Courts, Criminal law, Media, Politics, Society

State Department and Intelligence Agencies Ask For An Investigation in the Clinton Email Scandal

225px-Hillary_Clinton_official_Secretary_of_State_portrait_cropIn a major development on the Clinton email scandal, the New York Times is reporting that the inspectors general for the State Department and the intelligence community have asked the Justice Department to open an investigation into whether there was mishandling of classified information by Hillary Clinton using a personal email account while secretary of state. While the newspaper referred to the action as a criminal referral, the Administration quickly moved to counter the story and insist that it is not technically a criminal referral. We have previously discussed this story and the insistence of Clinton that she did nothing wrong in maintaining a private email system and that none of the emails were classified. I disagreed with both premises as well as expressed great skepticism over Clinton’s insistence that she was really not trying to control her emails and insulate them from review but rather simply did not want to carry around two phones. According to the New York Times, investigators believe that Clinton’s email archive contained “hundreds of potentially classified emails.” Nevertheless, the Justice Department appears to be moving to counter any expectation of a criminal investigation against the former Secretary of State under Obama. We have previously discussed the special treatment historically given powerful figures in violating national security rules or practices.

That is if anything a conservative estimate. As I discussed earlier, virtually anything coming out of the office of the Secretary of State would be considered classified as a matter of course. I have had a TS/SCI clearance since Reagan due to my national security work and have lived under the restrictions imposed on email and other systems. The defense is that this material was not technically classified at the time that it was sent. Thus it was not “classified” information. The problem is that it was not reviewed and classified because it was kept out of the State Department system. Moreover, most high-level communications are treated as classified and only individually marked as classified when there is a request for disclosure. You do not generate material as the Secretary of State and assume that it is unclassified. You are supposed to assume and treat it as presumptively classified. Otherwise, there would be massive exposure of classified material and willful blindness as to the implications of the actions of persons disregarding precautions. For example, there is not a person standing next to the President with a classification stamp in the Oval Office. However, those communications are deemed as presumptively classified and are not disclosed absent review. Under the same logic, the President could use a personal email system because his text messages by definition are not marked as classified. This is the whole reason that Clinton and others were told to use the protected email system run by the State Department. We have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to secure such systems.

US-DeptOfJustice-Seal_svgThe Justice Department has confirmed that it has a request for an inquiry and I fail to see any basis upon which it would not open an investigation. This is a major escalation and will make it more difficult for Clinton to maintain the past spin on the scandal as a purely political hatchet job.

It will also make Clinton’s order to destroy thousands of emails even more problematic. Those emails might now be considered to be potential evidence of a crime like destroying classified papers that you improperly brought home and than insisting that you judged them to be unclassified. The investigation could also expose her aides to criminal questioning under the threat of 18 U.S.C. 1001. That could lead to disclosure of what they were told and what they saw in the emails. It also means that the continued refusal of Clinton to turn over the server will be increasingly difficult to maintain.

As impressive as this exclusive statement is for the Times, there is a controversy over changes made at the request of the Clinton campaign that were not disclosed. Politico is reporting that the Clinton campaign insisted on a change of a line that read that the inspector generals asked for an investigation “into whether Hillary Rodham Clinton mishandled sensitive government information on a private email account she used as secretary of state.” That was changed to “into whether sensitive government information was mishandled in connection with the personal email account Hillary Rodham Clinton used as secretary of state.” The headline was also changed from “Criminal Inquiry Sought in Hillary Clinton’s Use of Email” to “Criminal Inquiry Is Sought in Clinton Email Account.” Both changes are obviously designed to give Clinton a little deniability as to her own role and accountability. However, she has never denied being fully aware that she was electing to circumvent the State Department account for her communications. Indeed, she has indicated that it was a conscious decision based on her earlier views of convenience and multiple phones. Her repeatedly claim that she was never subject to a subpoena has been described as false by media like CNN after it was disclosed that she had indeed been given a subpoena for the emails.

If there is an investigation, this means that Clinton will have to continue much of her campaign facing a possible criminal indictment and subject to questioning from investigators. It will also mean that media will be hard pressed to ignore the story or accept the past soundbites on convenience or political motivations. It also means that, while Clinton has described the release of the emails as “kind of fun,” it is about to get a lot less fun.

