FBI release of Bill Clinton archive raises timing questions

[webfact]

FBI release of Bill Clinton archive raises timing questions 
STEPHEN BRAUN, Associated Press

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Only days before the presidential election, the FBI released an archive of documents from a long-closed investigation into Bill Clinton's 2001 presidential pardon of a fugitive financier, prompting questions from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign about its timing.

 

The release comes amid the bureau's controversially timed review of emails from a Hillary Clinton aide.

 

The 129 pages of heavily censored material about Bill Clinton's presidential pardon of Marc Rich were published Monday on the FBI's Freedom of Information Act webpage and noted by one of the bureau's Twitter accounts Tuesday. Earlier in October, the FBI unit published historical files as far back as 1966 about Donald Trump's father, Fred Trump.

 

The Clinton campaign questioned the bureau's decision to make the file public so close to Tuesday's election.

 

"Absent a (Freedom of Information Act) deadline, this is odd," Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon tweeted. "Will FBI be posting docs on Trumps' housing discrimination in '70s?" Fallon's reference was to news accounts of a 1973 federal housing discrimination lawsuit, later settled, against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

 

In response to questions Tuesday from The Associated Press, the FBI said that the Marc Rich documents "became available for release and were posted automatically and electronically to the FBI's public reading room in accordance with the law and established procedures." The bureau said that under law, documents requested three or more times are made public "shortly after they are processed." That processing, the bureau said, is on a "first in, first out basis."

 

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said he saw the FBI tweet shortly before he boarded Air Force One with President Barack Obama for a trip to Columbus, Ohio, to campaign for Hillary Clinton, but was unaware that anyone at the White House was consulted about the material before it was released.

 

"I've not spoke to anybody who has any awareness of being consulted about that material before it was released," Earnest told reporters traveling with the president.

 

The newly released FBI documents are from a 2001 federal investigation into Bill Clinton's pardon at the end of his administration of Marc Rich, who was indicted in 1983 and evaded prosecution in Switzerland. Rich died in 2013.

 

The files briefly cited the Clinton Foundation in connection with a large donation in support of Clinton's presidential library. The FBI documents cited public records showing that an unidentified person donated to "the William J. Clinton Foundation, a foundation that supports the Clinton presidential library."

 

Rich's ex-wife, Denise Rich, pledged a $450,000 donation to the Clinton Foundation's project to develop and build the presidential facility. The new FBI archive does not name Denise Rich, but FBI agents sought to talk to her as part of the probe into her former husband's pardon.

 

Despite the extensive redactions, the FBI archive cites evidence being prepared for a federal grand jury, agents' reports and internal memos. Agents appeared to be interested in a New York dinner in which the Rich pardon may have been discussed.

 

The federal probe started under then-U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White, who now heads the Securities and Exchange Commission for the Obama administration. When White left office in 2003, she was replaced by James Comey, the FBI director now under fire for notifying Congress last week about his agency's decision to review emails to and from Clinton aide Huma Abedin.

 

The Rich investigation did not lead to federal charges under Comey and the case was closed in 2005.

___

Associated Press writer Eileen Sullivan contributed to this report.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-11-02

[lannarebirth]

Another article I read pertaining to this matter said this was a third time requested FOIA deadline release, which is automatic. If that's the case it was very clever timing.

[boomerangutang]

How much incentive/prodding is Republican Comey getting from Trump operatives and/or Republicans in Congress?

Either way, it's blatantly partisan and probably illegal.   Thankfully, it won't change next week's result of HRC becoming President-Elect - though it may lessen the # of Democrats taking Congressional seats.   I just got an email from a Democratic Party operative mentioning that Big Pharma and medical insurance companies are plowing tens of millions of dollars into the Trump campaign in this final week.  They know Trump will be a lot kinder to Big Pharma's maintaining the highest medical costs of any country worldwide.  Trump advocates lessening regulations everywhere, and that's music to the ears of multi-billion dollar corporations which shaft Americans where the sun don't shine.

