By Roger J. Katz, Attoney at Law and Stephen L. D’Andrilli
James B. Comey Reluctantly Gives Hillary A Clinton A “Get Out Of Jail Free Card” But He Would Never Break Bread With Her.
New York, NY -(Ammoland.com)- “Laws are like cobwebs, which may catch small flies, but let wasps and hornets break through.” Jonathan Swift
“It is an old saying that the quickest way to ruin a military career is to mishandle money or classified documents. Military defense counsel do well to remember that most old sayings are true.” USALSA REPORT: Trial Defense Service Notes: Practical Aspects of Trying Cases Involving Classified Information, Major Joseph A. Woodruff, Fort Rucker Field Office, U.S. Army Trial Defense Service, U.S. Army Legal Services Agency (June, 1986)
On Tuesday, July 5, 2016 the top police official, FBI Director James B. Comey, told the American public the FBI would not recommend criminal indictment of Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The complete text of Comey’s statement is available on the FBI’s website:
The Director’s statement is divided into four parts.
- First, the Director explains the purpose for his “unusual statement.”
- Second, the Director explains the nature of the investigation.
- Third, he explains what the FBI found. Last, the Director explains the FBI’s decision.
While seemingly straightforward, James Comey’s lengthy statement shows inconsistencies – due perhaps to his unease with the decision. Was he pressured? One cannot but wonder.
Comey explains the investigation into Clinton’s use of a personal e-mail server to conduct Government business, “during her time as Secretary of State.” The depth and breadth of that investigation shows the enormity of Clinton’s detestable behavior.
This is after all a criminal investigation. Comey makes that fact plain. He points out the investigation proceeded as a referral from the Intelligence Community Inspector General.
“Our investigation looked at whether there is evidence classified information was improperly stored or transmitted on that personal system, in violation of a federal statute making it a felony to mishandle classified information either intentionally or in a grossly negligent way, or a second statute making it a misdemeanor to knowingly remove classified information from appropriate systems or storage facilities.”
Comey doesn’t cite the federal Statute. It is this one: 18 U.S.C. § 793. Title 18 of the U.S. Code is titled “Crimes and Criminal Procedure.” 18 U.S.C. § 793 falls within Chapter 37. Chapter 37 is titled:
“Espionage and Censorship.” 18 U.S.C. § 793 is titled, “Gathering, transmitting, or losing defense information.” Specifically, 18 U.S.C. § 793(f) and (g) reads, “Whoever, being entrusted with or having lawful possession or control of any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, note, or information, relating to the national defense, (1) through gross negligence permits the same to be removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of his trust, or to be lost, stolen, abstracted, or destroyed, or (2) having knowledge that the same has been illegally removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of his trust, or lost, or stolen, abstracted, or destroyed, and fails to make prompt report of such loss, theft, abstraction, or destruction to his superior officer—Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.”
Clinton claims her use of a personal server—actually several personal, private servers—to store or transmit government business simply shows, at worst, poor judgment—something her hangers-on and toadies willingly concede. If so, that alone should preclude her from serving as U.S. President. Clinton also claims her use of a personal server to store and transmit Government business didn’t offend State Department policy. She’s wrong. It does. She says, too, use of a private server to conduct Government business doesn’t rise to the level of a crime. Actually, it does.
Clinton suggests her behavior isn’t illegal because no federal crime pertains to the kind of behavior the F.B.I. investigated. Were that true, the F.B.I. would have no legal basis to investigate Clinton. But Clinton is wrong. Her actions and behavior fall precisely within violation of a specific federal criminal law, namely, 18 U.S.C. § 793(f). That Statute is the peg the FBI hangs its hat on when it commenced its investigation of Clinton’s use of a private server to conduct federal Government business.
Oddly, after reciting the nature and extent of Clinton’s actions, one expects the Director to recommend indictment of Clinton to the Attorney General, Loretta Lynch. He fails to do so.
Understand, this does not mean Clinton didn’t violate 18 U.S.C. § 793(f). Comey doesn’t say that. He never says that; nor does he intimate that. He does say,
“Although there is evidence of potential violations of the statutes regarding the handling of classified information, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case. Prosecutors necessarily weigh a number of factors before bringing charges. There are obvious considerations, like the strength of the evidence, especially regarding intent. Responsible decisions also consider the context of a person’s actions, and how similar situations have been handled in the past.”