205 thoughts on “State Department and Intelligence Agencies Ask For An Investigation in the Clinton Email Scandal”

  6. ISRAEL & AMERICAN TRAITORS DID 9/11

    Dr. Alan Sabrosky former Director of Studies, professor of the U.S. Army War College;
    “It is 100% certain that 9/11 was a Mossad operation period”
    The 9/11 Commission Report is a 571-Page Zionist Lie

  8. Donald Trump endorses Benjamin Netanyahu
    Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the 9/11 Nuclear Attack on America
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got 29 standing ovations from Congress
    Israel and Traitors in the U.S. did 9/11
    Donald Trump as Hillary Clinton are Zionist Traitors / Enemies of America

    Anyone else hear the Twilight Zone theme music when reading that?

  9. Donald Trump endorses Benjamin Netanyahu
    Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the 9/11 Nuclear Attack on America
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got 29 standing ovations from Congress
    Israel and Traitors in the U.S. did 9/11
    Donald Trump as Hillary Clinton are Zionist Traitors / Enemies of America

  10. @forgotwhoiam “Hillary Clinton has been deserving of criminal investigation for more than 37 years.”

    You said it! Everywhere those people go, there are unexplained deaths! And in case you have forgotten all the other bodies this witch has left in her wake……Just a quick refresher course ‘lest we forget’ what has happened to many “friends” of the Clinton’s.

    1- James McDougal – Clintons convicted Whitewater partner died of an apparent heart attack, while in solitary confinement. He was a key witness in Ken Starr’s investigation.
    2 – Mary Mahoney – A former White House intern was murdered July 1997 at a Starbucks Coffee Shop in Georgetown .. The murder happened just after she was togo public w:th her story of sexual harassment in the White House.
    3 – Vince Foster – Former White House councilor, and colleague of Hillary Clinton at Little Rock’s Rose Law firm. Died of a gunshot wound to the head, ruleda suicide.
    4 – Ron Brown – Secretary of Commerce and former DNC Chairman. Reported to have died by impact in a plane crash. A pathologist close to the investigation reported that there was a hole in the top of Brown’s skull resembling a gunshot wound. At the time of his death Brown was being investigated, and spoke publicly of his willingness to cut a deal with prosecutors. The rest of the people on the plane also died. A few days later the air Traffic controller commited suicide.
    5 – C. Victor Raiser, II – Raiser, a major player in the Clinton fund raising organization died in a private plane crash in July 1992.
    6 – Paul Tulley – Democratic National Committee Political Director found dead in a hotelroom in Little Rock , September 1992. Described by Clinton as a “dear friend and trusted advisor”.
    7 – Ed Willey – Clinton fundraiser, found dead November 1993 deep in the woods in VA of a gunshot wound to the head. Ruled a suicide. Ed Willey died on the same day his wife Kathleen Willey claimed Bill Clinton groped her in the oval office in the White House. Ed Willey was involved in several Clinton fund raising events.
    8 – Jerry Parks – Head of Clinton’s gubernatorial security team in Little Rock .. Gunned down in his car at a deserted intersection outside Little Rock Park’s son said his father was building a dossier on Clinton He allegedly threatened to reveal this information. After he died the files were mysteriously removed from his house.
    9 – James Bunch – Died from a gunshot suicide. It was reported that he had a “Black Book” of people which contained names of influential people who visited prostitutes in Texas and Arkansas
    10 – James Wilson – Was found dead in May 1993 from an apparent hanging suicide. He was reported to have ties to Whitewater..
    11 – Kathy Ferguson – Ex-wife of Arkansas Trooper Danny Ferguson, was found dead in May 1994, in her living room with a gunshot to her head. It was ruled a suicide even though there were several packed suitcases, as if she were going somewhere. Danny Ferguson was a co-defendant along with Bill Clinton in the Paula Jones lawsuit Kathy Ferguson was a possible corroborating witness for Paula Jones.
    12 – Bill Shelton – Arkansas State Trooper and fiancee of Kathy Ferguson. Critical of the suicide ruling of his fiancee, he was found dead in June, 1994 of a gunshot wound also ruled a suicide at the grave site of his fiancee.
    13 – Gandy Baugh – Attorney for Clinton’s friend Dan Lassater, died by jumping out a window of a tall building January, 1994. His client was a convicted drug distributor.
    14 – Florence Martin – Accountant & sub-contractor for the CIA, was related to the Barry Seal, Mena, Arkansas, airport drug smuggling case. He died of three gunshot wounds.
    15 – Suzanne Coleman – Reportedly had an affair with Clinton when he was Arkansas Attorney General. Died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head, ruled a suicide. Was pregnant at the time of her death.
    16 – Paula Grober – Clinton’s speech interpreter for the deaf from 1978 until her death December 9, 1992. She died in a one car accident.
    17 – Danny Casolaro – Investigative reporter. Investigating MenaAirport and Arkansas Development Finance Authority. He slit his wrists, apparently, in the middle of his investigation.
    18 – Paul Wilcher – Attorney investigating corruption at MenaAirport with Casolaro and the 1980 “October Surprise” was found dead on a toilet June 22, 1993, in his WashingtonDC apartment. Had delivered a report to Janet Reno 3 weeks before his death.
    19 – Jon Parnell Walker – Whitewater investigator for Resolution Trust Corp. Jumped to his death from his Arlington , Virginia apartment balcony August 15, 1993. He was investigating the Morgan Guaranty scandal.
    20 – Barbara Wise – Commerce Department staffer. Worked closely with Ron Brown and John Huang. Cause of death unknown. Died November 29, 1996. Her bruised, nude body was found locked in her office at the Department of Commerce.
    21 – Charles Meissner – Assistant Secretary of Commerce who gave John Huang special security clearance, died shortly thereafter in a small plane crash.
    22 – Dr. Stanley Heard – Chairman of the National Chiropractic Health Care Advisory Committee died with his attorney Steve Dickson in a small plane crash. Dr. Heard, in addition to serving on Clinton ‘s advisory council personally treated Clinton’s mother, stepfather and brother.
    23 – Barry Seal – Drug running TWA pilot out of Mena Arkansas, death was no accident.
    24 – Johnny Lawhorn, Jr. – Mechanic, found a check made out to Bill Clinton in the trunk of a car left at his repair shop. He was found dead after his car had hit a utility pole.
    25 – Stanley Huggins – Investigated Madison Guaranty. His death was a purported suicide and his report was never released.
    26 – Hershell Friday – Attorney and Clinton fundraiser died March 1, 1994, when his plane exploded.
    27 – Kevin Ives & Don Henry – Known as “The boys on the track” case. Reports say the boys may have stumbled upon the Mena Arkansas airport drug operation. A controversial case, the initial report of death said, due to falling asleep on railroad tracks. Later reports claim the 2 boys had been slain before being placed on the tracks. Many linked to the case died before their testimony could come before a Grand Jury.

