Criminal law, Justice, Media, Politics, Society

Comey: Combetta Insisted That He Acted Alone In Destroying Evidence After He Was Given Immunity

I recently wrote a column on FBI investigation into the Clinton email scandal and revised my view as to the handling of the investigation in light of the five immunity deals handed out by the Justice Department.  I had previously noted that FBI Director James Comey was within accepted lines of prosecutorial discretion in declining criminal charges, even though I believed that such charges could have been brought. However, the news of the immunity deals (and particularly the deal given top ranking Clinton aide Cheryl Mills) was baffling and those deals seriously undermined the ability to bring criminal charges in my view.  Now, Comey has testified before both the Senate and the House. His answers only magnified concerns over the impact and even the intent of granting immunity to those most at risk of criminal charges.

Before his testimony in the House, Comey spoke in the Senate and stated that he gave immunity to Mills because she refused to turn over her laptop — a highly dubious rationale, as I previously discussed.

First the timeline is now becoming clear and it makes the immunity deal even more bizarre given what the FBI knew about Colorado-based tech specialist Paul Combetta and Clinton aides Cheryl Mills and IT specialist Bryan Pagliano.

cheryl_d-_millsIn July 2014, then-chief of staff Cheryl Mills was told that Clinton’s emails were being sought.

On July 23, 2014 Combetta got a call from Mills on the server and emails.

On July 24, 2014, Combetta received an email from Clinton IT specialist Pagliano.

On July 24, Combetta then went online to Reddit to solicit help on stripping out “a VIP’s (VERY VIP) email address from a bunch of archived emails.” He revealed that “they don’t want the VIP’s email address exposed to anyone.”

What is incredible is that the Justice Department would give immunity to the parties on both ends of those communications — guaranteeing that a criminal prosecution is no longer a real threat.

bleachbit-paul-combettaComey deepened those concerns with his testimony.  After these conversations with Mills and Clinton aides, Combetta destroyed the evidence.  Comey admits that that Mills did disclose the preservation order.  Combetta however mysteriously then destroys the evidence.  Comey was asked what he got from the immunity deal with Combetta.  He said “We learned no one directed him to do that.”  First, that is a pretty poor showing for immunity, particularly when there is usually a proffer offered before an immunity grant on the expected content of immunized testimony.  The greater problem is that it makes little sense.  Why would Combetta take it upon himself to destroy evidence that he knew was being sought by Congress and was already a matter of intense national attention.  Comey could not explain why he simply accepted Combetta’s word or why that denial was worth an immunity deal.

 

None of that makes any logical sense if you are trying to build a criminal case.  It certainly strains credulity to believe that a techie in Colorado decided to unilaterally defy the United States Congress and destroy evidence in one of the nation’s greatest scandals.  The fact that this occurred immediately after calls from Clinton figures like Mills would raise considerable doubt in most investigators.  Yet, the Justice Department jumped at the chance to immunize the key players in the key communications.  That is a legitimate matter of congressional concern . . . and investigation.

140 thoughts on “Comey: Combetta Insisted That He Acted Alone In Destroying Evidence After He Was Given Immunity”

  2. If the Bush 43 White House engaged in “shredding the Constitution” because of improper deletion of emails,
    then “W” should neved be allowed to run for President again. 😉😏
    Hillary’s lawyers, many lacking any clearance to view classified material, were the ones who sorted through her emails, and made the call on the “personal” or “work related”
    nature of the mails.
    Only those emails deemed work related BY THEM were released.
    ( Minus the 33,000 emails under subpeona that got the “BleachBit” treatment).
    There was actually a proposal during the Watergate investigation that Nixon’s lawyers would review the audio tapes, then turn over what THEY determined to be Watergate-related.
    That proposal fell through, but at one point it had strong Congressional support.
    Once the investigation reach a certain point, and when the special prosecutor
    nixed that proposal, the subpeoned tapes were supposed to be secured pending final SCOTUS decision on the matter.
    The 8-0 decision against Nixon sealed his fate. 18 1/2 minutes of one tape was “mysteriously” erased.
    Vs. 33,000 subpeoned emails recently destroyed.
    I can’t think of one immunity deal handed out during the course of the Watergate investigation or trials, but I’d have to review that period to be sure.

