August 6, 2015

The FBI's investigation of Hillary's email is "definitely a criminal probe," "I’m not sure why they’re not calling it a criminal probe."

An unnamed source tells The NY Post.
“The DOJ [Department of Justice] and FBI can conduct civil investigations in very limited circumstances,” but that’s not what this is, the source stressed. “In this case, a security violation would lead to criminal charges. Maybe DOJ is trying to protect her campaign.”

55 comments:

Quaestor said...

Maybe DOJ is trying to protect her campaign.

Maybe?

PB said...

So many crimes so little time.

Bobber Fleck said...

The easy thing for the FBI to do would have been to ignore this situation, just like they ignore so many others. So have they become involved to take Hillary down? Or are they involved to vindicate her?

Mark said...

Meanwhile yesterday it comes out Walker really was the target of the John Doe 1, despite years of insisting he wasnt.

Let's play squirrel and point at Hillary instead.

Brando said...

I don't care what they call it, so long as it's fully investigated. People go to jail for stuff like this, and the idea of covering up for a highly connected person is sickening.

This country cannot afford putting such a louse in charge. Only her chronic incompetence can serve as a buffer for her corruption.

Curious George said...

"Mark said...
Meanwhile yesterday it comes out Walker really was the target of the John Doe 1, despite years of insisting he wasnt.

Let's play squirrel and point at Hillary instead."

LOL Seriously? You thought about that and then typed it? You thought that a four year old closed probe that found no wrongdoing despite millions of dollars and thousands of manhours spent is more damning to Walker than Hillary's known abuse of federal law and her known lies to cover it up?

Really?

You are a special kind of stupid.

Jimmy said...

The stink of corruption is becoming so vile, that even the media might notice. don't bet on it.
obama will do anything he can to bring down the clintons. using federal agencies as his personal attack dogs has become common place now; no one even notices.
In the best tradition of third world dictatorships, the media spins it, whether its obama use of the doj, epa, irs- or clintons use of the dept of state as a personal slush fund.
meanwhile, the media is more interested in throwing a towel over the rotting corpse of the republic. and covering more 'important' stories like lions killed or gay marriage or who uses what bathroom.

MikeR said...

"Meanwhile yesterday it comes out Walker really was the target of the John Doe 1, despite years of insisting he wasnt." Fascinating. Does it matter that he was innocent, and Clinton seems to be guilty?

Michael K said...

"The stink of corruption is becoming so vile, " that Trump could even get elected. I doubt it but there is a lot of anger in the country at the ruling class. That applies to both sides as we see with Bernie.

Annie said...

Walker has enemies galore throughout Wisconsin state politics/government, whereas the Clintons have many a war room hack and crony throughout the federal government and media.

And they still found nothing on Walker.

Regarding Clinton, if it were anyone else, the FBI would have raided them long ago and the media would have been 24/7.

Brando said...

"Meanwhile yesterday it comes out Walker really was the target of the John Doe 1, despite years of insisting he wasnt.

Let's play squirrel and point at Hillary instead."

Ah, one of the Clintonites' usual tactics--"everyone else is doing it". I'm sure if Rick Perry was doing better in the polls you'd be talking about how he was indicted and that this means "everyone is corrupt" nevermind that Perry's indictment is laughable as most liberal pundits admit.

Here's the thing though--the Clintons are uniquely corrupt on levels none of these guys could even dream to be. And they absolutely count on defenders like you to help muddy the waters just enough for them to get whatever they want. Don't worry, though, they'll spit you out the minute you're no longer useful to them. It's their way.

Tank said...

Why doesn't the FBI have a warrant to seize Clinton's server, that of Hum, that of Blumenthal, etc? Why is that evidence still out there where it can be further corrupted?

Bobber Fleck said...

Curious George said:

"Mark... You are a special kind of stupid."

Actually, there is nothing special about that kind of stupid. It is quite common and reflects a cultivated disregard for the truth.

During a political discussion one of my liberal friends once said: "I'm not seeking truth, I'm seeking advantage."

rehajm said...

Meanwhile yesterday it comes out Walker really was the target of the John Doe 1, despite years of insisting he wasnt.

Isn't one of the requirements of these investigations that you dont admit you're being investigated?

Original Mike said...

"Meanwhile yesterday it comes out Walker really was the target of the John Doe 1, despite years of insisting he wasnt."

