Lynch’s plan to “accept the FBI decision” over Clinton’s emails is probably a smokescreen

Hot air ^ | July 1,2016 | BY JAZZ SHAW

[Hojczyk]

Not only is she not taking her department out of the loop and appointing a special prosecutor, but she’s not 100% accepting the call of the FBI either. There are no “career prosecutors” on James Comey’s team. Those prosecutors all work for Lynch in the Justice Department. From the beginning she’s been saying that it would be those “professionals” who would decide the merits of the case, so this may be nothing other than window dressing to appease the voters outraged by the meeting with Bill Clinton while sticking with business as usual.

But there’s a second possibility as well and I’m just going to toss it out there. It’s been leaked from multiple sources that the FBI investigation is winding down and Comey is close to wrapping this thing up. Very likely the final decision has already been made and he’s just making sure all the I’s are dotted and the T’s crossed before handing over his work.

What are the chances that Lynch doesn’t know what the decision is at this point? In fact, I wouldn’t be terribly shocked if that was part of the conversation she had with Bill Clinton. (Yes… I’m basically saying that they’re lying about the meeting. If you can ever prove me wrong I’ll be happy to apologize.) What if Comey has already decided to pull the rip cord and recommend no formal charges against Hillary Clinton because the firestorm resulting from a call to prosecute would just be too hot for him? Then Lynch and the President are in the clear. She can simply claim that she was leaving it up to Comey all along and the entire unpleasant affair drops down the memory hole.

Conspiracy theory? Sure. But as far as I’m concerned it certainly passes the smell test,

[originalbuckeye]

This whole premise is moot. With Hillary! falling in the polls, she will have a ‘health crisis’ and step down. Then the Dems will ‘scramble’ to find another candidate (Biden) in time to nominate at the convention. And Obama will preemptively pardon her on his way out. Nice and tidy end to the Clinton Crime Family’s influence in the Dem Party.....until Chelsea decides it’s her turn.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Watch what the other side of her mouth is doing....

[Buttons12]

it wasn’t to tell Bill Clinton that his wife was in the clear. Good new doesn’t require all this subterfuge

In matters such as this I come to FR to drink the wisdom, but in this case there are two fountains and both seem appealing. One side says the fix is in, the other is more optimistic.

I don't care for optimism in politics, but your conclusion seems sound. Furthermore, Bill Clinton is Hillary's nuclear option. Extreme, can be messy, but gets the job done. I am inclined to think that if Hillary deployed Bill, she had nothing to lose and she's desperate.

What's confusing about that, though, is why Bill Clinton would approach Lynch when he has the unique stature to approach Obama, a fellow POTUS. Because this can't be up to Lynch or Comey.

But there can be no reason at all for Bill Clinton to have a half hour of chit-chat with Lynch, unless Hillary needs him to do so.

[GOPJ]

Bill Clinton’s white trash. Loretta Lynch is black trash... Comey has NO backbone. Welcome to AMeriKA

[bigbob]

Or maybe this is what she discussed and agreed to with Bill?

[thinden]

makes sense to me, duke.

let’s watch it play out.

[Ransomed]

“This could have been a “heads up” to the Clintons that the AG expects the FBI will recommend prosecution and that the AG will approve their recommendation.

Alternatively, this could have been a direct message to the Clinton’s that Hillary needs to stop the prevarication and agree to an immediate interview.”

I’m having a hard time coming up with any reason for having to meet face to face though and risk having the bad press about it. Why do it that way at all? Maybe so there would be a scandal and then a delay while a neutral party is appointed to make a determination on prosecution or not? But then why not just do that to delay the proceedings without a risky public meeting?

FReegards

[seawolf101]

Loretta Lynch needs to resign. She has no business being attorney general. What a disgrace.

[DAC21]

“First, a special prosecutor should be the last thing we should want at this time. Appointing a special prosecutor would kick this can into 2018. It would take several months for a SP to even find office space and staff. A few more months to review the evidence. You’re talking 2018”

But Trump could run ads for the next four months “Do Americans want to vote for someone whom may be impeached in 18 months?

Of course RAT Senators will go down with the ship and block it in the Senate, that it isn't relevant right now.

[haircutter]

FOX NEWS... just reported there is NO records to be found that Bill Clinton, GOLFED in AZ.

SO...that is just another LIE out of Loretta..maybe we should name her, LLL LYING LORETTA LYNCH...ya think?

[Trump Girl Kit Cat]

Special prosecutor WOULD be destroyed by the DEMS !!!! Reputation absolutely smeared and destroyed who the hell would even take the job!!! REMEMBER Ken Starr this poor SOB was raked over the coals so badly I am surprised he EVER was able to find another job ANYWHERE!!! DEMS are the MOST VILE DISPICABLE bastards they could care less what they do to anyone’s life as long as they win!!!