    1. yup, and how bout them emails relating to the TPP that Obama has put on hold until the END of November? Absolute corruption!

    2. PS- I didn’t know of any immunity deals in the 1972-1974 Watergate investigations and trials.
      I checked a bit and found that the Senate Watergate Committee actually DID give limited immunity to at least a dozen witnesses.
      With the exception of John Dean, those given limited immunity seemed to be the “small fish”.
      John Dean , White House Counsel for Nixon, was a key participant in the Watergate coverup from the very beginning.
      He continued to be actively involved in the cover up for near a year; when he saw it was unravelling, he “jumped ship” and gave testimony which helped to sink his co-conspirators.
      The limited immunity deal for John Dean did not prevent prison sentence he received.
      He served only a very small part of his c.4 year sentence, and was disbarred…..permanently, I think.

  3. This was held
    —————–

    Judicial Watch

    On Thursday, September 29 – from 11:00 to 12:30 AM – Judicial Watch will bring together a panel of top experts for an incisive, in-depth analysis of the growing Hillary Clinton email/Clinton Foundation scandals.

    The panel will be hosted by Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. He will be joined by Clinton scandal experts Peter Schweizer, author of the New York Times best-seller Clinton Cash; Joseph E. diGenova, former U.S. States Attorney, District of Columbia; Jerome Corsi, bestselling author of Partners in Crime; and Judicial Watch Director of Investigations Chris Farrell.

    Panel: “Clinton Scandal Update – Emails and the Clinton Foundation”
    ————————————–

    They were excellent. Joe diGenova was riveting!
    He starts about 43:43

    http://www.judicialwatch.org/live/

  4. House of Cards indeed. I just wish Hillary looked half as good as Claire Underwood.

  5. There are A LOT of people needing a Clinton victory come November or this house of cards will come tumbling down.

  6. And yet, Comey told Congress the following: “…COMEY: He had the ‘Oh S-H-I-T’ moment as he told us. And that is why it was very important for us to interview this guy. To find out who told him to do that, why did you do that. That is why he was given immunity…”

    http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/09/28/rep_jim_jordan_clinton_it_guy_given_immunity_is_trying_to_cover_up_the_cover_up.html

    So Comey thinks Combetta got an order from someone higher up as well. This meshes with Combetta’s own written work on Reddit where he says “they” want the e-mails gone. The interview at the link above gives a rather clear timeline of conversations with higher up minions and Combetta.

  7. The last Republican who got investigated was Nixon.

    Sixty embassy deaths on Bush’s watch and ZERO hearings or investigations.
    Twenty-two million missing emails via Karl Rove about the time the US Attorney firing scandal happened and barely a yawn.
    If your only defense is to call it BDS and LOL about it, then you have no credibility, no common sense and nothing to contribute.

    1. There was no US Attorney firing scandal, it was manufactured by partisan Democrats. US attorneys serve at the pleasure of the President. Bilge Clinton fired all 93 US Attorneys when he took office.

      1. Right. No scandal at all! The 22 million deleted emails had nothing to do with anything.
        Just like the deleted Clinton emails have nothing to do with anything either.
        So simple when we look at it your way!

        1. Philat,
          You are so right! Corruption on the right, corruption on the left. I’m with you, investigate everything and until it’s all sorted out, DO NOT allow an establishment candidate to get anywhere near the office of the President. AND weed out those sitting members that are complicit in the corruption.

          You’ve made a great case against Hillary Clinton and I appreciate your honesty!

          Well done!