And when they couldn't find anything to bring down their political enemy they open John Doe 2 and try it all over again. And you're a cheerleader of their venality.

Mark said...

George,who is so repressed he has not gone last schoolyard taunts.

Poor guy, never had a good sex life.

Original Mike said...

"Why doesn't the FBI have a warrant to seize Clinton's server, that of Hum, that of Blumenthal, etc? Why is that evidence still out there where it can be further corrupted?"

Good question, though by this point I can't imagine Clinton's server hasn't been wiped clean. Or it's at the bottom of the Hudson.

Scott said...

This isn't about whether or not Hillary Clinton committed felonies. It's all about whether the Department of Justice is so corrupt that it won't prosecute her.

Sebastian said...

"obama will do anything he can to bring down the clintons. using federal agencies as his personal attack dogs"

This is why Hillary! went to a private server in the first place. She calculated that getting around the Chicago thugs' control was more important than the grief she'd have to deal with if found out. She may have miscalculated, but it was a rational move. From her personal political standpoint, of course -- the country's interest played no part, nor does it for O.

Curious George said...

"Mark said...
George,who is so repressed he has not gone last schoolyard taunts.

Poor guy, never had a good sex life."

Stupid and creepy.

Matt Sablan said...

This is good.

If I were this careless with classified/secret/what-have-you data, I'd be out of a job if not in jail.

Matt Sablan said...

"Isn't one of the requirements of these investigations that you dont admit you're being investigated?"

-- Did they even KNOW that they were a target? With how corrupt the process was, this is actually a fair question to ask.

Bay Area Guy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hagar said...

I don't think I have ever seen it pointed out that there was no point in the Clintons having a private server for their inner circle to communicate on, if all they expected to communicate about was legitimate State dept. business - classified or not.

Sammy Finkelman said...

The source is probably deliberately misinforming the New York Post, trying to get it to make a mistake.

The FBI, for historical, legal and political reasons is in charge of counter-intelligence, which is often not a crininal investigation, and this ia counter-intelligence investigation, at this stage.

This is reminiscent of the New York Post's Christopher Ruddy was being consistently misinformed about aspects of the Vincent Foster case starting on late January, 1994.

The stories would be rebutted in the New York Daily News.

It culminated with a long story by Mike McAlary publishd on March 14, 1994, which has somehow gone into the memory hole (it reported Fiske's conclusion before he offiially made it, and has some other errors, I think, that were not consistent woth the final version.)

Sammy Finkelman said...

Hagar said... 8/6/15, 8:50 AM

I don't think I have ever seen it pointed out that there was no point in the Clintons having a private server for their inner circle to communicate on, if all they expected to communicate about was legitimate State dept. business - classified or not.

She admits it was other stuff.

The problem that caused her to use only a private server was this:

Some things that Hillary Clinton planned to do were illegal or unethical, and if she had used a State Department e-mail address, something incriminating might have bene left in government records by mistake.

Or somebody might have sent soemthing to her that looked very bad.

Even if Bill Clinton could trust Hillary to be careful, which he couldn't, of course, some people they were dealing with might not be.

Also, this arrangement let her maintain secrets from everybody else in the government, like her arrangement with Sidney Blumenthal/Tyler Drumheller.

Sammy Finkelman said...

The FBI isn't nterested in the Clintonemail server. They are interested in how e-mail was handled and whetehr it might have been intercepted, and what kind of security lawyer David Kendall has for the thumb drive.

The security was probably very good.

With the kind of cases Williams and Connally handles, their security has to be good.

Sammy Finkelman said...

@ Bobber Fleck

The FBI is doing the minimum, they logically can.

And remember, not everybody in the government in loyal to Bill or Hillary Clinton.

traditionalguy said...

But if Obama's gang wants Hillary and Bill's power to wither away, then it will be a semi hidden criminal probe that drips out and drips out slowly like death by a thousand cuts.

What will CNN do reporting it as a serious matter or not? That is the sign to watch for.

Hagar said...

The FBI is going to do what they think is good for the FBI, and they are not going to war with either the White House or Clinton Inc. unless the White House or the Clintons attack them first.

Brando said...