Concern and confusion reign over Director Comey’s decision because of the quantity of damning evidence against Clinton and its serious nature. But, why did Comey issue a statement? Why, especially, did he issue a statement abruptly following the F.B.I.’s interview of Clinton?
Reporting on that interview, The New York Times stated, “It could take weeks or longer to reach a decision. . . .” See, “F.B.I. Interviews Clinton over Private Email Server.” Amy Chozick, July 2, 2016. . So the Times must have been taken aback when Comey responded with a public statement a few days later.
The Director of the F.B.I. says;
“I think the American people deserve those details in a case of intense public interest.” He also says, “I have not coordinated or reviewed this statement in any way with the Department of Justice or any other part of the government. They do not know what I am about to say.”
Is that second assertion true? Perhaps. But, consider: Obama had made plans to campaign with and for Hillary Clinton in North Carolina later that day. They were both on their merry way to North Carolina when Comey delivered his statement to the American public.
Comey asserts no other part of Government knew what he would say. But that assertion doesn’t imply another part of the federal Government didn’t know Comey would deliver a statement. Clearly, Obama knew that. He must have known that. More to the point, although Comey says he didn’t give anyone in Government the text of his statement, that doesn’t mean Comey didn’t inform Obama of the F.B.I.’s decision. After all, Obama and Clinton were off, that morning, to campaign together in North Carolina.
Would a sitting President be seen campaigning with a candidate for the highest Office in the Land if that President harbored doubts as to Comey’s decision? Not likely.
Director Comey drafted his decision with care. Each word is measured. We must parse it to understand the motive behind it and the content of it.
Director Comey says, “In looking back at our investigations into mishandling or removal of classified information, we cannot find a case that would support bringing criminal charges on these facts. All the cases prosecuted involved some combination of: clearly intentional and willful mishandling of classified information; or vast quantities of materials exposed in such a way as to support an inference of intentional misconduct; or indications of disloyalty to the United States; or efforts to obstruct justice. We do not see those things here.”
This passage is troubling—no less so because, again, Comey drafted his statement with great care. Whether case law exists to support a recommendation to indict Hillary Clinton, this shouldn’t factor into his decision. The absence of a similar fact pattern is legally irrelevant. And, whether prosecutors would be likely to obtain a conviction, that, too, shouldn’t factor into the F.B.I.’s decision since the F.B.I. wouldn’t be prosecuting the case. The Attorney General’s Office would be prosecuting. Moreover, would the F.B.I. dare speculate as to the outcome of a case given the stakes? After all, we are talking about the behavior of a person who seeks the highest Office in the Land. Let the Attorney General make the call whether or not to prosecute Clinton. The question is, rather, simply and clearly, whether the facts of the matter under investigation meet the requirements of a federal criminal statute. They do.
Comey stresses the absence of actual knowledge on Clinton’s part, as he discusses Clinton’s actions in this matter. But actual knowledge isn’t required. The mental state of the actor as set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 793(f) is met if the actor “through gross negligence permits the same to be removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of his trust, or to be lost, stolen, abstracted, or destroyed.” Actual knowledge isn’t necessary. A critical element of the Statute is satisfied once “gross negligence” is present. The presence of “gross negligence” on the part of Clinton and others exists—in fact, “gross negligence” exists many times over. This is clearly manifest in Comey’s recitation to the American public.
But, oddly, Comey refrains from ever mentioning that Clinton’s mental state does meet the standard of gross negligence even if she didn’t have actual knowledge of wrongdoing. Black’s Law Dictionary (Ninth Edition) defines ‘gross negligence’ as, one, ‘a lack of slight diligence or care,’ or, two, ‘a conscious, voluntary act or omission in reckless disregard of a legal duty and of the consequences to another party. . . .” That standard has been met.
Comey says this: “Although we did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.”
By avoiding use of the expression, ‘gross negligence,’ Comey draws the listener to his outrage over Clinton’s behavior but veers from categorizing that behavior as criminal within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 793(f), which would have mandated a recommendation of indictment.
