FBI Chief James Comey Pivotal Figure for Clinton

While Hillary Clinton is the overwhelming favorite for the Democratic presidential nomination, The Hill notes that a pivotal figure in the 2016 presidential race is FBI Director James Comey, who is continuing the investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server while she served as secretary of state.

After an 11-hour hearing in October by the GOP-created Benghazi Committee, political pundits and leaders on both ends of the spectrum believe that the hearing failed to produce anything newsworthy and in turn, the FBI will have the final say in whether Clinton's actions were unethical or not.

The Hill notes that as FBI Chief Comey has taken over the investigation, both parties will have to accept the verdict because Comey is, in many ways, "untouchable."

Comey, 54, the grandson of a police officer in Yonkers, N.Y., was confirmed as FBI chief by the Senate to a 10-year term in a 93-1 vote this summer and holds a reputation for his "independence and aggressive prosecutions," The Hill reports.

"My folks don't give a rip about politics," said Comey earlier this year when discussing the ongoing email investigation. "We're competent, we're independent and we're honest," he added, which has made both parties confident in an unbiased ruling.

According to The Hill, this is not the first time Comey has dealt with the mishandling of classified information. In 2004, Comey played a large role in investigating Sandy Berger, former President Bill Clinton's national security adviser.

"We take issues of classified information very, very seriously," Comey told reporters at the time, The Hill reports. "It's our lifeblood, those secrets."

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