[lannarebirth]

4 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

How much incentive/prodding is Republican Comey getting from Trump operatives and/or Republicans in Congress?

Either way, it's blatantly partisan and probably illegal.   Thankfully, it won't change next week's result of HRC becoming President-Elect - though it may lessen the # of Democrats taking Congressional seats.   I just got an email from a Democratic Party operative mentioning that Big Pharma and medical insurance companies are plowing tens of millions of dollars into the Trump campaign in this final week.  They know Trump will be a lot kinder to Big Pharma's maintaining the highest medical costs of any country worldwide.  Trump advocates lessening regulations everywhere, and that's music to the ears of multi-billion dollar corporations which shaft Americans where the sun don't shine.

 

Hillary Clinton received millions of dollars in paid speeches to pharmaceutical lobbying groups. I don't have the numbers at hand, but maybe you can tell me.. How much did Trump receive for his paid speeches to pharmaceutical lobbying groups?

 

Edited November 2, 2016 by lannarebirth

[lannarebirth]

^^ Here's your problem. We can all agree that Trumps a charlatan sleazeball, but for every example you cite someone can post multiple examples of Clinton doing something even more egregious.

[boomerangutang]

30 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

^^ Here's your problem. We can all agree that Trumps a charlatan sleazeball, but for every example you cite someone can post multiple examples of Clinton doing something even more egregious.

 

I don't agree.  Here are some Trumpisms.  Please name, in each category, something HRC has done that's worse. . . . . . . 

 

>>>   bragged about being 'a bitch' for successfully seducing women by grabbing them by the pussy.

 

>>>   asked the Russian hackers to hack an American's internet server.

 

>>>   Said he wasn't sure whether he would allow US forces to assist a NATO member in need. It depended on whether the NATO member state had paid their share of dues.

 

>>>   Said he would love to release his tax statements.

 

>>>  Said he would get Mexico to pay for a very tall wall stretching 1,000 miles.

 

Lannarebirth, we're waiting for your specific responses aligned with your boast, "....can post multiple examples of Clinton doing something even more egregious." 

 

[lannarebirth]

1 minute ago, boomerangutang said:

 

I don't agree.  Here are some Trumpisms.  Please name, in each category, something HRC has done that's worse. . . . . . . 

 

>>>   bragged about being 'a bitch' for successfully seducing women by grabbing them by the pussy.

 

>>>   asked the Russian hackers to hack an American's internet server.

 

>>>   Said he wasn't sure whether he would allow US forces to assist a NATO member in need. It depended on whether the NATO member state had paid their share of dues.

 

>>>   Said he would love to release his tax statements.

 

>>>  Said he would get Mexico to pay for a very tall wall stretching 1,000 miles.

 

Lannarebirth, we're waiting for your specific responses aligned with your boast, "....can post multiple examples of Clinton doing something even more egregious." 

 

 

Here's some. She undermined the democratic process in co-opting the DNC during the Democratic primaries to align itself against the candidacy of her primary adversary.

 

She has collected millions of dollars from interest groups personally while out of office and through quid pro quo donations to slush funds while in office. I don't know if she said "bitch" when she took their millions.

 

She advocated for the invasion of countries of no strategic threat to the United States that resulted in hundreds of thousands of innocent lives lost and millions of displaced persons whose lives are in ruins..

 

You get the idea..

[dcutman]

Boy those public FOIA requests are a real bitch when you are running a criminal enterprise and moonlighting as a public servant.

[Ulysses G.]

18 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

Here's some. She undermined the democratic process in co-opting the DNC during the Democratic primaries to align itself against the candidacy of her primary adversary.

 

Don't forget cheating in debates against Bernie and Trump. She got questions in advance. 

[AYJAYDEE]

23 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

Here's some. She undermined the democratic process in co-opting the DNC during the Democratic primaries to align itself against the candidacy of her primary adversary.

