Comey: Hacker Guccifer never gained access to Clinton server

The hacker who exposed Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonSan Juan mayor endorses Cynthia Nixon in New York gov race Hillary Clinton thanks Ralph Lauren at 50th anniversary show Trump tax law takes center stage in Nevada Senate race MORE’s use of a personal email account never gained access to her private server, FBI Director James Comey testified Thursday.

The hacker “Guccifer,” whose real name is Marcel Lehel Lazar, hacked the email account of longtime Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthal — and claimed he broke into the server Clinton used when she was secretary of State.

But those claims were bogus, Comey told the House Oversight Committee during his testimony on the investigation into Clinton’s use of a personal email server.

“He did not [gain access to Clinton's server], he admitted that was a lie,” Comey said in response to questions from Rep. Blake FarentholdRandolph (Blake) Blake FarentholdAP Analysis: 25 state lawmakers running in 2018 have been accused of sexual misconduct Ex-lawmakers see tough job market with trade groups Republican wins right to replace Farenthold in Congress MORE (R-Texas).

The State Department and Clinton’s campaign have long dismissed Lazar’s claims.

Although the government never publicly linked Lazar to the case, onlookers had speculated that he might be called upon to assist in the FBI’s investigation into Clinton. Comey confirmed on Thursday that he had been interviewed in connection with the probe.

The former taxi driver originally exposed Clinton’s use of a personal email address in 2013, but it was another two years before reports revealed that she used the personal account exclusively throughout her tenure as secretary of State and that it was connected to a private server at her New York home.

Since his extradition to the U.S. from Romania earlier this year, Lazar has made several claims that he was able to sneak into Clinton’s server.

“By running a scan, I found that server ... was completely unsecured,” he told NBC News.

“For me, it was easy,” he added, to Fox News.

Lazar, 44, pleaded guilty in May to hacking and identity theft. He is accused of exposing messages from former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, as well as Blumenthal and ex-Secretary of State Colin Powell.