Hillary Clinton's former campaign chairman John Podesta on Tuesday tamped down on speculation that the former Democratic presidential nominee may seek another White House bid in 2020, calling the idea "media catnip" and stressing that Clinton "is not running."
"She says she's not running for president," Podesta said on CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront."
He added that the former secretary of State was currently "in Puerto Rico trying to help the people, that Donald Trump has abandoned, through the Clinton Foundation. Trying to bring some relief to the people of Puerto Rico."
"I take her at her word. She's not running for president," he said.
Podesta added that Democrats already "have a lot of great candidates out there right now."
"I think the Democratic primary will be a spirited one with a lot of great ideas coming forward," he said. "I think she would’ve been a great president, but that’s in the past."
"If you're directing a senior official in a campaign, there aren't very many suspects."
John Podesta, whose emails were hacked, and then released by Wikileaks, offers his thoughts on Robert Mueller's investigation, and Roger Stone's indictment.https://t.co/XtRSKomU3d pic.twitter.com/X0HplWYjjm
— OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) January 30, 2019
Podesta's comments come after CNN White House correspondent Jeff Zeleny reported Sunday that Clinton hasn't ruled out making another bid for the White House in 2020.
"I’m told by three people that as recently as this week, she was telling people that look, given all this news from the indictments, particularly the Roger Stone indictment, she talked to several people, saying 'look, I'm not closing the doors to this,'" Zeleny said during a roundtable on CNN's "Inside Politics."
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/427580-podesta-tamps-down-clinton-2020-chatter-shes-not-running
The Department of Justice's (DOJ) top watchdog on Tuesday wrote to Congress on Tuesday acknowledging their requests for an investigation into the handling of a 2007 plea deal involving Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, but noting that the office lacks the authority to look into it.
Bloomberg Law reported that DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz wrote to lawmakers that "important questions" have been raised about Acosta's involvement in a plea deal he struck in 2007 as a U.S. attorney with alleged serial sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“However, the OIG does not currently have jurisdiction over matters involving allegations of misconduct relating to DOJ attorneys’ handling of litigation or legal decisions," Horowitz wrote.
Horowitz indicated he would have the ability to investigated prosecutorial misconduct within the department if the Senate passed legislation amending the inspector general's powers. The bill has already passed in the House, Bloomberg Law reported.
A group of 15 Democratic lawmakers, including 10 representatives from Florida, wrote to Horowitz last month to call for an investigation into Acosta's conduct during his time as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
Acosta's role in the Epstein deal came under fresh scrutiny following a Miami Herald investigation into the case. The story quoted multiple people involved in the 2007 case who accused Acosta of caving to pressure from Epstein's lawyers to cut a preferential plea deal.
Epstein originally faced a 53-page indictment for sex trafficking and related crimes.
The Department of Labor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
https://thehill.com/regulation/administration/427576-doj-watchdog-says-he-lacks-authority-to-investigate-plea-deal