Posted on 07/05/2016 4:50:42 PM PDT by Kaslin
I may be alone in saying this, but when the proverbial dust settles, James Comey may have hurt Hillary Clinton more than he helped her in his statement Tuesday concerning the Grand Email Controversy. He may have let her off the hook legally, but personally he has left the putative Democratic candidate scarred almost beyond recognition.
By getting out in front of the Justice Department, the FBI director, speaking publicly in an admittedly unusual fashion, was able to frame the case in a manner that Attorney General Loretta Lynch in all probability never would have.
Read this portion of Comey's transcript and ask yourself how this person (Clinton) could ever serve successfully as president of the United States:
Although there is evidence of potential violations of the statutes regarding the handling of classified information, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case. Prosecutors necessarily weigh a number of factors before bringing charges. There are obvious considerations, like the strength of the evidence, especially regarding intent. Responsible decisions also consider the context of a person’s actions, and how similar situations have been handled in the past.
In looking back at our investigations into mishandling or removal of classified information, we cannot find a case that would support bringing criminal charges on these facts. All the cases prosecuted involved some combination of: clearly intentional and willful mishandling of classified information; or vast quantities of materials exposed in such a way as to support an inference of intentional misconduct; or indications of disloyalty to the United States; or efforts to obstruct justice. We do not see those things here.
To be clear, this is not to suggest that in similar circumstances, a person who engaged in this activity would face no consequences. To the contrary, those individuals are often subject to security or administrative sanctions. But that is not what we are deciding now.
Look at that last paragraph again, because, if the Republicans have any brains at all, they will be quoting it ad infinitum. "To the contrary, those individuals are often subject to security or administrative sanctions." What Comey is clearly saying (and leaving for us to "decide now") is that--whether you agree with his decision not to indict or no (I don't)—in a normal, real-world situation Clinton would face consequences, quite probably be demoted or even fired, certainly not promoted to the presidency of the United States, for what she did.
Which brings me back to why Comey made this speech.
Yes, I suppose he owed it to the public, as he indicated. But I wonder if the greater motivation was fear that Clinton would be completely exonerated, that she would skate away free once he passed the FBI decision on to the Justice Department. It's hard to imagine Lynch speaking in public about how Clinton and her aides were "extremely careless" about national security, obvious though that was, or the high probability that the Clinton's server, not to mention her cell phone (!), was hacked by foreign powers. There were also several new revelations, such as the surprising fact that there were actually multiple personal servers, not just one. This was prevarication of a high and deliberate order. (Remember how Hillary claimed Powell and Rice did the same thing? What complete and utter horse hockey.) And that her lawyers never actually read her emails before deleting them, relying on the subject lines (how to keep yourself out of trouble).
The proximity of Comey's statement to the Bill Clinton/Loretta Lynch meeting on Lynch's plane should also be noted and is potential grist for the mill for historians in the years to come.
My purpose here is not to exonerate Comey. In all probability he was a more than a bit of a coward, looking for a way out. But that way out may prove to have powerful ramifications. A Hillary indictment, in all likelihood, would have meant a new and more scandal-free Democratic candidate, a Joe Biden perhaps, far more potent than the seriously wounded Clinton who now has even more explaining to do. It's an endless case of be-careful-what-you-wish-for. And if we are to believe Judicial Watch (and I do), it's only just begun:
FBI Director James Comey detailed Hillary Clinton’s massive destruction of government records and grossly negligent handling of classified information. Frankly, there’s a disconnect between Comey’s devastating findings and his weak recommendation not to prosecute Hillary Clinton. Federal prosecutors, independent of politics, need to consider whether to pursue the potential violations of law confirmed by the FBI.
She’s very very seriously damaged goods, on a number of grounds
including the simple fact that every time she opens her mouth, people like her less and less
which explains her amazing degree of isolation away from most contact with the American people
I now think more than ever that the D party bosses will find someone else to nominate. They do NOT want to be dragged down the Hillary drain pipe
I think that Comey knew that even a strong indictment would still leave her as the Democrat Candidate with Obama ready to give her a Presidential Pardon no matter what happens in November. He laid out her sins and crimes and that gives Trump a full magazine for attacks. I think Comey knew that this was the best way to get real justice - a public airing of Clinton’s very dirty laundry.
PS: the Clinton Foundation is still ongoing. That is real malfeasance!
If by "eerily," you mean "stupidly."
Billy “accidentally” meets with Lynch.
Hillary goes for talk with FBI.
Obama gets behind her and they fly to NC before Comey(diant) makes his “speech”.
Who new?
As it is, her suffering NO penalty for what Comey ADMITTED were wrongdoings is raising this uproar that she is above the law. This is going to hurt her. People are tired of this crap.
I’m not buying it. The bottom line most Americans will glean from Comey’s comments is that Hillary was sloppy in her email but did not intentionally do anything wrong. BS
Comey omitted the fact that Hillary went to a LOT of trouble to intentionally set up servers so she could hide her communications from the government. What is also left out is WHY did Hillary go to all this trouble?
The email crimes were committed to cover up more serious crimes.
No.
Comey SUCKS is CORRUPT, a TRAITOR and a COWARD.
Then she’s both destroyed and elected president. America died today.
Sounds like the same old BS, when we were told that John Roberts had killed Obama Care with his court’s decision on Obama Care.
I suspect he did, but he didn’t do it intentionally, or knowingly.
Most people don’t like Hillary but were under the impression that she was competent. And now we have the head of the FBI calling her out for “reckless” behavior handling classified information.
It’s now obvious that Hillary is too dumb to manage her own e-mails.
She missed calls with foreign ministries because e-mails went to her private server span folder, she sent and received classified information without knowing about it, etc.
Hillary is not fit to be president. She is a threat to national security. Her major argument against Trump is gone.
You had better hope he did destroy her. Because if he didn’t, when she becomes president she becomes the law. Her word becomes law then, and she will rule this country just as the Kings of the middle ages ruled their countries. There will be nothing to bind her, stop her or control her if she wins.
You know that’s not going to happen, it’s a rigged system. Vote for the only person who knows it.
Hillary Clinton could murder a bunch of kids on a school bus and the media and the FBI would cover for her..its what the Clintons do, they have always gotten away with murder so of course she would get away with this..here you have a former President who has a 30 minute conversation IN PRIVATE with the Attorney General, tell me ANYWHERE ELSE where that can happen without that person being charged with interfering with an investigation..of course the fix is in the fix was ALWAYS IN
She does need to be kicked out, but the Clinton media would defend her even if she would commit the greatest crime imaginable
Here’s my take. When Slick Willie met with Lard A$$ Lynch he guaranteed her to continue as AG under Benghazi Clinton. This satisfies His Arrogance’s requirement to prevent Benghazi and Slick Willie from doing payback after he leaves office.
Slick Willie also delivered extortion materials to LA to use against the “non political career Asst AGs” (pedophile, closet queers, etc.) and photos of Comey’s family and children indicating that Arkicide accidents continue to happen.
That’s my take although initially I thought LA would go with a special prosecutor but this way is even slicker and quicker.
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