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.
Nope
Its all up to Trump now.
If there was going to some wimpish sympathy nonsense, it’s gone now.
The people who vote for Hillary don’t care about nuance. They are bragging about how she has been found innocent and now we can “move on” and get back to the issues that matter, like climate change, the war on women, homophobia, islamophobia, racism against mexicans and blacks, and the millions of people killed by white men with assault rifles EVERY SINGLE DAY!.
Donglalinger, you appear to be on a mission. Stop being such a Tokyo Rose. What is your game?
Comey destroyed himself. Resign! Go!
It sure is.
Oh, Please! The ‘Rats and LSM will use this to move on and never look back. Just like all of H->!’s previous transgressions.
Comey is a duplicitous rat. He knows about 18 USC 1924. He is deliberately avoiding that.
Food for thought. Bookmarked.
We have to outvote them..Election fraud and all....
Bullhockey. I can't see anything good out of this. She needs to be kicked out of the political arena now and for all time and for just once, be held accountable for all her lies and deceit.
The people who will vote for Hillary Rotten Clinton, aree the same ones who voted for that arrogant pos occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Count on it.
Mr. Comey took an oath to "protect, preserve, and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, and protect her against all enemies, foreign and domestic." He has spat upon that oath, and I hereby publicly declare him to be an oath-breaker, and a nithing, a less than human creature totally without honor, or integrity...
the infowarrior
Eerily familiar to the arguments that were made about Justice Roberts Obamacare decision.
No . He has guaranteed that she wins in a landslide .
“..Its all up to Trump now...”
Yes it is. Comey committed high hypocrisy by eloquently stating the contents of what should have been the description of her indictment, then state she was not going to be indicted. Just wreaks of Obama, Billary, and their puppet DOJ.
The people need to get behind Trump in a big way. He is all we have, along with a horribly corrupt and criminal justice system.
All this analysis is interesting to political junkies. However, elections are won and lost based on how the truly stupid 10% wake up feeling on election day.
Comey’s decision keeps that 10% available to Hitlery. They won’t be dissecting the nuances of his statement or mulling over breaches of national security.
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