FBI investigated over pre-election decisions on Clinton email

[webfact]

FBI investigated over pre-election decisions on Clinton email

By Julia Edwards Ainsley and Julia Harte

REUTERS

 

FILE PHOTO - U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks about the FBI inquiry into her emails during a campaign rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S. October 29, 2016. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday said it would probe a Federal Bureau of Investigation decision to announce an inquiry into Hillary Clinton's emails shortly before the November presidential election, a move she has blamed as a factor in her defeat.

 

The Justice Department's Office of Inspector General said in a statement that its investigation would focus in part on decisions leading up to public statements by FBI Director James Comey regarding the Clinton investigation and whether they may have been based on "improper considerations."

 

The controversy involved Clinton's use of a private email server for official correspondence when she was secretary of state under President Barack Obama, including for messages that were later determined to contain classified information.

 

The office of Inspector General Michael Horowitz said it decided to open the review "in response to requests from numerous chairmen and ranking members of congressional oversight committees, various organizations and members of the public."

 

Although the FBI ultimately decided not to refer Clinton’s case for prosecution, Democrats said Comey's announcement damaged her with voters right before the election, and he faced complaints that his moves were politically motivated.

 

Law enforcement authorities, including the FBI, by custom do not disclose information about investigations that do not end in criminal charges.

 

If the review finds evidence of misconduct, any officials involved would be referred for disciplinary action.

 

In a statement, Comey said the FBI would cooperate fully and he was "grateful" to Horowitz for the probe.

 

"He is professional and independent and ... I hope very much he is able to share his conclusions and observations with the public because everyone will benefit from thoughtful evaluation and transparency regarding this matter."

 

Brian Fallon, Clinton's spokesman, told MSNBC on Thursday that Comey's actions "cried out for an independent review."

 

Senator Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the U.S. Senate said Comey's statements were not “fair, professional or consistent with the policies of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

 

President-elect Donald Trump, who will be sworn in Jan. 20, will not have the power to dismiss the probe. But federal law permits U.S. presidents to dismiss inspectors general for federal agencies, as long as the president provides Congress a written justification for the removal 30 days in advance.

 

Often leading crowds in chants of "lock her up!" during the election campaign, Trump as a candidate repeatedly accused Clinton of illegal conduct over the emails. In a debate in October, he vowed she would "be in jail" over the matter if he became president, but he has since said he would not pursue prosecution.

 

PRE-ELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT

 

Comey publicly announced the status of the agency's investigation into Clinton's emails two times in 2016.

 

In July, Comey held a press conference and testified before Congress to explain why the FBI had decided not to refer Clinton for prosecution, explaining that she was "extremely careless" but should not be charged with gross negligence or any other federal crime.

 

In October, less than two weeks before the Nov. 8 election, Comey sent members of Congress a letter saying the FBI was resuming the investigation because of new emails found on the computer of disgraced former Representative Anthony Weiner, the husband of one of Clinton's top aides.

 

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch had informed Comey the day before he sent the letter that doing so would conflict with official Justice Department guidance that instructs employees to "never select the timing of investigative steps ... for the purpose of affecting any election."

 

Comey asked whether he was being explicitly directed not to send the letter, and Lynch never gave Comey the order not to do so, a senior government official told Reuters at the time.

 

On Nov. 6, Comey said the investigation into Weiner's computer produced no new evidence that would incriminate Clinton.

 

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Thursday commended Horowitz for opening the probe.

 

"Conspicuously absent, though, is any specific reference to the attorney general’s failure to recuse herself from the probe, particularly after her meeting with former President (Bill) Clinton," said Grassley in a statement.

 

That half-hour meeting, which took place in June on board Lynch's plane while it was parked on the tarmac in Phoenix, drew criticism that Lynch was politically biased and unfit to oversee the investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server.

 

Critics of Comey's decisions also said he could be in violation of the Hatch Act, a 1939 law that bars government employees from interfering with U.S. elections.

 

(Reporting by Timothy Ahmann, additional reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-01-13

[Ulysses G.]

This is fine, but there should also be an investigation into why Comey let Hillary off the hook in the first place. It sure looked like politics as usual.

[NanLaew]

57 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

This is fine, but there should also be an investigation into why Comey let Hillary off the hook in the first place. It sure looked like politics as usual.

 

Pretty sure that under the new conservative leadership, you will get all the long-winded, expensive and ultimately inconclusive investigations that you can shake a stick at. The Republicans are real good at that.

[carbine1125]

Yes they should be investigated but only to find out why slippy Hillary got of in the first place. She should be Guantanamo Bay. The whole election was a joke. Make me sick to see Obama and Biden crying their eyes out on TV. His legacy my ass. His legacy is that he has left the world in turmoil. Shame on him and his party for what they did (or more importantly, what they failed to do) during their eight years in office!

