The FBI is investigating newly discovered emails sent or received by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to a letter sent Friday to multiple congressional committee heads by FBI Director James Comey.
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"In connection with an unrelated case, the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation," Comey wrote. "I am writing to inform you that the investigative team briefed me on this yesterday, and I agreed that the FBI should take appropriate investigative steps designed to allow investigators to review these emails to determine whether they contain classified information, as well as to assess their importance to our investigation."
Comey did not say how the additional emails came to light or provide more information on the "unrelated case."
Over the summer, Comey called for no charges against Clinton following a months-long investigation by FBI agents digging into Clinton's use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state. She served in that capacity from 2009 to 2013.
Comey noted Clinton and her staff "were extremely careless," in their handling of classified information, but he said there was no "clear evidence" that they intended to break the law.
The issue has been frequently spotlighted by Clinton's detractors in the race for the White House. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has promised to have a special prosecutor investigate Clinton's emails if he wins in November.