    THE FOLLOWING PERSONS HAD INFORMATION ON THE IVES/HENRY CASE:
    28 – Keith Coney – Died when his motorcycle slammed into the back of a truck, 7/88.
    29 – Keith McMaskle – Died, stabbed 113 times, Nov, 1988
    30 – Gregory Collins – Died from a gunshot wound January 1989.
    31 – Jeff Rhodes – He was shot, mutilated and found burned in a trash dump in April 1989.
    32 – James Milan – Found decapitated. However, the Coroner ruled his death was due to natural causes”.
    33 – Jordan Kettleson – Was found shot to death in the front seat of his pickup truck in June 1990.
    34 – Richard Winters – A suspect in the Ives/Henry deaths. He was killed in a set-up robbery July 1989.

    THE FOLLOWING CLINTON BODYGUARDS ARE DEAD
    35 – Major William S. Barkley, Jr.
    36 – Captain Scott J . Reynolds
    37 – Sgt. Brian Hanley
    38 – Sgt. Tim Sabel
    39 – Major General William Robertson
    40 – Col. William Densberger
    41 – Col. Robert Kelly
    42 – Spec. Gary Rhodes
    43 – Steve Willis
    44 – Robert Williams
    45 – Conway LeBleu
    46 – Todd McKeehan

    Quite an impressive list!
    The public must become aware of what happens to friends of the Clintons!

  11. Oops.

    Amusing the left is trying to believe there’s a meaningful difference between saying you’re investigating HC for her use of unsecured email and investigating how her personal email account was used.

  12. Gen. David Petraeus should be tried as a war criminal.
    The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are illegal.
    The U.S. Government has murdered about 1.5 million people in just Iraq.

  14. Hillary Clinton has been deserving of criminal investigation for more than 37 years.

  15. Hillary Clinton Futures Trades Detailed
    By Charles R. Babcock
    Washington Post Staff Writer
    Friday, May 27, 1994; Page A01

    Hillary Rodham Clinton was allowed to order 10 cattle futures contracts, normally a $12,000 investment, in her first commodity trade in 1978 although she had only $1,000 in her account at the time, according to trade records the White House released yesterday.

    The computerized records of her trades, which the White House obtained from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, show for the first time how she was able to turn her initial investment into $6,300 overnight. In about 10 months of trading, she made nearly $100,000, relying heavily on advice from her friend James B. Blair, an experienced futures trader.

  16. Washington (CNN)—Gen. David Petraeus, once a widely celebrated military leader who oversaw operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and was touted as a potential presidential candidate, was sentenced to serve two years on probation and to pay an $100,000 fine on Thursday for sharing classified information with his biographer and lover, Paula Broadwell.