I don't think Obama or his loyalists are really doing anything to stifle a probe on this--mainly because why would they stick their neck out? If the lower-level investigators who want to pursue this are told "sit on it" by political appointee higher ups, it's likely to leak and blow back on the president. And for what--to protect his former rival who has done nothing but try to undercut him at State and defied his orders about using government servers? She's created this mess which can only give headaches to Obama, and he's at best lukewarm about her candidacy. And frankly, if there's something meaty here, there's a good chance it'll come out in the next 12 months--that's a big risk for the Democrats to take when torpedoing Hillary now would at least give them the chance to find another nominee (such as Biden, or at least someone else who might be loyal to Obama).

If I'm Obama, I'd see any evidence of criminal liability on Hillary's part as a fortuitous gift, and a perfect excuse to get her out of there.

Brando said...

"I don't think I have ever seen it pointed out that there was no point in the Clintons having a private server for their inner circle to communicate on, if all they expected to communicate about was legitimate State dept. business - classified or not."

Well, she has given reasons, but they were so feeble that no one gives them much weight (e.g., the two-blackberries, the idea that her personal server would be more secure than the State one). It's also why a solid majority of Americans don't trust this woman.

David said...



Fear.

bleh said...

Don't forget that Hillary's server was located on her property which was guarded by the secret service. Because that is how servers are made secure. The secret service kept Chinese hackers from wandering onto her property and downloading her emails.

Hagar said...

We do not yet know where her server, or servers, was located. A number of possible locations around the country have been mentioned.
And a secret service guard sitting in the hallway is no security against internet hacking.

Quaestor said...

If Hillary were a Republican that Chappaqua mansion would have been raided by SWAT troopers months ago, and HRC would have been frog-marched in an orange jumpsuit before a Federal judge.

Clinton has received deferential treatment none of us peons (i.e. tax-paying citizens) should expect given the Democratic theory of justice dominate in the land.

Quaestor said...

And a secret service guard sitting in the hallway is no security against internet hacking.

I think BDNYC knows that as well as you do.

damikesc said...

Don't forget that Hillary's server was located on her property which was guarded by the secret service. Because that is how servers are made secure. The secret service kept Chinese hackers from wandering onto her property and downloading her emails.

Stunned OPM didn't try that excuse.

I notice that Dems often to discuss the powerful who don't have to play by the rules. I think I know why they discuss it often. Projection is a powerful force.

MikeR said...

"If I'm Obama, I'd see any evidence of criminal liability on Hillary's part as a fortuitous gift, and a perfect excuse to get her out of there." Yeah? Am I wrong in thinking that loss of Hillary would be a devastating blow to Democratic hopes for winning the presidency? Or that losing the presidency would be a devastating blow to President Obama's hope of keeping some of his legacy intact? Bye-bye, Obamacare? Bye-bye, EPA Climate Change rules? Etc.?
I don't know that that would happen, but it sure might, and it sure won't if Clinton wins.

MikeR said...

It's interesting: I didn't know that Clinton had a private email server till recently. But the Chinese and the Russians etc. must have known as soon as she sent them an email, years ago.

Brando said...

"Yeah? Am I wrong in thinking that loss of Hillary would be a devastating blow to Democratic hopes for winning the presidency? Or that losing the presidency would be a devastating blow to President Obama's hope of keeping some of his legacy intact? Bye-bye, Obamacare? Bye-bye, EPA Climate Change rules? Etc.?
I don't know that that would happen, but it sure might, and it sure won't if Clinton wins."

The thing is if a major scandal is brewing under the surface, and explodes later next year when it is too late for the Dems to get a new candidate nominated, then Hillary would most definitely lose. By raising it now, Obama gives the Dems a chance to open the field and get someone nominated who could win.

furious_a said...

Good question, though by this point I can't imagine Clinton's server hasn't been wiped clean. Or it's at the bottom of the Hudson.

The Chinese should have backups. Get the Ambassador on the phone!

m stone said...

Smart move by the DOJ/Obama/Clinton machine. She'll be officially cleared and her reputation restored.

Leigh said...

@Tank and @Brando,

I think we're watching Hillary in a slow bleed. Obama is controlling the content and timing of the leaks, pace of investigation, etc. She remains naively hopeful that he won't take her out, but he will, just as he did with Petraeus. It's just a matter of when; but she will not be the nominee. What he has in store after that, is anyone's guess.

Original Mike said...