[maoro2013]

47 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

Pretty sure that under the new conservative leadership, you will get all the long-winded, expensive and ultimately inconclusive investigations that you can shake a stick at. The Republicans are real good at that.

They all are as evidenced by the case under consideration.

[Emster23]

They had better work overtime. Trump can shut down investigation as soon as he takes office.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, Emster23 said:

They had better work overtime. Trump can shut down investigation as soon as he takes office.

No, he can not. But I'm sure he'll find ways to obstruct.

[mtls2005]

Maybe put Rudy Giuliani in charge of the investigation? 

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

Maybe put Rudy Giuliani in charge of the investigation? 

 

Doesn't this all come under the Attorney General - the lady who had a secret meeting on a runway with Bill Clinton just prior to Comey, unusually for the FBI, saying Clinton was careless but didn't warrant prosecuting? A decision normally made by prosecutors?

 

Something smells. And the DNC and Hilary have already shown to be liars and cheats in their quest to get her elected.

[KBsinter]

6 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Doesn't this all come under the Attorney General - the lady who had a secret meeting on a runway with Bill Clinton just prior to Comey, unusually for the FBI, saying Clinton was careless but didn't warrant prosecuting? A decision normally made by prosecutors?

 

Something smells. And the DNC and Hilary have already shown to be liars and cheats in their quest to get her elected.

 

And this was the Pivotal point of the the whole debacle, when Comey came out with his statement 

"Careless" but not guilty I WAS SHOCKED NO END,and the goverments AG privy to the meeting what 

shenanigans transpired.............lol

[howto]

I am certain HRC is quite concerned 'bout any investigation

involving her server, emails, their foundation.

[gk10002000]

charges should be brought against her by several agencies for her violating numerous terms of her security agreement and handling of government information.  As I am sure any of you that have security clearances know, sending or using email services not provided by the government is an issue, never mind hosting your own server!  Any regular employee that handled emails the way she did, would have lost their clearance, dismissed, and would be lucky to not be prosecuted jailed or fined.  And that would happen whether the person intentionally or purposely did it

[gk10002000]

On 1/12/2017 at 7:16 PM, stevenl said:

No, he can not. But I'm sure he'll find ways to obstruct.

Actually the FBI director supposedly reports and is subordinate to the AG.  And the AG of course can be fired by the President at any time.  Many administrations have had several AGs

[stevenl]

Actually the FBI director supposedly reports and is subordinate to the AG.  And the AG of course can be fired by the President at any time.  Many administrations have had several AGs

You realise this investigation is not done by the AG but independently?

Sent from my ROBBY using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[sirineou]

On 1/12/2017 at 11:54 PM, Baerboxer said:

 

Doesn't this all come under the Attorney General - the lady who had a secret meeting on a runway with Bill Clinton just prior to Comey, unusually for the FBI, saying Clinton was careless but didn't warrant prosecuting? A decision normally made by prosecutors?

 

Something smells. And the DNC and Hilary have already shown to be liars and cheats in their quest to get her elected.

Just because one pig smells does not make an other any less odiferous.

No doubt HRS behaviour leaves a lot to be desired. I believe her use of a private sever was a successful  attempt to circumvent transparency in her governmental and personal  business. Everyone can have an opinion why , and all opinions are debatable in the absence of prosecutable evidence. 

    Furthermore, the DNC's behaviour toward  Sanders was deplorable, but the DNC is not a governmental agency. The FBI is a government agency, and is held to a higher standard. It's investigation should be in the interest of both Democrats,and Republicans and all Americans. If a government agency can  favor a candidate or party in this election, it could just as easily favor the other party in the next, and has the makings of delegitimizing the process, as witnessed in this election. 

   Unlike other countries where their cohesion is dependant on an ethnic identity, The US is dependant on its institutions, if and when the US ceases to be, it does not mean that the geographical area south of Canada and north of Mexico will disappear, It does not mean that people will not continue to live there, and are governed by some sort of political system. It means that the institutions that make up this Great country will lose their legitimacy, and as such their effectiveness.

     All American patriots regardless of their political affiliation should be disturbed by Comey and what the FBI did, as they should be by HRC and Trump.

     PS: During the primary, in my support of Sanders, I argued against the Clintons, their cavalier attitude towards politics, and that they had too many skeletons in their closet that  would derail them in the General. as it did.

Bill's cavalier attitude and frankly politically inept visit with the Attorney general on her plane at the tarmac, forcing  the AG to refute herself from the case, and putting the matter on the hands of Comey and the FBI, so in essence they did it to themselves.

We delegated the Clintons to the dustbin of history, now if we can only get rid of Trump and his minions without any lasting damage .

 

 

Edited January 15, 2017 by sirineou

[mtls2005]

Meanwhile the President is still using his 2012 unsecured Samsung Galaxy S3, and much of his staff are using the RNC email server.