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amborin

(16,631 posts)
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 07:02 PM Apr 2016

Clinton Email Scandal: More Evidence State Department Was In On Cover-Up

http://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/clinton-email-scandal-more-evidence-state-department-was-in-on-a-cover-up/

Corruption: Last week it looked as if the State Department worked with Hillary Clinton to cover up her email trouble. This week it isn’t a question of involvement but rather how deeply the department was entangled.

During the Watergate scandal, one of the relevant questions asked by Tennessee Sen. Howard Baker was what did President Nixon know about the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and when did he know it? Today a similar question should be asked of the State Department officials who allowed Clinton to use her personal email handled by a private server in her home:

When did the State Department realize her email was a problem and how far did it go to try to hide it?

A week ago we covered the State Department’s attempt to obscure the scandal by filing a secret court brief asking a federal judge to hide tens of thousands of Clinton’s emails. At issue, we said, were the 30,000 emails that Clinton generated while she was secretary of state — and then deleted because she decided they were too personal for public consumption. Those emails have never been released.

They might have been, though, had the State Department not withheld a Benghazi email that was part of a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act lawsuit asking for “records related to the drafting and use of the Benghazi talking points.” Now that email, says Judicial Watch, has been located.

That “found” email is germane because if it had been released when it was supposedly first discovered, “Clinton’s email server and her hidden emails would have been disclosed nearly two years ago, before Clinton authorized the alleged deletion of tens of thousands of emails,” Judicial Watch explains.

In other words, the State Department bought Clinton time to delete the emails she didn’t want released, the ones that are surely the most revealing as to what she was up to as secretary of state, the ones she desperately wanted to hide. Those emails are almost certainly the reason she chose to use her personal account rather than a secure State Department setup.

U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth, who is presiding over one of Judicial Watch’s FOIA lawsuits, has said that the State Department has acted in bad faith in this case. Indeed, it appears to be acting as a hindrance whenever it can, in much the same way the IRS has done its best to obstruct any inquiries looking into its targeting of the Tea Party and conservative groups that were seeking nonprofit status. Officials at these government bureaus seem to think they are above the law.
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tex-wyo-dem

(3,190 posts)
2. If this report is true, then the investigation has expanded...
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 08:17 PM
Apr 2016

Considerably, which may explain the delay in findings presented to DoJ.

winter is coming

(11,785 posts)
3. I find myself wondering if the FBI and DOJ are sweating out
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 08:20 PM
Apr 2016

whether to go with what they have now and add other charges later as appropriate, or risk not being done before the convention.

tex-wyo-dem

(3,190 posts)
4. That's a good question...
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 08:27 PM
Apr 2016

Comey said there is no timeline, but there must be considerable pressure to make a move as soon as possible.

winter is coming

(11,785 posts)
7. They don't want to be perceived as playing politics. If something
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 11:19 PM
Apr 2016

goes down after the convention, and Hillary is the nominee, they'll be accused (fairly or not) of sabotaging the Democratic party, which would invite retaliation the next time Dems hold the White House or Congress.

JudyM

(29,248 posts)
8. The Supremes won't hand down their opinion on the Gov. MCDonnell corruption case till the end
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 11:28 PM
Apr 2016

of June... It would make strategic sense (and therefore, is a justifiable argument) to wait for that if Clinton Foundation or other corruption charges are going to be part of it.

seafan

(9,387 posts)
5. There is soon going to be hell to pay.
Thu Apr 28, 2016, 10:45 PM
Apr 2016

The deliberate delay by State in releasing this key email is noteworthy as to 'why'.

Yes, people deserve to know whether she was signing off as Secretary of State on secretive deals that enriched Clinton Foundation donors. Those acts would be categorized under "public corruption".

She flushed tens of thousands of what she referred to as "personal" emails, and we are supposed to take that as the truth? We think not.


tex-wyo-dem

(3,190 posts)
10. This has turned into such a complex case...
Fri Apr 29, 2016, 02:24 AM
Apr 2016

1.) having a private server and email address for ALL State business that was not turned over to the government when she left the position, effectively making the public record not public (FOIA).

2.) transmitting confidential information over a private server that was not secure to standards and may have exposed sensitive material to hackers.

3.) receiving confidential material from Blumenthal who had no special security clearance and who had been prohibited from being employed by State.

4.) requesting confidential material be transmitted without header over unsecure network.

5.) using a Blackberry that was unsecure even though NSA had warned that it was not to be used unless specially modified like Obama's.

6.) pay-to-play alogations

7.) and now alogations that individuals in State purposefully delayed handing over missing emails requested by FOIA, buying Clinton time to delete thousands of emails.

Am I missing anything?

 

magical thyme

(14,881 posts)
11. yes.
Fri Apr 29, 2016, 05:39 AM
Apr 2016

Point #5. Using unsecure blackberry in countries where she was specifically warned in writing to not use a bb (China) and to which she responded in writing that she understood the risks. Potentially adds "willful disregard" to "gross negligence" potential charge(s) under espionage law.

(ps, also missing spellcheck. allegations, not alogations)

Major Hogwash

(17,656 posts)
9. The real problem to this scandal is . . .
Fri Apr 29, 2016, 12:19 AM
Apr 2016

. . . Hillary will never fully gain the trust of the American people.
Never.
No matter what the outcome of any FBI investigation, she will always be doubted.

That is her legacy.

What most people do not understand about the Iraq War is that they didn't need a reason to start the war in Iraq.
The important part (for them) was to get that war started.
Then create a justification for it later.

Bush gave as many as 26 different reasons for why he invaded Iraq.

The same thing happened in Vietnam from the 50s to the early 70s.

So, how many reasons do you think Hillary will give for invading Iran?

It won't fucking matter once she gets that war started.




 

Gwhittey

(1,377 posts)
12. Nothing going to come of the email
Fri Apr 29, 2016, 09:28 AM
Apr 2016

We need stop thinking of this in a logical fashion. Most of us(non-Hillary drones) are looking at this as if there is not a two tiered justice system. We are thinking,"Oh she broke law so will be punished". Look at yesterday Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert got 15 months in prison for as judge said "was serial child molester". A lady that use to live across street got busted for growing 8 pot plants in her back yard that she used for her arthritis. She got 18 months in prison and 3 years probation.

 
13. That's not really the case
Fri Apr 29, 2016, 12:17 PM
Apr 2016

The judge made it very clear how he felt. The only reason he didn't get a far worse sentence was due to the statute of limitations. If you'd like to see that changed it is a whole other issue entirely. I think that if the players involved have clear evidence of negligence and illegal activity they will do the right thing-too much rests on this case.

 

2banon

(7,321 posts)
14. Exactly, I admit I am very intrigued, But She will not face charges from the JD
Sat Apr 30, 2016, 01:06 AM
Apr 2016

Not that there won't be some level of scandal but she'll be able to brush it off just as she has with so much else in the past.

Excellent example of Hastert, the 15 month sentence for molesting a child even after saying he was a "serial child molester" was jaw dropping-outrageous.

But there you have it, Like you said, we have a 2 tiered justice system, always have and looks like always will.

And I betcha dollars to donuts, their are so much dark financial dealings connected to extremely high powered elites, that there's no way the Clinton Foundation will be touched by the DoJ.

Sorry, I'm rambling...

It would behoove us all to remember Fitzmas.


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