 

She has collected millions of dollars from interest groups personally while out of office and through quid pro quo donations to slush funds while in office. I don't know if she said "bitch" when she took their millions.

 

She advocated for the invasion of countries of no strategic threat to the United States that resulted in hundreds of thousands of innocent lives lost and millions of displaced persons whose lives are in ruins..

 

You get the idea..

 

no strategic threat? lol.

[KarenBravo]

One casualty of this election, is that the USA will no longer be able to preach to other countries about the wonders of democracy.

They will be laughed off the stage.

[Ulysses G.]

5 minutes ago, AYJAYDEE said:

no strategic threat? 

 

 

Libya was no threat to America. Gaddafi had sworn off nukes and capitulated to our power. Bombing Libya was a big mistake and HILLARY bares much responsibility.

[Credo]

8 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

 

Libya was no threat to America. Gaddafi had sworn off nukes and capitulated to our power. Bombing Libya was a big mistake and HILLARY bares much responsibility.

The lead on the Libya was France and the US followed at their request.   It certainly had little to do with HILLARY.   

 

[AYJAYDEE]

9 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

 

Libya was no threat to America. Gaddafi had sworn off nukes and capitulated to our power. Bombing Libya was a big mistake and HILLARY bares much responsibility.

 

capitulated  to your power?? lol

[KarenBravo]

18 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

 

Libya was no threat to America. Gaddafi had sworn off nukes and capitulated to our power. Bombing Libya was a big mistake and HILLARY bares much responsibility.

 

.....and of course, the invasion of Iraq by GWB and his gang which has destabilized the whole Middle-East wasn't the fault of a Republican, eh?

 

I'd love to live in a universe where good (R) and bad (D) are so easy to tell apart. Doesn't actually require any critical thinking.....

[lannarebirth]

11 minutes ago, Credo said:

The lead on the Libya was France and the US followed at their request.   It certainly had little to do with HILLARY.   

 

 

It has to do with a neo-con agenda, of which Hillary is a devotee.

[Ulysses G.]

17 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

 

.....and of course, the invasion of Iraq by GWB and his gang which has destabilized the whole Middle-East wasn't the fault of a Republican, eh?

 

 

I get that you are trying to change the subject. However, that does not change the fact that Hillary pushed bombing a country that was not a threat to America and turned into a complete disaster.

Edited November 2, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[boomerangutang]

1 hour ago, lannarebirth said:

Hillary Clinton received millions of dollars in paid speeches to pharmaceutical lobbying groups. I don't have the numbers at hand, but maybe you can tell me.. How much did Trump receive for his paid speeches to pharmaceutical lobbying groups?

 

Maybe there's some truth to that. Yet it's clear HRC (along with Sanders and Warren) will do much more in reigning in runaway health costs for Americans, than Trump would do, even if he wanted to.

 

58 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

Here's some. She undermined the democratic process in co-opting the DNC during the Democratic primaries to align itself against the candidacy of her primary adversary.

She has collected millions of dollars from interest groups personally while out of office and through quid pro quo donations to slush funds while in office. I don't know if she said "bitch" when she took their millions.

She advocated for the invasion of countries of no strategic threat to the United States that resulted in hundreds of thousands of innocent lives lost and millions of displaced persons whose lives are in ruins..

You get the idea..

 

As expected, you didn't address any of the points I mentioned in my prior post.  Even if it's true that HRC personally gained money from donors, it's small potatoes compared to Trump using his Foundation funds to bribe a FL AG to not allow Floridians to sue Trump U. .....or Trump withholding final payments for thousands of building contractors on his projects.  

 

38 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

Don't forget cheating in debates against Bernie and Trump. She got questions in advance. 

 

That pales when compared to conspiring with the Russkies to influence the election process.