          1. Yes, Hillary is my second to last choice for President. Trump is my absolute last choice, and if the Republicans has run anyone sane, I would seriously think about voting for them. I know she has all this experience, and knowledge, etc., but she keeps making bad judgements, even knowing that everyone is watching and waiting to jump on her. And I don’t like how cozy she is with the Banks and the Military Industrial Complex.

            All of that said, I’m going to vote for her because Donald is too scary and too dangerous to even think about letting him anywhere near the White House. There is new bad news about him every day. Today it’s that he did business in Cuba in violation of the trade embargo. Yesterday it was someone from StormFront saying that every American Nazi they know is working to get him elected. Then there’s the bribery scandal in Florida, the business failures and bankruptcies, the thousands ot people he’s screwed in business, the fact that he manufactures almost all his product lines outside the US, the rape accusations, the outrageous misogyny, the links to Russian mobsters and oligarchs, and worst of all, his incredibly thin-skinned narcissism which I find frightening.

            So it’s an awful election year. I’m hoping we can do better in 2020. Meanwhile I’m voting for Hillary and hoping like hell BOTH parties will keep her in line.

            1. You just told her in no uncertain terms that you will not help keep her in line. She can commit and has already committed murder and torture yet you will vote for her. You have greenlighted her actions and she knows she can count on you and Democrats in general to let her do just as she pleases. There are no consequences, even for murder and torture. You will still vote for her as will countless others.

              People can’t keep Clinton in line by voting for her. That’s what you all said about Obama and he just keeps on making war, committing murder and torture. He’s pushing for one of the worst trade agreements in US history. He’s authorized massive spying on our population. Sure, you guys really keep his feet to the fire-NOT!!!

              Stop this madness. Stand up for our nation and say NO, I do not consent, now while it has a meaning.

              1. What murder did she commit? What torture? What on Earth are you talking about?

                This level of hysteria and hyperbole is not furthering the conversation.

                You want Jill Stein the person who hasn’t managed to win anything bigger than a village council seat?

                Or Gary I’m-so-stoned-I-can’t-think-of-any-world-leader-names Johnson?

                Or is it Trump, the most dangerous candidate ever?

                1. philly, You are prey for the crazies .I have been there done that. They are right wing political operatives. Some pretend to be leftists but if you notice they ever say anything negative about Trump.

                  1. I know, I know. I keep thinking that this is the legal discussion board it once was, but Prof Turley has become obsessed with Mrs. Clinton, and he does little more than feed red meat to the right wing extremists who now populate this board.

                    It’s a shame, because the discussions used to be civil and intelligent and interesting. Now it’s all conspiracy and right wing talking points. I notice you don’t spend much time here any more and I understand it. I’m looking for a more civil legal discussion blog and then I’m out of here.

                    There are so many interesting legal topics in the news now, sovereign immunity, voter suppression, etc., but this board has deteriorated into justifications of murder by the police and the all Hillary all the time theme.

                    It’s a shame really. Now watch the insults come rolling in.

                    Be well

                    4. ” keep thinking that this is the legal discussion board it once was”

                      Damn that Jonathan Turley character for using a legal discussion board to discuss the law. It was so much funner when it functioned as a utilitarian dream sheet and nobody complained. Damn the law! We need more progress.

                      This has been an entertaining day. 🙂

                2. phillyT: “What murder did she commit? What torture? What on Earth are you talking about?”

                  You and a smiling Henry Kissinger think alike.

                  You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

                  1. Oooh another fake profile deleted.

                    I’m impressed that you spelled Kissinger correctly, but I’m not going to respond to your nonsense, whoever you are.

                3. You can read about it in Salon–she cell phoned in her drone kills. I don’t know how much you know about what happened in Libya but it definitely qualifies for torture. I would suggest doing research in these areas, maybe on Glenn Greenwald’s site.

              2. and let’s not forget indefinite detention by our constitutional prez, defender of democracy NOT

            2. “but she keeps making bad judgements, even knowing that everyone is watching and waiting to jump on her.”