[nathanbedford]

On balance I believe yours is the more likely scenario.

The meeting was conducted not to clear the way for Loretta Lynch to resign thus immunizing the Obama administration from the failure to indict but to deliver bad news to Clinton and to strike a deal.

I believe the FBI is under extreme pressure not just from the public but from its own foot soldiers to recommend an indictment because the violation of law is so unambiguously clear that no self-respecting law enforcement officer could believe otherwise. There have been several articles to the effect of the FBI rank-and-file will revolt if there is no indictment. If Loretta Lynch arranged this sub Rosa meeting with Clinton to tell him that an indictment could not be avoided, she might have been laying out the terms under which Hillary withdraws from the race and accepts a pardon. The meeting was necessary to get the ascent of Hillary and Bill and to work out the timing.

The timing is important because, if one accepts that Brack Obama despises the Clintons, he is in a position now to remove her from the race and substitute a candidate of his own choosing. He could be motivated not only by dislike of the Clintons but by a belief that she cannot win, given her baggage.

I am not naïve, I don't trust anything coming from any member of this administration, I just simply believe that the consensus and momentum in the rank and file FBI will be difficult to resist and, in any event, Obama is not personally inclined to resist it.

[Cboldt]

I have a question. Does the FBI forward 100% of its investigation files to DOJ when the investigation is concluded?

If the FBI undertakes an investigation, and concludes there is no crime, do they forward their file?

I believe the answer to that is "no". Otherwise the DOJ would be buried under investigation files that they have no interest in.

This idea of shuffling an innocent Hillary file from the FBI to the DOJ is weirdness.

If Comey forwards a file, he has to say that the only time the FBI forwards a file is when the FBI believes there is probable cause that a crime has been committed - and he should also make it clear that the DOJ has prosecutorial disrection, FBI makes no recommendation. It forwards a CONCLUSION. "There is proabable cause a crime was committed." If the FBI does not reach that conclusion, it does not forward the file.

[uncbob]

FOX NEWS... just reported there is NO records to be found that Bill Clinton, GOLFED in AZ.

Is Bubba going to have a presser to explain this ?

All the talk about Lynch but nothing about him being asked to explain

[Cboldt]

-- I believe the FBI is under extreme pressure not just from the public but from its own foot soldiers to recommend an indictment ... --

Maybe it is just semantics, but entertain this for me.

The police and FBI investigate many things. Sometimes the investigation concludes with a finding that there isn't enough evidence, or in fact the target is innocent. Does the investigator forward those files to a prosecutor?

Hell no.

When an investigator forwards a file, that is way of saying "there is probable cause a crime has been committed. Here are the facts." The investigator is done, other than appearing to testify before a GJ or in conjunction with a trial.

In other words, every time an investigator forwards a file, he is recommending an indictment, at least to the extent his competency allows him to make recommendations.

But the law vests all, 100% of the decision to proceed (and how to proceed) with a prosecutor, not the investigator. It is totally out of line for an investigator to "recommend an indictment." There are no "prosecutors in the FBI." Investigation and prosecution are two very separate functions.

[SE Mom]

No matter, your wishful thinking is right up my alley!

[DugwayDuke]

Buttons12 wrote: “What’s confusing about that, though, is why Bill Clinton would approach Lynch when he has the unique stature to approach Obama, a fellow POTUS. Because this can’t be up to Lynch or Comey.”

Sure, he could approach Obama but there would be no possibility of keeping that secret. Nor, would there be any chance of keeping Obama clean. Remember “plausible deniability”? As it stands, Obama can deny everything.

[DugwayDuke]

nathanbedford wrote: “If Loretta Lynch arranged this sub Rosa meeting with Clinton to tell him that an indictment could not be avoided, she might have been laying out the terms under which Hillary withdraws from the race and accepts a pardon. The meeting was necessary to get the ascent of Hillary and Bill and to work out the timing.”

Rather doubt AG would ‘lay out terms’ but do agree she might present the probable outcome of the investigation and tell Clinton when the outcome will be announced. The AG will leave it up to the Clintons on how they should proceed.

Fully expect Clinton to drop out (best interest of the party and the nation, blah, blah, blah.). Fully expect Biden to jump in. Hard to say how that would work out. Could result in complete implosion of democrat party.

[hal ogen]

The attorney general apparently is a criminal liar. Quite a situation, no?

[nathanbedford]

I don't object to your semantical distinction but I believe it is a distinction without much of a practical difference. As I understand it the FBI was going to render a "report" or at least some sort of rendering summarizing its findings. Whether it contains a recommendation for indictment or merely conclusions that the law was broken or merely a recital of facts which reasonably lead to no other conclusion, the effect is the same. That is the effect is the same if rank-and-file of the FBI are exercised about the crimes which we all believe have been committed and find a whitewash intolerable.