 

31 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

One casualty of this election, is that the USA will no longer be able to preach to other countries about the wonders of democracy. They will be laughed off the stage.

 

I agree. Africa, for example, has a bloody recent history of skewed elections.  Now and in the future, whenever Americans make suggestions for instating democratic principles, Africans can laugh.  We can thank Trump for that.

[KarenBravo]

No......you can blame Democrat and Republican party members for this catastrophe.

[lannarebirth]

8 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

 

Maybe there's some truth to that. Yet it's clear HRC (along with Sanders and Warren) will do much more in reigning in runaway health costs for Americans, than Trump would do, even if he wanted to.

 

 

As expected, you didn't address any of the points I mentioned in my prior post.  Even if it's true that HRC personally gained money from donors, it's small potatoes compared to Trump using his Foundation funds to bribe a FL AG to not allow Floridians to sue Trump U. .....or Trump withholding final payments for thousands of building contractors on his projects.  

 

 

That pales when compared to conspiring with the Russkies to influence the election process.

 

 

I agree. Africa, for example, has a bloody recent history of skewed elections.  Now and in the future, whenever Americans make suggestions for instating democratic principles, Africans can laugh.  We can thank Trump for that.

 

You think calling someone "bitch" is comparable to being sharing responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people? Do you think saying bitch is comparable to public graft and corruption? What about undermining a nations democratic process? Is "bitch" comparable?

 

Clinton conspired with the Russians to influence the election process? I hadn't read any evidence of that

[boomerangutang]

26 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

You think calling someone "bitch" is comparable to being sharing responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people? Do you think saying bitch is comparable to public graft and corruption? What about undermining a nations democratic process? Is "bitch" comparable?

 

Clinton conspired with the Russians to influence the election process? I hadn't read any evidence of that

 

Are Trumpsters going to now blame HRC for the burning of the Hindenburg blimp?

 The word 'bitch' which Trump used to describe himself (he couldn't deny it, because the tape was clear, unlike other denials whenever a tape of his isn't clear, like him being John Miller).  As much as anything else, American voters are concerned about character.  Many don't particularly want a president who describes himself as a bitch in the way he grabs women's pussies.  Maybe that's fine for Trump supporters, but not for a majority of voters.

 

Of course, "Clinton conspired with the Russians to influence the election process"  Those are your words twisting my reference to Trump.  It's no secret to intelligent people why Trump and Putin have a bromance. 

[KarenBravo]

1 hour ago, Ulysses G. said:

 

I get that you are trying to change the subject. However, that does not change the fact that Hillary pushed bombing a country that was not a threat to America and turned into a complete disaster.

 

No, just tired of Republicans screaming at a fire in a waste-paper basket, when the building it's in is already an inferno.........an inferno that is a clear case of Republican initiated arson.

Mistakes made in Libya? Undoubtedly, but, you need to have a sense of scale.....

[Prbkk]

Just more evidence that the Clintons believe they are above scrutiny. Bill was a better than average president but there was an awfully dark side as well: the pardon for Rich was one symptom of it.

[SaintLouisBlues]

Just now, Prbkk said:

Just more evidence that the Clintons believe they are above scrutiny.

Just the Clintons? I'd have thought most politicians have their snouts in the trough and believe they're above scrutiny. "How could you possibly doubt my integrity!"

[Publicus]

 

Comey has completely lost it.

 

Consciously inserting himself as FBI director during the final two weeks of this particular election of the Potus has marked Comey as a madhouse figure in Washington who has knowingly or unknowingly self-destructed.  

 

Comey is inserting himself in the election campaign not once, not twice, but several times and only days apart. Given his position in the U.S. Government, it can only be a fit of madness.

 

Comey's career is over. 

 

This release makes it possible, if not probable, Potus will exercise his authority to fire Comey soon after the election, if not on Wednesday November 9th. No FBI director can do this completely political ambush stuff and do it not only repeatedly, but systematically, and not be fired on the spot.