              I don’t blame you for failing to list her *ahem* bad judgments like you did for Trump. Your post would have challenged Issac on length and we all know nobody really reads Issac past the first paragraph. Anyway, Clinton doesn’t need judgment at all; she’s never held to account. Her taking the oath of office would clearly be a waste of time, just like most in Washington. I’m not sure why you would fear Trump more than Clinton though, given Clinton’s proven history in public office. Conservatives are stuck with having to vote for Trump but they WILL NOT, I WILL NOT take my eyes off of him. He WILL BE held to account “if” he proves to have “bad judgment”. He WILL NOT get a 2nd term if he proves as corruptible as his opponent.

              Voting for Clinton will be like putting a wall around Washington D.C. It will end up being one huge “Safe Space” for politicians.

              1. Well, the Republicans have spent over $100Million on Benghazi and found nothing. The FBI has been investigating forever and can’t find a reason to indict. Nothing on WhiteWater. It turns out the Clinton Foundation is actually a good charity and not a scam like Trumps charities.

                So let’s assume, as so many do on this board, that Hillary is a super master mind criminal of the worst kind. If she’s REALLY that good, shouldn’t she be playing 3D chess with someone like Putin, rather than a clumsy racist oaf like Trump who can’t seem to get over his boy crush on Putin?

                Maybe we just have to leave it here, but I’ve lived through Nixon, Reagan and Cheney, and I think Trump is worse than all three of them put together.

    2. “Our Constitution is being shredded. We know about the secret White House email account.
      It’s a stunning record of secrecy and corruption.”
      It’s not true, as stated by Philly T., that “there was barely a yawn” in reaction to the emails deleted ( primarily by Karl Rove, from an RNC-controlled computer).
      The outrage expressed in the above quote was expressed in 2007, by Sen. Hillary Clinton.
      I don’t remembed incidences of mishandled classified material, or even allegations that classified material was mishandled.
      The RNC-controlled system was separate from the official White House system, which was the primary system used for classified, or “sensitive”, material.
      The secured State Dept. system seems to be rarely if ever used by Hillary; the private server was set up and used to circumvent use of the State Dept.’s own system.
      Both the RNC system, and the Hillary home brew system, probably violated provisions of the Record Acts.
      But I haven’t scene any evidence, or accusations, that the RNC system supplanted the official White House system as the primary means of sending or receiving White House correspondence.

      1. The reason you haven’t “scene” any evidence is that Bush and Cheney convinced them to stop looking, and the Dems pussed out as they so often do. they assume the Republicans are going to give them the same pass when it comes to their own stupid and/or illegal activities but they don’t. You could look at it as kind of a battered wife syndrome, or maybe a Lucy and the football thing. Either way, the Dems always get played for suckers and they always take the bait.

        The truth is (probably) that we will never know the full extent of the RNC / White House email affair because they just stopped looking at it. Unfortunately, There were clear violations of the Hatch Act and the Presidential Records Act. In the end, much like the current “scandal” with Mrs. Clinton, the Justice Department concluded that the US Attorney firings were inappropriately political but not technically illegal. Rove refused to comply with the subpoenas and resigned his position.

  9. If this was ANY Republican there would be TV investigative specials and it would be front page in the NYT’s and WaPo DAILY. The MSM is destroying the minute credibility it has on this woman. Their attempts to protect their queen is backfiring and will elect Trump.

  10. From the LA Times:

    “Andrew Anglin, editor of the Daily Stormer website and an emerging leader of a new generation of millennial extremists, said he had “zero interest” in the 2012 general election and viewed presidential politics as “pointless.” That is, until he heard Trump.

    ‘Trump had me at ‘build a wall,’” Anglin said. “Virtually every alt-right Nazi I know is volunteering for the Trump campaign.'”

    1. Hmmm. The Daily Stormer has come out after a major Trump supporter, named “Milo.” He just had to cancel an event because of their threats. Sooo, you and the Stormer are on the same wavelength???

