Investigation: a formal or systematic examination or research, a formal inquiry or systematic study.
Investigations are, by their nature, open-ended.
Investigations do not conclude until a conviction, acquittal or statute of limitations expiration.
Information is gathered in a methodical way and new information is taken in as it becomes available.
While I find it disturbing that the FBI was unaware of the existence of the reportedly four devices now being examined from the Abedin-Weiner residence, they are nevertheless four new pieces of evidence. And new evidence is always examined in an investigation.
The Wall Street Journal reported that FBI investigators have found 650,000 emails on a laptop believed to have been used by both Mr. Weiner and his newly-estranged wife Huma Abedin. Ms. Abedin is the closest of all Mrs. Clinton’s aides and confidants. A search of the metadata shows that literally thousands of those emails were sent to or from the private server that Mrs. Clinton used while she was secretary of state.
For a moment just stop and ponder on the information above. An initial, cursory examination shows that a laptop in a private residence – a laptop presumably connected by a basic WiFi connection – contained thousands upon thousands of emails from the private server of the Secretary of State. We already know the FBI found well over 2,000 classified emails on Hillary’s server – after Clinton had deleted over 30,000 other emails. Think about what is currently residing on the unprotected hard drive of a simple home laptop. It almost boggles the mind.
Classified information – by definition – is meant to travel only in controlled, secured and well-defined channels. Unclassified information never touches these spaces. Classified information and unclassified information should never, ever intermingle. Placing any classified material into an unclassified channel is a very serious offence. Foreign governments launch attacks on our classified systems daily. And almost no target, other than the President is more desired than the Secretary of State. Literally.
And so, the FBI continues the investigation.
The Clinton camp is now crying foul as are partisan Democrats. I pose a simple question to them all. What should Director Comey have done? The discovery of the 650,00 emails presents new and significant evidence. Evidence that was not disclosed by Mrs. Clinton or Ms. Abedin during the prior FBI investigation. Again, the FBI found four devices in the Abedin residence with information on them – despite Ms. Abedin having been interviewed and investigated by the FBI – and required to turn over all devices.
Mr. Comey is being painted as a partisan or even rogue director at this point. Accusations that are laughable at best. The FBI’s whitewashing of the initial investigative phase has been well documented and sharply criticized by many. It was also hailed by the Clinton Campaign as vindication of her innocence. Now, when new and significant evidence is presented, the Clinton camp finds Comey’s actions “deeply disturbing”. I remind you once again, this new evidence uncovered by the FBI was evidence that was hidden from the FBI by Clinton and Ms. Abedin.
The Department of Justice has direct line authority over the FBI. Mr. Comey could have been ordered to stand down. What is clear from reports is that the DOJ attempted to squash this unofficially but were unable to do so. I find it sadly amusing that the head of DOJ, Loretta Lynch, found herself self-emasculated as a result of both her clandestine (and likely illegal) private plane meeting with Bill Clinton and her follow-on pronouncement to accept whatever judgment and verdict Director Comey might render.
Mrs. Clinton and her fellow Democrats are demanding the immediate release of all information “because the American people have a right to know”. Perhaps Mrs. Clinton can explain to the American people why she hid her emails, deleted 30,000 more emails and stone-walled every investigative effort into the matter in the first place.
Hillary knows full well that 650,000 emails cannot be sorted, examined and then be publicly disclosed in a matter of days. Therefore, the Clinton camp can righteously demand the release of the emails while denouncing the FBI Director – knowing full well it will not – and cannot – happen. If Mrs. Clinton wants to know what information the FBI has she can simply ask Huma Abedin and then hold a press conference to explain the contents of those emails herself. That is perfectly legal and will cause her no trouble with the FBI – as long as she is truthful…
There will almost certainly be more disclosure and evidence discovery going forward. There are no less than four separate FBI investigations currently ongoing that involve the Clinton’s in some way. Allow me to state this one more time. There are no less than four separate FBI investigations currently ongoing that involve the Clinton’s in some way. There is the Hillary email/server FBI investigation. There is the FBI investigation into the Clinton Foundation (this one is sprawling and multi-pronged). There is the FBI investigation into long-time Clinton aide Terry McAuliffe. Finally, there is the FBI investigation into Huma Abedin. I am willing to bet there will be at least one more added to the list before we are through.
The Clinton camp has no one but themselves to blame for this fiasco. If Hillary had simply come forth years ago this would all be over with. If she had done as legally required and turned over all devices in the last investigation this would also not be happening right now. Director Comey had no choice in the matter. I am sure the decision to re-open the investigation – and resulting announcement he was forced to make – was the last thing Comey wanted to do. Setting aside his simple duty to do so, Director Comey testified before Congress and swore to inform them and the public if new information came to light. And it has.
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