Saturday, October 29, 2016

FBI Director Comey Clinton Email Blunder: He Broke DOJ Rules and Procedures — Not Logical

Under Fire Again and Again and Again and Again 
and Now Again While in the Homestretch

 I Swear This Time I Will Nail Her Ass
(My fellow Republicans: You can thank me for this gift later off camera)


This just today from CNN which clearly shows the nastiness of this campaign and the latest GOP and now FBI stunts to impact and throw this election to the GOP in total:

Washington (CNN):  Vulnerable down-ballot Republican candidates seized on the news that the FBI was reviewing new emails tied to the investigation of Hillary Clinton's use of a private server, arguing the GOP must remain in charge of Congress so they can keep check on a potential Clinton presidency some like this sample from a key GOPer who said:

“This decision shows exactly why we need strong watchdogs in Congress to ensure thorough oversight of the executive branch.” (Veteran Republican Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) who has been one of President Obama and Clinton's most spirited investigators over the years, and who is in an unexpectedly tough re-election battle). 

Issa has vowed that if re-elected “I would ensure the FBI completes its investigation thoroughly and impartially this time around.”

NOW, THIS UPDATE from the Washington Post, in part: (My emphasis and the 12 key points are in red and below. They are what I consider the most critical and pertinent to this unfolding mess.

WaPo lead-in:

“There is a lot of new reporting out there this morning about the letter that FBI director James Comey sent to Members of Congress, notifying them about newly discovered emails that may be pertinent to the FBI’s previous investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server. Those emails reportedly could number in the thousands and were discovered on a laptop used jointly by former Congressman Anthony Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, a top aide to Clinton, and were discovered in the course of an unrelated probe into Weiner’s sexting. Unfortunately, the latest reporting is often contradictory and confusing.”  

Now my 12-point summary from my point of view and all I have read and heard:

1.  Senior DOJ officials warned the FBI that Director James B. Comey’s decision to notify Congress about renewing the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server was not consistent with long-standing practices of the department.

2.  Those officials told him (Director Comey) the department’s position is that “we don’t comment on an ongoing investigation. And we don’t take steps that will be viewed as influencing an election.”

3.  Director Comey understood our position. He heard it from Justice Leadership. It was conveyed to the FBI, and Director Comey made an independent decision to alert the Hill (GOP committee chairs). He is operating independently of the Justice Department. And he knows it.

4.  Director Comey cited two reasons for his decision: (1) a sense of obligation to lawmakers and (2) a concern that word of the new email discovery would leak to the media and raise questions of a cover-up.

5.  An unnamed official told the Associated Press that the new emails did not come from Mrs. Clinton's private server.

6.  The news of all this prompted a gleeful response from Donald Trump, who told his supporters the development is “bigger than Watergate.” (I note: No, it is not – there is no presidential abuse of power like Nixon used).

7.  Hillary Clinton has demanded full disclosure and a reason why only the GOP was notified and not her side of all this “new” stuff.

8.  Director Comey didn't actually provide any information to the public - all he said is that they're reviewing something new. So, now the voters are left to look at this, and they don't know what to make of this – they have no idea what it is they're looking at.

9.  This situation has created one in which Republicans can hurl innuendo after insult and speculation without any basis of fact – and there's no way for Hillary Clinton to defend herself with all this secrecy that probably as many believe also, there is nothing new in those new or possibly copies of old emails … simply stated: we do not know and Director Comey has tainted this whole election process and possibly handed Trump the White House in false claims and hype and conspiracy after conspiracy.

10.  Officials familiar with Comey’s thinking said the director on Thursday faced a quandary over how to proceed once the emails, which number more than 1,000 and may duplicate some of those already reviewed, were brought to his attention.

11.  Comey had just been briefed by a team of investigators who were seeking access to the emails. The director knew he had to move quickly because the information could leak out.

12. Summary of those 12 Key Points (in my view): In July, Comey had testified under oath before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that the FBI was finished investigating the Clinton email matter and that there would be no criminal charges. Comey was then asked at the hearing whether he would review any new information the FBI came across – the question was this: “Would you reopen the Clinton investigation if you discovered new information that was both relevant and substantial,” asked Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX).

Director Comey said then which I believe is the most- critical right now: “It’s hard for me to answer in the abstract. We would certainly look at any new and substantial information.”

This last part is critical and the public has a compelling immediate right to know now and not see it drip, drip, drip until the eve of November 8th

Finally, I add: All this happening now is sad, very, very sad and overall, it is extremely and perhaps forever the end of American democracy that we all say we love and cherish it. Why? Quite simply, right now, we just do not know, and that’s is the problem. At this juncture, this is unheard of in American election history – and it stinks.

Thanks for stopping. Is it over yet? Boy I hope so, but not the election part. Stay tuned. Next week will be the worst in our history I am afraid, and regretfully so.


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