3 competing theories on why the FBI re-opened the Hillary email server investigation

americanthinker.com ^ | 10/28/16 | Thomas Lifson

[ColdOne]

There is no question that re-opening the FBI Investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server is a big deal. The FBI normally avoids acting just before an election in order to avoid charges of political manipulation. NBC reports:

The FBI is reviewing a new batch of Hillary Clinton emails, bureau director James Comey said in a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday.

"In connection with an unrelated case, the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation … I agreed that the FBI should take appropriate investigative steps designed to allow investigators to review these emails to determine whether they contain classified information, as well as to assess their importance to our investigation," he wrote.

The very first thing to note is that Comey made no mention of a grand jury. The emails whose existence he learned of may have been the result of a subpoena in another investigation. If that is the case, further subpoenas are quite possible, a tool that was left unused in the investigation to date.

There are 3 competing theories as to why he might be doing this now that come to mind.

He might be seeking to restore his badly damaged reputation, recognizing that the damage he has inflicted on the FBI is substantial. Three days ago, American Thinker published an open letter from a retired FBI Agent, Hugh

[Buckeye McFrog]

Comey is saying this won’t be wrapped-up before election day.

[Night Hides Not]

My theory is that with the seizure of Carlos Danger’s device in connection with his sexting of an underage girl, and Huma’s filing for divorce, in an effort to save his stink weasel ass, he’s spilling the beans in order to save face and give him leverage in the upcoming divorce..............

That's not bad!

[ladyjane]

No doubt #3 is in play here. Comey isn’t stupid.

But #1 is compelling. Comey has found out that WikiLeaks has the info. Assange just said his next emails are going to result in Hillary being arrested.

Maybe the CIA’s attempt to kidnap Assange last week didn’t go very well or they found out he has the goods on everybody!! LOL

We could also add another possibility: The prayer thread here on FR is working!

[RooRoobird20]

My theories: clear evidence of some kind of obstruction of justice and/or lying under oath/lying to the FBI/lying to Congress AND.....

Obama and Loretta Lynch are trying to toss the Cankled Beast overboard, somehow the POTUS will become entangled. He does not want Cankles soiling his (legend in his own mind) “legacy”

[RooRoobird20]

My theories: clear evidence of some kind of obstruction of justice and/or lying under oath/lying to the FBI/lying to Congress AND.....

Obama and Loretta Lynch are trying to toss the Cankled Beast overboard, somehow the POTUS will become entangled. He does not want Cankles soiling his (legend in his own mind) “legacy”

[vette6387]

“She won’t drop out voluntarily, so this is the Hail Mary pass to get her off the ticket, and replace her with someone more palatable.”

So tell us all, just how do you do that what with all the “early voting” that has already taken place with Hillary as the RAT candidate? Sure, you can replace her (maybe) but you can’t simply decide that all the votes already cast for Hillary automatically enure to the replacement candidate. That’s a major legal question that cannot be answered with out a do over election and I don’t see anything in the cards for that either. And all of it presupposes that Hillary would willingly step aside, which we all know won't happen either.

[evaporation-plus]

How about this? They found incriminating emails on Huma’s device that were deleted on Hillary’s server.

[FirstFlaBn]

The fact that Kaine was caught flatfooted shows Obama made sure NOBODY told the campaign.

Can anyone envision Comey not giving Lynch a heads up and she not giving Obama a heads up before this letter was delivered to congress? Impossible.

It must be damning evidence.

[LongWayHome]

Your theory is excellent. Mr. Danger may have “flipped” to save his sorry azz.

[Ancesthntr]

“The electors can cast their ballot for any candidate on the Democrat ticket.”

---

I’m not sure about that.

But we still come back to that ticket - several states simply won’t allow it. They WON’T be able to replace her. But even if they do, this is SUCH a scandal (and a phenomenol one from the standpoint of ridicule) that even a popular Dem won’t win enough, with her votes, to win.

I really think that it is over...though we all have to get out and vote anyway (I did, yesterday).

[NELSON111]

I just talked to a buddy of mine and I had used the exact words in this article in #3: Avoid a constitutional crisis.

[TexasTransplant]

My Theory

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3485256/posts?q=1&;page=51

Wikileaks releases the entire thing and the FBI has no place to hide.

[cynwoody]

You can’t replace her now - it isn’t possible. Millions have voted around the country, and millions more will do so by Monday or Tuesday. You can’t print that many ballots that quickly.

You don't vote for the president and vice-president. You vote for their electors.

Some states bind their electors to a candidate. So, barring a court challenge, the 'Rat Party would lose those electoral votes, because they would be required to go to the replaced candidate.

Other states' electors would simply vote for Biden or whomever the 'Rats choose as a replacement. Thus, early votes for Clinton would go to her replacement, assuming she wins.

Yet other states do not bind the electors at all. So, if Clinton wins in those, some of her electors could vote for her and others for her replacement. But in practice, they'd all vote for the replacement.

[SteveH]

I was using the term in a more unconventional and less politically allegorical sense.

[Mercat]

#7) Kim Dotcom, the 400 pound hacker, internet billionaire in NZ finally convinced Trump and Dowdy that they could legally get the emails from NSA?

[justlurking]

So tell us all, just how do you do that what with all the “early voting” that has already taken place with Hillary as the RAT candidate?

You don't vote for Hillary or Trump.

You vote for the electors representing your state.

Some states have laws against "faithless electors", but I'll bet they have a "out" for a ticket that no longer exists.

Here's an example from Minnesota:

https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=208.08&year=2008

The invalidation of an elector's vote or abstention on the ballot for president or vice president does not apply if the presidential candidate under whose party's name the elector was chosen has without condition released the elector or has died or become mentally disabled.

This doesn't give an out for withdrawal from the ticket. But, all it takes is a declaration of Clinton's "mental disability".

If they do go down this route, Clinton will be declared unfit or ineligible for office, mentally disabled, or even clinically dead if it's necessary to assign her electoral votes to someone else.

In Democrat states in particular, you can take this to the bank: a judge will make whatever ruling is necessary to award the electoral votes to the Democrat replacement.

[LongWayHome]

You’re right about that.

[kabar]

You nailed it. There are FBI agents who probably threatened to blow the whistle before the election.

[El Cid]

Re: 38

Yup, a powerful letter.

[LS]

#3