Black’s Law Dictionary (Ninth Edition) also defines the word, ‘careless,’ a word the Director of the F.B.I. does use when categorizing Clinton’s actions and conduct. The legal meaning of the noun form of the adjective, ‘careless,’ namely, ‘carelessness,’ is ‘the fact, condition, or instance of a person’s either not having done what he or she ought to have done, or having done what he or she ought not to have done; heedless inattention.’ Black’s Law Dictionary (Ninth Edition) says the word, ‘carelessness’ can be a synonym for ‘negligence.’
Granted, the mental state necessary to invoke 18 U.S.C. § 793(f) isn’t met through the presence of simple negligence. But, Comey says Clinton or her colleagues “were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.” By adding the adverb, ‘extremely,’ to the adjective, ‘careless,’ Director Comey implies that Clinton’s actions and behavior do meet the standard of ‘gross negligence,’ set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 793(f).
The expressions, ‘extreme carelessness’ and ‘gross negligence’ are functional equivalents. But, Comey has decided he won’t recommend indictment, and, since the precise expression, ‘extremely careless’ or ‘extreme carelessness,’ does not appear in 18 U.S.C. § 793(f), Comey achieves a modicum of cover by using the expression, ‘extreme carelessness,’ in lieu of the expression ‘gross negligence’ to explain Clinton’s actions.
Nonetheless, the Director of the FBI makes abundantly clear that he finds Clinton’s actions and behavior detestable—unworthy of one who would be Secretary of State, let alone of one who would be the President of the United States. He castigates Clinton and her colleagues constantly, relentlessly. His caustic words rise well above mere admonishment.
So, was the Director of the F.B.I. pressured into letting Clinton go? We think so. Director Comey has the weight of the future of this Country on his shoulders. Had he recommended indictment, the Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, would have to accept the recommendation or recuse herself from acting upon it. Obama would not be able to intervene in Clinton’s behalf without looking more the fool. Clinton, for her part, would have to cease campaigning.
Comey’s statement bespeaks both the frustration of an honorable man caught in the middle of a blistering episode in our Nation’s history, compelled to render a decision he would rather not, but clearly disgusted over Clinton’s actions and behavior as Secretary of State.
He is intent on illustrating his disgust to the American People. Comey’s tacit message to the American People is clear. Clinton’s actions and behavior as Secretary of State were unworthy of one holding a Cabinet Level position. Comey is tactfully saying that, for the well-being of the Country, and to show respect for the American People, Clinton should have the decency to withdraw her candidacy.
But, “decency” isn’t a component of Hillary Clinton’s character. Hillary’s character is one devoid of decency. It is one devoid of trustworthiness, of sincerity, of integrity.
Indeed, if the Director of the F.B.I. did recommend indictment and if the Attorney General accepted that recommendation, Clinton likely would, given the choice, continue campaigning. But, she wouldn’t be given that choice. She would have to be carried out, kicking and screaming “from the room.”
So, where does that leave Americans? We have a choice this November. No less than the fate of this Country rests in the balance.
The American People must consider the ramifications of electing Hillary Clinton to the highest Office of the Land. Clinton’s character, as U.S. President won’t change. That is clear. That, we know. Clinton’s behavior and actions as Secretary of State give more than an inkling of her erratic behavior and dangerous actions should she become President of the United States.
Of course, many individuals who support Hillary Clinton’s candidacy do not give thought to the weight of James Comey’s words. They only look to and address his decision. But, then, these same people couldn’t care less if Clinton were indicted. They would argue that indictment isn’t equivalent to conviction. But, suppose Clinton, once indicted, was convicted of violation of 18 U.S.C. § 793(f). Would that make a difference to them? Probably not. Those Americans who support Hillary Clinton’s candidacy are blind to Clinton’s multiple character flaws. They are blind to her errant and erratic behavior. They are blind to her lack of emotional stability. They are blind to her lack of competency. Those Americans who support Clinton’s candidacy are altogether blind to her loathsome lust for power and to her singular obsession with self-aggrandizement.
Those Americans who support Clinton’s candidacy cannot envision or, perhaps, they simply refrain from considering the threat Clinton poses to the preservation of our Bill of Rights, the threat posed to the preservation of our Heritage, to our culture, to our History, to the very existence of an independent Sovereign Nation and free Republic.
Obama says of Clinton that the American People may hold to an “imaginary past” or a “reach for the future.” So, for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton America’s “past” is and was just a dream, a chimera, an illusion.
They seek to reconfigure America—to twist it, to reshape it beyond anything our Founders envisioned for it. Obama’s message to the American People comes across as a damning threat, less so a welcome promise of things to come if Clinton does in fact secure the White House.