"Smart move by the DOJ/Obama/Clinton machine. She'll be officially cleared and her reputation restored."

Hmmm.

tim in vermont said...

Some of this stuff is penetrating to the networks. I saw something on the local news this morning on it. Sure the local news is pro Bernie, but still.

tim in vermont said...

The funny thing is that included in the penalty for altering or mishandling federal records, which her emails clearly are, is disqualification to hold *any* office in the United States Govt.

Whoever, having the custody of any such record, proceeding, map, book, document, paper, or other thing, willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2071

I don't see how she gets cleared of something she is clearly guilty of if this case proceeds even a smidgen.

tim in vermont said...

She has already been shown to have falsified at least one email, when her buddy there, Blumenthal provided a copy of an email that differed in certain key respects.

Ctmom4 said...

@m stone- That is how I see it. Lynch doesn't need to be told to throw the game. No paper trail necessary, no smoking gun. It will be understood. And Hillary is cleared! Just another hit from the vast right wing conspiracy that doesn't stick to the Arkansas grifters.

Brando said...

"I think we're watching Hillary in a slow bleed. Obama is controlling the content and timing of the leaks, pace of investigation, etc. She remains naively hopeful that he won't take her out, but he will, just as he did with Petraeus. It's just a matter of when; but she will not be the nominee. What he has in store after that, is anyone's guess."

I hope you're right--and while there would be some self-interest involved if Obama did this, it would also be a credit to him to demonstrate that high-level wrongdoing will still get punished. Maybe it would be a late-in-his-term way to stand on principle and bipartisanship! Hillary being the egg that needs to be broken for this omelet.

tim in vermont said...

having the custody of any such record, proceeding, map, book, document, paper, or other thing

Maybe her argument will be that emails are not documents or "other things"?

Sammy Finkelman said...

tim in vermont said...8/6/15, 1:35 PM

She has already been shown to have falsified at least one email, when her buddy there, Blumenthal provided a copy of an email that differed in certain key respects.

I'm surprised people don't understand this.

The Blumenthal e-mail is what he sent to Hillary. The e-mail she provided should be what she sent to Jake Sullivan. Not the same e-mail.

She edited the e-mail before forwarding it. The e-mail that Jake Sullivan sent around the U.S. government, if that's what he did with it, would have been edited still further, to eliminate the name of Sidney Blumenthal etc.

Sidney Blumenthal himself was insulation for Tyler Drumheller, and ex-CIA man Tyler Drumheller....maybe somebody should subpoena him, and see if he takes the 5th amendment. But he may be hiding, and/or out of the country, and ifv he can't be located, he can't be subpeonaed.

Sammy Finkelman said...

@tim in vermont said...

It was mentioned on the CBS Evening News two days running.

Hyphenated American said...

Here is a peculiar thought. Obama's economy is holding by spit and federal reserve printing money. Moreover, it is time for a new recession anyway. Plus, Middle East is exploding. Soon. Iran will put 150 billion dollars it got from Obama to use. Obamacare proved to be far worse than advertised, plus the new taxes are coming.

Putin dealt with bad economy by starting a war in Ukraine. If I were Obama, I would have helped republicans take over presidency, so they are blamed for the new crisis, and not the democrat party.

Sammy Finkelman said...

I wrote:

Sidney Blumenthal himself was insulation for Tyler Drumheller, and ex-CIA man Tyler Drumheller....maybe somebody should subpoena him, and see if he takes the 5th amendment. But he may be hiding, and/or out of the country, and ifv he can't be located, he can't be subponaed

And now, I find out:

He just died!

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/10/us/tyler-drumheller-ex-cia-official-who-disputed-bush-dies-at-63.html?_r=0

I guess he can't be subpoenaed now by the Trey Gowdy committee. Maybe his e-mail accounts will also now be inaccessible or deleted.

The assertion is he died of complications from pancreatic cancer (which is often diagnosed only a short time before death)

It’s not only the possibility that somehow the Klinton Konspiracy killed him that we have to consider.

You also have to wonder, if Sidney Blumenthal was lying when he testified that Tyler Drumheller was the real author of the e-mails he sent to Hillary Clinton.

Because he would have known he had cancer.

Here is adiiscussion on facebook - that doesn't really get anywehere)

https://www.facebook.com/TheHill/posts/10153101304009087