Pence stumps in Bucks, piling on Clinton in the process [photos]

Avi Wolfman-Arent

October 28, 2016

What was expected to be a hum-drum campaign stop turned into a rare moment of political theater Friday, as Republican Vice Presidential nominee Mike Pence visited Bucks County.

The Indiana Governor appeared in Bensalem, Pennsylvania just moments after news broke that the FBI will investigate a new batch of e-mails that could be related to Hillary Clinton’s use of a private server while she was the Secretary of State.

Pence relayed the development to a jubilant crowd.

“I know I speak on behalf of my running mate when I say we commend the FBI for having the courage to re-open this case,” Pence said to the crowd gathered at T.C. Millwork, a manufacturer just northeast of Philadelphia. “Because no one is above the law.”

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Multiple news reports say the FBI discovered the e-mails while conducting a separate investigation into former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of top Clinton aide Huma Abedin. FBI director James Comey said the recently discovered e-mails “appear to be pertinent to the investigation” of Clinton’s private serve. In early July, the FBI had closed that investigation without filing charges against the Democratic nominee.

Pence used the development to attack Clinton’s trustworthiness and set the stage for what the Trump campaign hopes will be a major comeback in the Keystone state. Polls show Clinton with a solid lead in Pennsylvania, in part because of strong support among suburban Philadelphians.

An October poll from Bloomberg had Clinton with a 28-point advantage in the four counties surrounding Philadelphia. The Trump-Pence ticket will likely need to narrow that gap if it has hopes of carrying Pennsylvania on election night.

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