2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumWhy Hillary’s EmailGate Matters
In casually disregarding basic security, Secretary Clinton harmed our country and helped our adversariesBy John R. Schindler 01/28/16 11:56am
Every few days, another bombshell appears in the media illustrating just how poorly Hillary Clinton, during her tenure as our nations foreign policy boss, handled communications security. By now, we have a complex portrait of someone whose mishandling of our nations secrets, by herself and her staff, beggars belief for anyone versed in such matters. EmailGate isnt going away, no matter how much Ms. Clintons supporters want it to.
The number of unclassified emails that turn out to be classified, some of which transited Ms. Clintons unencrypted server of bathroom fame, now surpasses 1,300 and may go higher still. A couple weeks ago I explained howMs. Clintons emails included highly classified information from the National Security Agency, based on signals intelligence about Sudan at the Top Secret Codeword level (see this for an explanation of such classifications). How they got there has yet to be explained.
Weve since learned Ms. Clintons unclassified emails also included Top Secret information from the Central Intelligence Agency, including espionage from a compartmented Special Access Program. SAPs, as they are called in the Intelligence Community, represent crown jewel information. Even for holders of Top Secret Codeword clearances, the highest in the U.S. Government, access to SAPs requires special permissions, on a strict need-to-know basis.
How such highly classified information from both NSA and CIA wound up in Ms. Clintons personal email is a messy question that the FBI is currently unravelling. Dont expect pretty answers. That her staff at Foggy Bottom treated classification as a nuisance is already apparent, and such guidance, which was flagrantly illegal, could only have come from the boss.
more...
http://observer.com/2016/01/why-hillarys-emailgate-matters/
farleftlib
(2,125 posts)For someone who touts hers foreign policy experience, it's mind-boggling that she had top-secret and above top-secret email stored on a personal server. The FBI has literally hundreds of people investigating this mess and don't expect to have that wrapped up until the fall. Can you imagine what the republicans would do if the democratic nominee for president was facing charges for playing fast and loose with national security?
It's also a matter of hubris, her casual disregard for security shows abominable judgement.
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)Anyone who knew first-level hacks could directly connect with that server since it didn't use an encrypted, two-factor authorized VPN.
Uncle Joe
(58,366 posts)Thanks for the thread, Purveyor.
farleftlib
(2,125 posts)It gets worse and worse the farther down you go. This is the first I've heard about this tidbit.
Of course, the loss of classified information is bound to happen when the nations top diplomat refuses to use government communications systems for government business, as Ms. Clinton did, intentionally rejecting State.gov email, as has been established, and her staff did the same, with awful consequences.
EarlG
(21,949 posts)http://www.nationalreview.com/article/423958/john-schindler-nsa-intelligence-analyst
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)I DO work in cyber security, though, so I think I have slightly more of a handle on the issues here than Schindler or most media pundits.
madville
(7,412 posts)Her aides at the time on the other hand, who were producing and forwarding these emails, they have got to be sweating. Someone may have to fall on the sword.
Huma, Jake Sullivan and Cheryl Mills seem like they are the most likely to get recommended for charges at this point. No way the DOJ actually indicts Hillary though and turns the Democratic Party inside out in the process.
VulgarPoet
(2,872 posts)Only people I feel sorry for in the emailgate scandal are the staffers themselves... "Befehl ist befehl" will not save their careers.
elias49
(4,259 posts)as long as it isn't he.
What a doll.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)Tell me you're not for real.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Solid stuff.
farleftlib
(2,125 posts)if, God forbid, she gets the nomination. Better get used to hearing it because it'll be on endless loop in the GE.
What a mess! I don't care how much her supporters laugh about who it comes from, this has legs.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)I've heard it has had legs for a while. Keep us posted.
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)The investigation just started this fall.
This isn't Benghazi.
farleftlib
(2,125 posts)Because if even a portion of it is true, I won't have to post anything, it'll be on blast 24/7.
Purveyor
(29,876 posts)cornfields'...
JudyM
(29,251 posts)A couple of months ago I was undecided. Leaning toward Bernie because of his bold anti-corporatism/anti-corruption platform (my core issue in the election) but still appreciating Hillary's strengths.
I believe now that I would've ended up on Bernie's side anyway, having delved deeper into his positions and history that are well-integrated and high integrity. But the day I spent reading up on her private server issue it just all came together for me vividly that Hillary seems ultimately more concerned with supporting her political aspirations than with the best interests of the country. I stopped trusting her judgment.
I hope Bernie stops giving her a pass on this now that evidence is accumulating that national security interests were in fact compromised.