback Machine). Tap to open the source.

Who it helped: Republicans

The overstated headlines served the Trump campaign's closing message on Clinton's emails.

What was reported

What actually happened

Comey's letter did not say the case was reopened; it said agents would review newly found emails to see whether they were relevant or classified, and the investigation had never been formally closed. Several outlets softened their headlines to say the FBI was reviewing new emails or taking investigative steps. On November 6 Comey told Congress the review had not changed the FBI's conclusion that no charges were warranted.

The proof

The text of Comey's October 28 letter, the outlets' changed headlines, and Comey's November 6 letter closing the review with no change.

The receipt. Copy this and paste it anywhere:

'FBI reopens Clinton email investigation' headlines walked back — Retracted. The text of Comey's October 28 letter, the outlets' changed headlines, and Comey's November 6 letter closing the review with no change. Full file: https://www.thepropagandafiles.com/case/fbi-reopens-clinton-email-probe-headlines/

Original reporting

CNN: FBI reviewing new emails in Clinton probe (body said 'reopening')http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/28/politics/fbi-reviewing-new-emails-in-clinton-probe-director-tells-senate-judiciary-committee/index.html
PBS NewsHour/AP (URL slug still reads 'fbi-reopens-investigation')https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fbi-reopens-investigation-clintons-private-email-server

Corrections, findings & records

Media Matters: Outlets oversell, then walk back, FBI email headlineshttps://www.mediamatters.org/washington-post/media-outlets-oversell-then-walk-back-headlines-fbis-clinton-email-announcement
Lawfare: Memo to the press on what Comey's letter does and doesn't meanhttps://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/memo-press-what-comeys-letter-does-and-doesnt-mean
Snopes: FBI says Clinton email review changes nothinghttps://www.snopes.com/2016/11/07/fbi-says-clinton-e-mail-investigation-over/

Archived copies

Stories get edited after publication. These open the Internet Archive's earliest saved copy of each original.

Archived copy: CNN: FBI reviewing new emails in Clinton probe (body said 'reopening')https://web.archive.org/web/2/http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/28/politics/fbi-reviewing-new-emails-in-clinton-probe-director-tells-senate-judiciary-committee/index.html
Archived copy: PBS NewsHour/AP (URL slug still reads 'fbi-reopens-investigation')https://web.archive.org/web/2/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fbi-reopens-investigation-clintons-private-email-server