When James Comey stepped into a press conference at 11am on July 5th 2016, he knew what he was planning to say. He knew that he was going to bring to an end to the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email non-scandal. He made it clear the FBI looked into all of the information available to them in order to piece together every move made by Clinton with her use of said email servers. Clinton and her team had been “careless” in her use of White House servers. according to Comey. However, he stated the Democratic candidate would not face criminal charges and said there was “no intentional misconduct” in the handling of classified material. Mr. Comey said emphatically that none of the emails which were deleted, either by Clinton or her lawyers, were deleted to intentionally hide information from investigators. Rather these emails were likely deleted as part of routine email maintenance, the likes of which we all periodically do. He used the words “no intentional misconduct” in referring to said deletions. He ended the Clinton email investigation, concluding that “no reasonable prosecutor” would go forward with a case.
When James Comey sent a letter to Congress on October 28, 2016, he also knew what he was saying. He knew he was going to create chaos a mere eleven days before one of the most heated and consequential elections to have happened in American history. He knew he was going against Department of Justice policy. He knew he was tampering with the election and he knew the Republican congressmen who he had originally sent the letter to would leak this information to the press. He knew he was causing yet another needless shit storm over an issue about which a majority of Americans have already made up their minds.
His letter was both cryptic and misleading. When the FBI wants to say it is reopening an investigation, it knows perfectly well how to say that. In this case, the investigation was actually never formally closed, so it doesn’t even need to be reopened. The relevance of this letter is thus likely not that some explosive new evidence of Clinton criminality has suddenly emerged.
It is, rather, that Comey made a set of representations to Congress that have been complicated by new information, apparently from the Anthony Weiner sexting case. So he’s informing Congress of that fact before the election. Let’s be honest here, this new issue is not about the Clinton investigation in any way and is 100% about the Weiner probe. I can not be the only one who is bothered by the fact American politics is ridiculous that the term “Weiner probe” is a thing.
The Clinton campaign launched an extraordinary criticism of James Comey, the director of the FBI, who faced anger for his dramatic and late intervention in the race. Comey stood accused of betraying the bureau’s political neutrality, and came under growing pressure to make public everything he knows. As a voter, I do not care what these emails contain. I want Comey to resign for his interference with the election.
Yesterday, FBI Director Comey bowed to partisan pressure and released a vague and inappropriate letter to Congress. What you need to know: pic.twitter.com/E5Q8Mgp0h0
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 30, 2016
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine called on FBI Director James Comey to publicly clarify whether anyone at the FBI has read the new batch of Hillary Clinton-related emails that appeared in a separate investigation of former congressman Anthony Weiner.
Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada blasted FBI Director James Comey for his “partisan actions” with regard to the 2016 election. Reid is accusing Comey and the FBI accusing the director of prioritizing the interests of one political party over the other.
Republicans including Jason Chafftez eagerly tweeted out Comey’s news Friday, and Trump supporters, as well as irresponsible news outlets, ran with the erroneous claim that the FBI had “reopened” its Clinton email probe, claiming the agency is revisiting its decision not to prosecute Clinton over her email server. Due to the fact Republicans have openly signaled that they plan “years of investigations” of Clinton should she win on November 8th, it’s not hard to see where this is going. It is clear the FBI has been weaponized by Republicans in order to supposedly take down Hillary Clinton.
FBI Dir just informed me, “The FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation.” Case reopened
— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) October 28, 2016
Richard Painter, the chief White House Ethics Lawyer in the Bush Administration from 2005-2007, filed a complaint yesterday against the FBI Director with the Office Of Special Counsel, an independent Federal investigative agency which investigates possible violations of the Hatch Act (among others), and the Office of Government Ethics. In addition, he said Comey’s inexplicable actions this week may warrant prosecution for abuse of power under the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act of 1939 prohibits employees in the executive branch of the federal government, except the president, vice-president, and certain designated high-level officials of that branch, from engaging in some forms of political activity.
By stirring this nest, James Comey has done exactly that; he has made the FBI into a political activist organization hell-bent on destroying the career of Hillary Clinton and forcing us into a Trump presidency. He is playing into the hands of Republicans and of Trump himself. The FBI is no longer an independent organization as long as James Comey is leading it.
For this reason, I am calling on FBI Director James Comey to resign immediately before he is allowed to do anymore damage to this nation. There is a long tradition in the U.S. of FBI directors meddling in politics, supporting right wing causes and employing extra legal tactics. No surprises with Comey. We must demand his resignation not because he is a naked partisan but because none of us– right, left or middle can afford the risk of having someone this unsophisticated and stupid heading the nations chief law enforcement agency.
If you agree, I invite you to sign the petition made by C. Jeffrey Evans asking James Comey tender his resignation. The damage has already be done, however we can ensure James Comey does not escape reprisal for his actions and interference in the 2016 election.