      I guess I should have suspected the connection when the anti-Trumpers went all brown-shirty and were shutting down rallies.

      Squeeky Fromm
      Girl Reporter

      1. Not me baby. I say let ’em talk so we can all see just who they are.

        Years ago the Republicans under WF Bucklry shunned all the nazis and Birchers and RW conspiracy nuts. Now they’ve invited them all back in along with the angry white tea-baggers.

        I say let them all talk. The sooner people hear what they have to say, the sooner they’ll run away screaming—just like what happened after they heard Trump Monday night.

        1. really? that’s why Trump raised 13 mil in one night post debate? and had tens of thousands at his rally in FL the day after? And HRC despite the help of Bernie can’t get people under the age of 50 to attend her talks (I says talks cause they ain’t no rallies for sure!) Even Jill, despite the silence from the MSM, can bring in more folks!

      2. John Bachtell, chairman of the U.S. Communist Party, has announced his support for Hillary.
        I don’t think Hillary has disavowed his support or renounced him.
        The onus is on Trump to renounce some other nuts who support him.
        Both candidates may recognize that making a point of disassociating themselves from fringe supporters only draws more attention to those supporters.
        If Trump is called upon to renounce the Nazis, Hillary should be required to renounce the Comminists.

  11. Our political system is a sewer. Only two candidates have been allowed for this election. My conclusion is that probably we will need to learn to live with the nauseating smell of a clogged sewer for the next four years. A breathing mask could be our only solution since the other option is blood on the streets.

  12. One saving grace about this horrid election cycle is that I have been introduced by both Bernie and Trump to some truly amazing people. Two of my fav Trump surrogates are the sisters Diamond and Silk.

  14. This Administration learned well from the Nixon and GWB presidencies. Use the immunity grants to cut off both ends of an investigation.

    I will not be surprised if Obama doesnt pardon HRC of any possible crimes in the name of reconciliation and national security…to stop any further expenditures of the nation’s resources.

  15. Head north to North Dakota DAPL. Hillary will fix it.

    Lots of action. Storm troopers with boy toys show up armed to teeth on September 28, 2016. Hold on to your seat here’s video.

      1. Maybe Hillary will shoot first.

        There’s a club where Clintons Have Golfed & Retains Ways of Old South. Whites only.

  16. After much thought, I’ve finally come to the conclusion that I should vote for Hillary Clinton after all. She is a genuine hero in so many ways. She started out as a simple country lawyer, and through years of selfless, dedicated public service she has amassed a fortune and lives in several of the wealthiest and prestigious areas of the nation. And she has done so without having to build or create anything of her own. Just sheer public service.

    And she is truly a woman of principle. She has carried out her service to the public with such passion and energy, yet no once has she ever been accused of a crime or spent a day in jail. And she has not even had to order anyone killed or assaulted, even though so many of tried to oppose her — at least nothing she has ever had to admit to.

    She will be a hero to all young women of this great nation. And she will also inspire all young men too, as they will say, “if she can be so successful and important without creating or building anything, than I can too!”

    And, finally, the media has clearly made their preferences known. And the media always has the public’s best interests at heart. That’s the only reason they exist too. Much like Hillary Clinton, they too are dedicated, selfless servants to the public good.

    So, bearing all this mind, we not only can vote for Hillary Clinton, but we must! The fate of America depends upon it!

    1. NIce one Ralph. It reminds me of the statement: “Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes clear to the bone.” The only way to not see “ugly” in this woman is by not wanting to see ugly in this woman.

    2. Ralph, you should be able to receive some Clinton Cash for this most excellent endorsement! Submit an invoice to David Brock.

  17. Patriot (@musicman27103), September 29, 2016 at 10:34 am

    “Judicial Watch

    “On Thursday, September 29 – from 11:00 to 12:30 AM – Judicial Watch will bring together a panel of top experts for an incisive, in-depth analysis of the growing Hillary Clinton email/Clinton Foundation scandals.”

