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"If you know my folks ... they don't give a rip about politics," Comey said

Comey said he is getting briefed on the investigation of the former secretary of state's email server

Washington CNN  — 

FBI Director James Comey said Thursday he feels no pressure from the election cycle to announce findings or to move more quickly regarding the probe of Hillary Clinton’s private email server.

“If you know my folks … they don’t give a rip about politics,” Comey said at an off-camera briefing at FBI headquarters Thursday.

Comey said he is getting briefed on the investigation of the former secretary of state’s email server and is confident he has the resources and the right people doing the probe.

He met with House Intelligence Committee members recently, but said he told lawmakers he won’t discuss findings.

RELATED: Hillary Clinton to turn over private email server to Justice Department

In a wide ranging discussion with the media, Comey says he is worried about a surge in murders and other violent crime in cities around the country.

“Something very worrisome is going on,” Comey told reporters.

Comey says no one seems to be able to explain increases of 30% to 50% in murders in a wide variety of cities with little in common.

“I’m very worried about what’s going on with violent crime,” he said, adding it will prompt him to be “thoughtful” about moves to reform the nation’s criminal justice system.

Comey also said he has recently seen a slowing in the increase of fighters trying to travel overseas to join the fight in Syria. But he said more young people and women are joining the fight than they have in the past.