 

Comey is but the highest profile lawyer-politician of the Executive Branch to represent all of the political investigators of both branches in their decades of political sleazebag schemes and manipulations targeting the Clintons. The bottom line in all of it over decades is that the Clintons win elections and there's nothing else the Republican right wingers can do to try to stop 'em.

 

Comey has gone completely rogue with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Comey has turned the FBI into his own individual political campaign headquarters. This blatant and shameless political activity is in contrast to another FBI sleazebag Director, J. Edgar Hoover who always did his wicked nasty stuff well under the radar.

 

Comey's hubris is brazen.

[Krataiboy]

First those damning leaked Hillary emails and now this!  Clearly not just Julian Assange and the Russians, but that most respected of American institutions, the FBI, is part of a dastardly plot to propel Trump into the White House.

 

If she wants to retain any credibility in the final run-up to election day, the  putative first US lady president should stop trying to shoot the messengers and start giving some straight answers to the serious issues they have posed?

Edited November 2, 2016 by Krataiboy
error

[BuaBS]

6 hours ago, lannarebirth said:

^^ Here's your problem. We can all agree that Trumps a charlatan sleazeball

Speak for yourself dude , I don't agree !

[Mrjlh]

Comey's position is by appointment by the President. His job depends solely on the President is in Office. Can go either way.  Trump might even like him, who knows. Maybe even Hillary.

 

As far as Clinton's files go, automatic posting to the Public Page when any file gets three  FOIA requests. Could be from anyone. Blaming it on any particular group is being single minded.  No crime here.  The Hatch Act does not apply to Comey. Look it up! He violated a DOJ department policy if anything else. But who gives as crap when the DOJ boss Lynch is in bed with the Clinton's.

[Trouble]

I think most people agree that this is the presidential election where our  choices are indeed dismal.  We have also become more than ever before aware that the election process has become as close to a rigged process by both political parties as anyone would imagine.  Republicans refusing to acknowledge the peoples choice in Trump, like him or not. Hillary's colluding with the DNC to push Bernie aside. 

 

The election process is in dire need of an overhaul from the outdate "electoral college" process which in effect determines how and where the parties/candidates spend their money and which also negates the votes of millions of voters.  In certain states its a given that the state is so overwhelmingly  voting for one party or the other than it totally negates the votes of the minority voters. The voters in the minority might as well not vote.  California is so democratic that there is no point in a Republican even voting as it is a given that the Electoral College vote will go to Hillary.  It is an outdated process that needs overhaul. 

 

Voter polling on election day and early ballot results on the east coast being broadcast before polls on the west coast even close and networks announcing a winner.  Elections have become a commercial enterprise.  The whole process is going to lead eventually to the disenfranchisement of voters who will just give up on the process as it has become so corrupted. Seems like a sad state of affairs that the current generation of pathetic politicians is leaving future generations a totally dysfunctional system.  Should it really take a two year process to elect a President?  This might just be the last election for me.  The worst part of the whole thing is that when this election is over there will be no coming together behind the winner.  The losers will view the process as corrupt (not that I blame them) and never respect the winner.  Just the way it has become in this modern era.  Quite a shame that in a nation of over 300,000,000 this is the best we can do.  Most people respect neither candidate, but are voting for the one they hate the least.

[Publicus]

12 minutes ago, Mrjlh said:

Comey's position is by appointment by the President. His job depends solely on the President is in Office. Can go either way.  Trump might even like him, who knows. Maybe even Hillary.

 

As far as Clinton's files go, automatic posting to the Public Page when any file gets three  FOIA requests. Could be from anyone. Blaming it on any particular group is being single minded.  No crime here.  The Hatch Act does not apply to Comey. Look it up! He violated a DOJ department policy if anything else. But who gives as crap when the DOJ boss Lynch is in bed with the Clinton's.

 

Comey's hubris is blatant and shameless.