Kankles could have the smoking gun in her hand and it won’t make any difference. Nothing will happen to her. Someone else will take the fall.
The real question is whether a pardon would have to be made public in order to take effect. I know, I know, there’s probably some “law” that requires a pardon to be published in the Federal Register, but that minor inconvenience could be easily overcome.
If Miss Hillary gets a private pardon, the current rumblings will quiet down. The only question then would be whether there are any principled resignations. Color me dubious.
AG Lynch surely got Comey to assign young and mid-career FBI agents to the “investigation.” Couldn’t risk having any agent nearing retirement with nothing to lose by leaking. A career in civil service is like the mafia’s omerta - you’re in for life.