Final answer:
The Justice Department's inspector general planned an investigation into former FBI Director James B. Comey's handling of Hillary Clinton's email case, particularly his actions close to the 2016 election. This issue is part of a wider narrative of political scandals affecting public opinion, including the Whitewater and Lewinsky scandals, and has had a significant impact on the political landscape.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Justice Department's inspector general announced on January 12 that an investigation would be opened into the actions of the former FBI Director, James B. Comey, with regards to his handling of the case concerning Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State. The investigation will scrutinize Comey's decision to hold a press conference discussing the case and his later announcement, eleven days before the 2016 presidential election, that he had discovered new information potentially requiring the case to be reopened. The controversy surrounding Hillary Clinton's email practices ties into a broader array of political scandals and investigations throughout the years, including the Whitewater controversy, the Lewinsky scandal, and the Benghazi inquiries. The email case itself, while not yielding definitive evidence of legal wrongdoing, played a significant role in the political discourse surrounding the 2016 election, raising questions about Clinton's trustworthiness and operational security while she served as Secretary of State. The impact of these scandals and investigations has had varying effects on the public's perception of the individuals involved. The Lewinsky scandal, for instance, led to Bill Clinton's impeachment, though he was acquitted by the Senate and concluded his presidency with high approval ratings. The various investigations into Hillary Clinton, particularly the email server controversy, contributed to the political climate of the 2016 election, influencing public opinion and feeding into partisan debates.