Block, Siteadmin, SkipCaptcha, Upload, Automoderated users, delete, edit, move, nsTeam2RO, nsTeam2RW, nsTeam2_talkRO, nsTeam2_talkRW, protect, rollback, Administrators, template
295,100
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 81:
Line 81: − *'''5 July.''' FBI investigator Peter Strzok encourages Dir. James Comey to obstruct justice. Strzok suggests reducing the [[felony]] charge of gross negligence against Hillary Clinton with an obsequious characterization as extremely careless.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/04/politics/peter-strzok-james-comey/index.html </ref> Comey publicly states that Sec. Clinton and staff were “extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information," and "there is evidence of potential violations of the [[statute]]s regarding the handling of classified information…There is [[evidence]] to support a conclusion that any reasonable person in Secretary Clinton’s position, or in the position of those with whom she was corresponding about the matters, should have known that an unclassified system was no place for that conversation." Comey referred the matter to the Justice Dept. for a prosecutorial decision. In the absence of prosecution, security or administrative sanctions are the norm.<ref>[https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/statement-by-fbi-director-james-b-comey-on-the-investigation-of-secretary-hillary-clinton2019s-use-of-a-personal-e-mail-system Statement by Director James Comey on the Investigation of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Use of a Personal E-Mail System] (July i5, 2015).</ref> Comey's decision to by-pass DoJ rules and take matters into his own hands may have been part of a counterintelligence ooeration.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/james-comey-is-maxwell-smart-1501022653?mod=e2fb</ref>+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Hillary Clinton email scandal (view source)
Revision as of 08:36, January 7, 2018
, 08:36, January 7, 2018→James Comey
===James Comey===
===James Comey===
FBI investigator Peter Strzok and Dir. James Comey conspired to obstruct justice. Strzok suggested reducing Comey's finding of [[felon]]ious gross negligence against Hillary Clinton with the obsequious characterization of extremely careless.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/04/politics/peter-strzok-james-comey/index.html </ref> On July 5, 2016 Comey publicly stated that Sec. Clinton and staff were “extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information," and "there is evidence of potential violations of the [[statute]]s regarding the handling of classified information…There is [[evidence]] to support a conclusion that any reasonable person in Secretary Clinton’s position, or in the position of those with whom she was corresponding about the matters, should have known that an unclassified system was no place for that conversation." Comey referred the matter to the Justice Dept. for a prosecutorial decision. In the absence of prosecution, security or administrative sanctions are the norm.<ref>[https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/statement-by-fbi-director-james-b-comey-on-the-investigation-of-secretary-hillary-clinton2019s-use-of-a-personal-e-mail-system Statement by Director James Comey on the Investigation of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Use of a Personal E-Mail System] (July i5, 2015).</ref> Comey's decision to by-pass DoJ rules and take matters into his own hands may have been part of a counterintelligence ooeration.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/james-comey-is-maxwell-smart-1501022653?mod=e2fb</ref>
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein wrote in a performance review of Comey's behavior,
{{Quotebox|"The director was wrong to usurp the Attorney General's authority on July 5, 2016, and announce his conclusion that the case should be closed without prosecution.
It is not the function of the Director to make such an announcement. At most, the Director should have said the FBI had completed its investigation and presented its findings to federal prosecutors. The Director now defends his decision by asserting that he believed attorney General Loretta Lynch had a conflict. But the FBI Director is never empowered to supplant federal prosecutors and assume command of the Justice Department. There is a well-established process for other officials to step in when a conflict requires the recusal of the Attorney General. On July 5, however, the Director announced his own conclusions about the nation's most sensitive criminal investigation, without the authorization of duly appointed Justice Department leaders.
Compounding the error, the Director ignored another longstanding principle: we do not hold press conferences to release derogatory information about the subject of a declined criminal investigation. Derogatory information sometimes is disclosed in the course of criminal investigations and prosecutions, but we never release it gratuitously. The Director laid out his version of the facts for the news media as if it were a closing argument, but without a trial. It is a textbook example of what federal prosecutors and agents are taught not to do.
In response to skeptical question at a congressional hearing, the Director defended his remarks by saying that his "goal was to say what is true. What did we do, what did we find, what do we think about it." But the goal of a federal criminal investigation is not to announce our thoughts at a press conference. The goal is to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to justify a federal criminal prosecution, then allow a federal prosecutor who exercises authority delegated by the Attorney General to make a prosecutorial decision, and then - if prosecution is warranted - let the judge and jury determine the facts. We sometimes release information about closed investigations in appropriate ways, but the FBI does not do it sua sponte."<ref>https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/05/rosenstein-letter-annotated/526116/ </ref>}}
Although originally not planning on asking him to resign,<ref>Rodriguez, Katherine (April 12, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/12/trump-does-not-intend-ask-fbi-director-james-comey-resign/ Trump Does Not Intend to Ask FBI Director James Comey to Resign]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 13, 2017.</ref> President [[Donald Trump]], at the recommendation of Attorney General [[Jeff Sessions]] and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, fired Comey for being unfit to serve in the position.<ref>
* Noble, Andrea; Dinan, Stephen (May 9, 2017). [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/9/james-comney-fired-fbi-director/ Trump fires FBI Director James Comey]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
* [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/09/trump-fires-fbi-director-comey.html Trump fires FBI Director Comey]. ''Fox News''. May 9, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
* Nussbaum, Daniel (May 9, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/09/trump-fires-fbi-director-james-comey/ Trump Fires FBI Director James Comey]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 9, 2017.</ref> Democrats and liberals were dismayed at the decision,<ref>
* Nussbaum, Daniel (May 9, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2017/05/09/celebrities-melt-down-over-comey-firing-full-blown-constitutional-crisis/ Celebrities Melt Down Over Comey Firing: ‘Full Blown Constitutional Crisis’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
* [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/10/trump-takes-aim-at-schumers-reaction-to-comey-firing.html Trump defends Comey firing, says ousted FBI director 'wasn't doing a good job']. ''Fox News''. May 10, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.</ref> but it showed that Trump was serious about shaking up D.C. and "[[Drain the swamp|draining the swamp]]."<ref>Boyle, Matthew (May 10, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/05/10/the-unconventional-president-donald-trump-shakes-washington-to-its-core-by-firing-comey/ The Unconventional President: Donald Trump Shakes Washington to Its Core by Firing Comey]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 10, 2017.</ref>
===Andrew McCabe===
===Andrew McCabe===