  17. The Local and National Media Sell Out
    Zionist Jews Own the Media

    “The power of lies, deceptions and disinformation as Americans pay the price of collective stupidity.”
    To America’s so-called journalists omission is the name of the game
    The most powerful form of lie is the omission – George Orwell
    They are quite accomplished in telling a blatant lie also
    The Local, National and World Media are Zionist Liars. These criminals have an agenda against America
    They are complicit in 9/11, War Crimes, Mass Murder, Maiming, Treason, Torture, Forgery, Fraud and Thievery – Innumerable Crimes
    We are calling for the arrests of all the Zionist Liars
    Zionist Criminals should be peacefully apprehended and incarcerated but not executed

    They have not reported;
    1.) All the U.S. invasions are Wars of Aggression – War Crimes
    2.) Obama’s birth certificates and draft card are forgeries
    3.) Obama claims to have been born in Hawaii. Hawaii governor could not find Obama’s birth certificate. Hospitals have no record
    4.) Israel and American traitors did 9/11
    5.) Vaccines are full of toxic chemicals. Vaccines cause autism and many other diseases
    6.) Obama is one of the biggest criminals in world history
    7.) Zionist Jews control America
    8.) According to the Federal Government, Obama’s Social Security number is a fake
    9.) Obama is a homosexual. His real name is Barry Soetoro
    10.) Obama was a War Criminal in 2005-2007 for voting to fund U.S. and Israeli War Crimes
    11.) Obama held offices of Illinois senator, U.S. senator and U.S. president illegally as he is not a U.S. citizen
    12.) Obama was born in Kenya and is a citizen of Indonesia
    13.) By law Obama is not the president. He can be arrested like anyone else
    14.) For swearing in an illegal president Chief Justice John Roberts is the biggest traitor in American history
    15.) Your boards of elections are corrupt in placing non-citizen, criminal Obama on the ballot
    16.) Obama surrendered his law license in 2008 due to Illinois bar application fraud
    17.) According to our Constitution Obama never qualified as a ‘Natural Born Citizen’ for the office of Presidency
    18.) Many Members of Congress have been voting to fund U.S. and Israeli War Crimes. They can be indicted as war criminals
    19.) Washington DC = Nazi Berlin in Nuremberg war crimes law
    20.) Obama, Bush and many in the U.S. government are mass murderers / war criminals
    21.) Only the ignorant, liars or cowards, will refer to Obama as president
    22.) Obama, Bush and their followers have blood on their hands before God which is the worst situation imaginable in this evil world
    23.) Obama, Bush, their followers, U.S. government and media are doing the deeds of Satan, their master
    24.) Judaism Rejects Zionism and the state of Israel
    25.) The Federal Reserve, which is not part of the Federal Government, is a Zionist Banker Mafia
    26.) Anti-Zionism is not Anti-Semitism. Zionism is not Judaism
    27.) 3 towers came down on 9/11. It was an inside job, controlled demolition with nukes and nanothermite
    28.) The 9/11 dust was full of asbestos which causes mesothelioma, lung cancer and other serious potentially fatal diseases
    29.) For sixteen years Obama claimed he was born In Kenya
    30.) By many credible reports Osama Bin Laden died of kidney failure in 2001

  18. http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/07/new-york-times-alters-clinton-email-story-211176.html

    The New York Times made small but significant changes to an exclusive report about a potential criminal investigation into Hillary Clinton’s State Department email account late Thursday night, but provided no notification of or explanation for of the changes.

    The paper initially reported that two inspectors general have asked the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation “into whether Hillary Rodham Clinton mishandled sensitive government information on a private email account she used as secretary of state.”

    That clause, which cast Clinton as the target of the potential criminal probe, was later changed: the inspectors general now were asking for an inquiry “into whether sensitive government information was mishandled in connection with the personal email account Hillary Rodham Clinton used as secretary of state.”

    **************
    Oops.

  19. “I know you right wing nutjobs are happy as hell, one problem, the NYT just retracted their own story about 2 hours ago…..Now go back and start coloring your Saint Ronnie’s coloring book, if you didn’t eat the crayons yet…………”

    Can you speak English! Crayons have asbestos! Who is Saint Ronnie? No retract of any story in the NYT’s, just Rolling Stone Magazine’s retract of a fake rape story. lol

  20. Glenn

    I know you right wing nutjobs are happy as hell, one problem, the NYT just retracted their own story about 2 hours ago…

    Really? The NYT correction makes the distinction that the investigation is into HC’s email account and not HC. Is this the “retraction” you mean?

Comments are closed.