Hillary Clinton
Hillary ClintonReuters

The Justice Department on Monday informed lawmakers that it would work closely with the FBI to take “appropriate steps as expeditiously as possible” in the renewed investigation into emails potentially tied to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s private email server.

The three-paragraph, letter written by Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs Peter J. Kadzik and quoted by The Washington Post, said that the department and FBI will “dedicate all necessary resources” to the investigation, but it provided no further details about the contents of the emails or whether they are significant.

On Friday, FBI Director James Comey said his office was pursuing potential new evidence related to Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state.

The latest emails under investigation are related to a separate probe of former congressman Anthony Weiner, who is alleged to have exchanged explicit sexual messages with a 15-year-old girl.

Weiner is the estranged husband of longtime Clinton aide Huma Abedin.

Monday’s short statement on behalf of Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Comey represents an effort by the Justice Department to stabilize and assert control over a politically explosive situation set in motion Friday when Comey notified congressional leaders about the FBI’s renewed probe.

Comey has come under intense criticism for the timing of his announcement and bucking the Justice Department’s guidance not to tell Congress about the development.

Kadzik, in Monday’s statement, was responding to a letter sent Saturday to Lynch and Comey by Democratic Sens. Thomas R. Carper (Del.), Patrick J. Leahy (Vt.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) and Benjamin L. Cardin (Md.) asking that law enforcement authorities provide by Monday more details of the investigative steps being taken by the FBI, the number of emails involved and what is being done to determine how many of the emails are the same as ones already reviewed by the FBI.

The letter was also sent to Reps. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) and John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), according to The Washington Post.