    Thanks for calling attention to this excellent panel discussion. I watched it and highly recommend viewing it, especially if one is still a Clinton supporter.

  18. @issacbasonkavich, September 29, 2016 at 10:01 am
    “One candidate that knows the sewer and another that is a completely different sewer but has little to no idea of the sewer that is the American government. Tough choice.”

    The key question regarding one’s probable success in either the sewer of Big Government or the sewer of Big Business (the two sides of the same coin of filthy lucre) is that asked by Ed Norton, when Ralph Kramden expressed interest in joining Ed as a city sewer worker: “Can you float?”

    Or as Buckminster Fuller put it, “In politics, unlike the rest of the natural world, the densest rise to the top.”

    Tribalistic political partisans are confident that they see a Tootsie Roll and another, highly suspect, object in the pool of major political party presidential candidates.

    Judging from the unfavorability ratings of both Benito and Killary, it seems that more and more Americans are prudently exiting the pool.

    1. We laughed our way through your post twice. Something we need right now.
      There are so many “Tootsie Rolls” in our American pool we don’t need to swim. We can walk out.

    2. Ken Rogers

      You put it another way and with much needed humor. The bottom line is there are only two options this time around. One is an almost completely known good and evil, who has the sewer experience. The other is a known good and evil with a lot of secrets, an established bigoted and racist past, an oligarch that waves the oligarch flag, and not that bright. Trump could have had the election by a mile if he had a real brain. There’s the used car/real estate developer brain and then there is the brain that has been tempered in the sewer that is our political system.

      To put it another way, how many times does America have to make the mistakes of the sort that was W before it learns? Trump is simply another W but worse, more dangerous, and not necessary. It is simple fear mongering.

  20. I feel the psychic need to write an Open Letter on behalf of the Democratic Party Cult Members here. I think I am channeling them correctly when I say:

    Dear Professor Turley,

    How are you? Fine, we hope, Hey, could you do us Democrats a little favor, and knock off all this analysis about Hillary’s email scam, and the phony FBI Investigation. Because as Democrats and college educated white people, it is very important to our mental health that we feel smarterer and betterer than everybody else.

    And all this negative stuff is causing us severe emotional distress. The more corrupt and evil you reveal Hillary, Obama, and our whole party to be, the harder you make us work to make Trump look even worser. Because we are going to vote for Hillary no matter how rotten she is because she is a Democrat. But even though we are trapped like rats by our blind, faith-based belief in the party, we are still human beings and we don’t want people thinking that we are just stupid cult members.

    Sooo, pretty pleeeeeze can you help maintain our self-respect!

    Thanking you in advance!

    The Democrats

    Squeeky Fromm
    Girl Reporter

    2. Best get thee to a safe space my friend before you melt away =) Or should I say “ze” Hilarious as always! Kudos to you!

    3. Good one Squeeky. Noe, reach out to the paid help!

      Dear Hillary,

      I need more money to do your dirty work on this site. Usually I’m over at Daily Kos or Common Dreams etc. shoring up your tepid supporters. I feel I should get some extra pay when I have to go to sites where people think differently than you tell them to think!

      Sincerely,

      Your loyal but underpaid servants at Corrct the Record!

      1. Jill,

        You forgot TYT, Thom Hartman, Politico, Salon, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, der Spiegel, the Guardian, Real Clear Politics, Reader Supported News…… Hilbots have infiltrated all of them =) BUT we still Progressives at TimBlackTV.com, LTMB, HA Goodman, Jimmy Dore, Lee Camp, CounterPunch, Democracy Now, Secular Talk…

        1. Alejandro – unlike David Brock and George Soros, Breitbart does not pay anyone they do not publish.

      3. Maybe Jill digs Squeeks comments about black “savages” but some people might need to be paid to stomach such vile racism. Don’t read that stuff on Kos. This blog is unique in that respect. it has a high tolerance for despicably bigoted attacks against gays and black.

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