[ti:What Are the FBI and Department of Justice?] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]¸ü¶àÌýÁ¦Çë·ÃÎÊ51VOA.COM [00:00.12]The reopening of an FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton's email [00:08.32]has raised questions about whether the action [00:12.76]could influence the U.S. presidential election. [00:18.68]Last week, FBI Director James Comey announced the agency [00:25.48]was reviewing a new set of emails recently discovered. [00:32.72]The emails could be important to an investigation [00:37.48]into Clinton's email practices that was closed earlier this year. [00:45.16]Hillary Clinton is the Democratic candidate for president. [00:50.64]The FBI director reportedly acted on his own [00:56.84]to announce the reopened investigation, [01:01.12]after being warned by officials at the U.S. Department of Justice not to. [01:09.60]The officials reportedly told Comey that informing Congress [01:15.92]about the new material was not in line with department policy. [01:23.00]The incident raises questions about the relationship [01:29.28]between the Justice Department and FBI, [01:33.92]and how the two agencies cooperate. [01:39.64]The FBI generally conducts investigations for the Justice Department, [01:46.48]which is responsible for enforcing the laws and administering justice. [01:55.44]The FBI is an agency based in Washington D.C. [02:00.64]It was started in 1908 by the head of the U.S. Department of Justice [02:08.20]at the time, Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte. [02:13.40]The bureau began as a special investigative force [02:19.36]of the Justice Department with fewer than 35 employees. [02:25.40]Today, it remains one of many agencies [02:30.00]coming under the Department of Justice. [02:33.96]It is also a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community, [02:39.36]a grouping of 16 agencies. [02:43.96]These agencies work separately and together on intelligence activities [02:50.44]related to U.S. foreign relations and national security. [02:58.36]The FBI investigates specific crimes assigned to its agents. [03:05.96]It also provides other law enforcement agencies [03:10.52]with fingerprint identification services, laboratory examinations, and training. [03:18.92]The U.S. president appoints a director for the agency. [03:25.56]Barack Obama appointed James Comey in 2013. [03:31.32]The appointment takes effect if the U.S. Senate confirms it. [03:37.60]FBI directors can serve as long as ten years, but no longer. [03:45.08]The FBI website describes the bureau as "an intelligence-driven [03:52.36]and threat-focused national security organization [03:57.60]with both intelligence and law enforcement responsibilities." [04:03.96]Its mission is to "protect the American people [04:09.00]and uphold the United States Constitution." [04:13.96]The FBI has 56 locations in major U.S. cities, [04:21.36]as well as more than 60 offices around the world. [04:27.64]It employs nearly 35,000 people. [04:32.52]This includes special agents, intelligence experts, language specialists, [04:40.32]scientists and information technology specialists. [04:46.16]An act of Congress created the Department of Justice in 1870. [04:53.40]The Attorney General heads the agency. [04:57.52]At the time, the government faced increasing legal cases [05:02.84]brought against the United States. [05:06.20]The Department of Justice website says [05:10.07]the main goal of the agency is to "enforce the law [05:15.40]and defend the interest of the United States according to the law." [05:21.96]Loretta Lynch currently leads the Justice Department. [05:27.80]She took office in 2015 after President Obama nominated her [05:34.44]and the Senate confirmed the nomination. [05:38.08]FBI Director Comey reports to Lynch. [05:43.33]Comey also has experience at the Department of Justice, [05:48.12]where he served as deputy attorney general from 2003-2005. [05:57.04]I'm Caty Weaver.