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And they wonder why nobody trusts government?
Damian (the omen) compelled him
Congress has given the FBI the video evidence of her lying to them. If the FBI lets her off again then there is NO JUSTICE in DC!
Comey has been kissing the clinton’s rear for many years. Remember when he was an Attorney General and let them and their friends skate on numerous items. He is a member of the DC elite and laws do not apply to them. Only the little people have to abide by the laws. Remember that if you like working hard so the elite can control you and your money and life vote DEMOCRAT in November. Keep the crooks in power and vote for the CLINTON CRIME FAMILY.
The PERFECT picture of a Criminal enterprise running a City ;
You have the Crooked Mayor (President) at the top
You have the Crooked Chief of Police (FBI, Comey) in Law enforcement
You have the CROOKED JUDGE (LYNCH) in the Dept of Justice
Old New York City and Old Chicago would fill right at home in this administration.
Sorry, Mr. Comey, but I think you caved in to pressure. You list all the issues where Hillary broke the law and then recommended no prosecution. You say she had no ‘intent’ to do so. This ‘intent’ you claim has no bearing on possible guilt. For me, your sterling reputation is now non-existent. Hope you can live with your actions. The rest of America may not be able to.
Jim D.
It will not take too long, but there will soon be a string of mysterious suicides of those involved in this unfortunate episode of the Hillary Clinton adventure.
When Christ was in the garden praying just before he was crucified he left the disciples alone to watch and pray. He returned the third time to find them still sleeping. He then said, “Sleep on. ” It was to late to pray. The end had come. I say to the American people, “Sleep on. It’s to late to pray”. The results will be horrible.
For guidance Comey should have asked himself ‘What would J. Edgar Hoover do?’
Sorry, I can’t accept giving the FBI a pass on this one. The damage done here is far too great. We are no longer a nation of law. The FBI now joins the TSA, CIA, NSA, etc. as organizations not worthy of trust or respect. There is no justice in the Justice Department. Our basic concept of a nation fairly and legally governed “…with justice for all…” has been invalidated.
Indeed! We have been dragged to this place in time and history to witness the outing of the 100+ year agenda of the progressives. All bets are off!! If we the people do not stand up, in EVERY way, we will be ruled by common thugs instead of the self governance prescribed by our founders. This cannot come to pass. We can beat the finer points of this article (and others) to death. Those points are now mere distractions in the shell game being perpetrated on us all. Pay attention to the global forces acting locally and hang on as… Read more »
‘All of which makes this country the perfect embodiment of a certain ideal: not of democracy, not of government “of the people, by the people, for the people,” not of a representative republic. None of those. The word you’re looking for here, the ideal we have at long last achieved to the smallest detail and in every way that matters, is fascism.’
https://coldfury.com/2016/07/06/rule-of-law/
What dirt does she have on him, if you or me had done this we would spend the rest of our lives in jail and loose everything. But not her she just keeps walking on and over the law.
Jeepers..! Conspiracy theory commenters above have far too tenuous a grasp on reality to be allowed to own firearms.
The same goes for the author of this “news” article complete with unflattering pictures of the article’s target.
What a pathetic hate rag.
WAKE UP!!!
THE REAL” Marshall Dillon” would be ASHAMED to see that a Panty wearing total moron such as you have ursurped his good name to spew your load of total idiocy and left winger troll BULLSHYTE.
NOTHING UNTRUE was said and The history of the Shrill, Lying HAG and CRIMINAL Hillary shouts what the article said even without a loudspeaker.
Please go get you head extracted before the final brain cell ceases to function and you fall unbreathing BACK into your personal sewer of stupidity and ignorance.
What Comey did was lay out the entire case against her, how she broke the law, lied about it, etc. and then basically said “I would indict her, but I want to live.” Those are the stakes involved. Indict her and be found found dead in a DC park like Vince Foster. Or continue breathing.
By the blood of patriots and tyrants…
I no many a marine, soldier, sailor, amd airman who have given their lives for far less.
*know
*and
I should proof read better. It’s like I am becoming a modern day “journalist.”
FBI Director just stated Hillary may not be as tech savvy as one might think. For example she did not have a computer in her State Department Office. She wants to be President and she can’t operate a computer??? Really!!