Releasing the FBI’s notes on Democratic nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, FBI Director James Comey tossed the press a bone regarding his reasoning July 5 to not file charges. While calling Hillary “extremely careless,” Comey insisted that Hillary did show enough evidence for perjury to press charges. Responding to an avalanche of criticism, Comey decided Sept. 2 to release his notes on 3.5 hours of FBI interviews with Hillary. Comey’s notes indicate Hillary told FBI agents she could not recall any briefings on how to manage classified information, despite signing off that she received such training. “However, in December 2012, Clinton suffered a concussion and then around New Year had a blood clot,” said the FBI summary. While not claiming amnesia, Hillary insists she cannot recall a briefing on handling classified material.
Comey’s July 5 decision to not file charges against Hillary for breaching U.S. laws regarding handling classified or Top Secret information helped Hillary heading into the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia July 25-28. While she enjoyed a 10% bounce coming out of Philadelphia, her lead evaporated, now at 3.9% in aggregate polling, within the statistical margin of error. Hillary’s bad couple of weeks relate to more inexplicable information about emails and the Clinton Foundation, where GOP nominee real estate tycoon Donald Trump accused Hillary of running a pay-to-play scheme while at the State Department. Putting out the FBI’s notes on Hillary interview showed that she answered most FBI questions with “I can’t recall” or “I don’t remember.” Voters are given more information with Comey’s notes to evaluate Hillary’s truthfulness or credibility.
Hillary’s campaign manager Robbie Mook was the first to exonerate Hillary of any wrongdoing regarding her email caper, citing Comey’s refusal to press charges against the 68-year-old former Secretary of State. Yet Comey never explained how he justified not filing charges when Hillary scrubbed some 33,000 emails, claiming they were personal, not work related. FBI and other law enforcement agencies routinely prosecute criminals for removing, tampering or destroying computers or cell phone data. Removing, tampering or destroying data is the definition of obstruction of justice. FBI’s notes indicate that Hillary used 13 different mobile devices while Secretary of State. While none have been recovered, Hillary staffers, including Huma Abedin, told the FBI that others were destroyed with hammers. Destroying or tampering with evidence constitutes obstruction of justice.
Hillary continues to tell her backers that she’s the victim of a vast right wing conspiracy to discredit her and her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Comey did the country as disservice not filing charges for obstruction of justice. Any other private citizen accused of hiding, losing, tampering or destroying data, in mobile devices or computers, would be subject to obstruction charges. When Comey said Hillary did not lie to FBI officials, he referred directly to her testimony that “she didn’t recall” when asked about setting up her private email server. Comey mentioned nothing about Hillary’s computer staffer Bryan Pagliano taking the Fifth June 2 seven times in a deposition with conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch. Pagliano set up Hillary’s private server before she became Secretary of State, knowing exactly what she wanted to accomplish.
When Comey decided June 5 to not file charges, he cited no evidence that Hillary lied to FBI agents. “Clinton believed the classification level of future drone strikes depended on the context,” said the FBI’s summary. Hillary insisted she did not knowingly send or receive classified information through her private server. Now that Comey confirmed she did receive and send classified emails, it’s inconsistent with Hillary’s prior statements. “While her use of a single email account was clearly a mistake and she has take responsibility for it, these materials make clear why the Justice Department believed there was to move forward with this case,” said Hillary campaign spokesman Brian Fallon. Comey never explained how he could let Hillary off the hook when she lost, tampered and destroyed electronic data part of Hillary’s State Department record—something criminal almost everywhere..
Hillary’s drop in the polls directly relates to the growing body of information that she not only improperly sent and received classified information, she deliberately lost, tampered and destroyed government data, amounting to obstruction of justice. Comey let Hillary off the Hook, insisting he couldn’t establish beyond-and-reasonable-doubt that Hillary lied to FBI agents, repeating often during 3.5 hours of interviews “shed didn’t recall.” Comey should have focused on Hillary’s deliberate attempt to hide, tamper or destroy government data, something called obstruction of justice. “These documents demonstrate Hillary Clinton’s reckless and downright dangerous handling for classified information during her tenure as secretary of state,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). More bad publicity about emails and the Clinton Foundation weighs heavily on Hillary’s campaign.
