FBI agents knew of Clinton-related emails weeks before director was briefed

Chicago Tribune ^

[TigerClaws]

The FBI agents investigating Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server knew early this month that messages recovered in a separate probe might be germane to their case, but they waited weeks before briefing the FBI director, according to people familiar with the case.

FBI Director James B. Comey has written that he was informed of the development Thursday, and he sent a letter to legislators the next day letting them know that he thought the team should take "appropriate investigative steps designed to allow investigators to review these emails."

[Roccus]

Sounds like Comey’s own staff knew not to give him this info too early.

Or perhaps his staff was trying to hold it until after the election but NYPD said, "Release it or WE will."

This is the problem when we have an opaque government. We NEVER know what is truth.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“FBI agents knew of Clinton-related emails weeks before director was briefed”

Well, Hillary knew before she got on the plane to Iowa or the Wi-Fi wouldn’t have been mysteriously out and the MSM wouldn’t have started the “transparency narrative” before she answered the first question about it.

Seems that has been missed in the media.

[SE Mom]

They WAITED???

[GLDNGUN]

This information is quite telling. It shows maybe they didn't trust Comey, but they have also given Comey "cover". You can't tell me they had those emails for weeks and didn't get a very good look at them. If they had decided to alert Comey before looking at them closely themselves, it makes no sense to wait for weeks to do so. If the agents simply wanted to force Comey's hand I dont see how waiting helps. The sooner they alert Comey, the more time they have to convince him to do the right thing. Waiting this late is not a good strategy move. Comey could just say "Look guys, it's too late, you had this weeks ago. I'm not doing anything with this at the last minute and possibly mess with the election when those emails might be nothing more than recipes!"

If they give Comey a month to look at it, he's more likely to do so quietly IF he has any integrity. And if he ignores it, then the agents could threaten to go rogue.

The more likely scenario is that the agents decided to do their own snooping without a warrant, and THEN alert Comey if they find something big. With thousands of emails to go through, and trying to look busy with other investigations, it took them awhile to find a smoking gun or enough of something to be significant.

Now that they have found something they get it to Comey ASAP. Comey knows it is big, and he knows they know, so there is no burying it. If it wasn't that big, Comey would just say it is not big enough to bring up before the election. As Carl Bernstein said, it has to be a bombshell; however, Comey has to claim ignorance as to what is there, and that is where the agents have provided him cover. Now, Comey can go by the book, get a warrant, and then "find" the bombshell.

We are focused on how this effects the election, but the FBI investigators are focused on building a criminal case, and the last thing they want to happen is have their most important evidence thrown out due to an "illegal" search.

[Roccus]

Or perhaps his staff was trying to hold it until after the election but NYPD said, "Release it or WE will."

Not so far-fetched when you consider that McCabe was involved in keeping it quiet.

[myerson]

Earlier reports said that the emails in question were discovered on the Weiner/Huma computer in a file marked “insurance” (as in this is a CYA file to use in case Hillary turns on us). Has there been anymore verification of that report?

[GLDNGUN]

Not that I know of. Dubious source or maybe a joke that was taken seriously.

[angcat]

What would bombshell be?

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

Yeap I think you are right. This is also how Trump knew back about a month ago and voiced it in a campaign stop.

[MayflowerMadam]

Or maybe the NYPD went to Giuliani, figuring that nobody at the Federal level could be trusted. I think the NYPD and “America’s Mayor” are still tight after 9/11/01 bonding. They knew they could trust him.

[GLDNGUN]

What would bombshell be?

Oh, maybe 30,000 emails thought to be previously deleted and bleached.

[Tom Bombadil]

Did she take the fifth or did she basically tell them to stuff it you know where? I guess you could call that the same thing.

You may be right about Comey, although I fail to see how his action could be called a misdirection unless you hold that it puts Clinton inc. at less risk. I think the whole thing is ha ha funny because she gets the short end of the stick no matter what happens.