Why FBI Director James Comey did the wrong thing....again.

Last edited Sat Oct 29, 2016, 03:41 PM - Edit history (2)

Daily Kos
October 29, 2016


The New York Times headline article sums up Comey's dilemma aptly enough:

"FBI CHIEF JAMES COMEY IS IN POLITICAL CROSSFIRE AGAIN OVER EMAILS"

"Mr. Comey could immediately inform Congress about the e-mails, which were found in an investigation into former Representative Anthony D. Weiner.
That unusual step, months after Mr. Comey had cleared Mrs. Clinton of any criminal wrongdoing in the e-mail case, would risk accusations that he was unfairly harming her presidential campaign less than two weeks before the election.
Or he could delay any announcement and examine the new e-mails more closely, risking criticism that he had suppressed important new information if it had come out after the election, despite his pledges of 'transparency' in the investigation."
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/29/us/politics/fbi-clinton-emails-james-comey.html



"And with that, the choice should have been obvious.
Comey shouldn't have made any announcement.
There shouldn't have been a decision to make.

That there was even a choice in Comey's mind comes back to the same thing that's caused the FBI Director to err at every single stage of this investigation.
It's not that 'Jim Comey is an apolitical straight shooter,' as every talking head is eager to tell you.
It's that Jim Comey is very concerned that he be 'seen' as an apolitical straight shooter.
Because of that, he has, repeatedly, put preservation of his own reputation ahead of both justice and the good of the nation.

From his ludicrous, finger-wagging press gaggle in announcing Clinton's innocence, to his ham-fisted intrusion into the final act of the election, Comey has felt compelled to insert 'Jim Comey, straight-shooter,' into every moment.

As a result, he has caused serious harm to the FBI, to the election, and to the nation.
And, just incidentally, he's ruined his reputation in the process."

More:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/10/29/1588224/-Why-FBI-Director-James-Comey-did-the-wrong-thing-again