How a dubious Russian document influenced the FBIs handling of the Clinton probe

[pnwmom]

Source: WA Post

In the midst of the 2016 presidential primary season, the FBI received a purported Russian intelligence document describing a tacit understanding between the campaign of Hillary Clinton and the Justice Department over the inquiry into whether she intentionally revealed classified information through her use of a private email server.

The Russian document mentioned a supposed email describing how then-Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch had privately assured someone in the Clinton campaign that the email investigation would not push too deeply into the matter — a conversation that if made public would cast doubt on the inquiry’s integrity.

Current and former officials have said that document played a significant role in the July decision by then-FBI Director James B. Comey to announce on his own, without Justice Department involvement, that the investigation was over. That public announcement — in which he criticized Clinton and made extensive comments about the evidence — set in motion a chain of other FBI moves that Democrats now say helped Trump win the presidential election.

But according to the FBI’s own assessment, the document was bad intelligence — and according to people familiar with its contents, possibly even a fake sent to confuse the bureau. The Americans mentioned in the Russian document insist they do not know each other, do not speak to each other and never had any conversations remotely like the ones described in the document. Investigators have long doubted its veracity, and by August the FBI had concluded it was unreliable.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/how-a-dubious-russian-document-influenced-the-fbis-handling-of-the-clinton-probe/2017/05/24/f375c07c-3a95-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html?utm_term=.d19a0c85c84c

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So Comey got played.

[dalton99a]

1. Comey treated it like it was real.

Obama should have fired him.

[pnwmom]

4. But not if he couldn't have gotten a replacement confirmed.

It's very likely the Senate would have refused to confirm anyone, saying that should be for the next President.

[FarPoint]

10. That would be a true assumption.

I believe Obama made the smart choice.

[OKNancy]

2. I see some on the right and the left acting like the email was real

They want it to be real. One more conspiracy for them to agree.

[ehrnst]

13. Of course. It plays to the narrative of the DNC's evil plan to kill off "progressive" policy

and install a corporate puppet who would hand the country over to Wall Street.

Also, she kills people.

[ffr]

3. I'm going to go with the fact that HRC was being truthful, as she always has been.

FUCK THE FUCKING HELL! We're stuck in this parallel nightmare of a dream world because enough people want to believe she's something she is not.

Here we have the pOTUS divulging where our nuclear subs are, sharing international secrets with adversaries, and HRC got drilled into the ground by Fox and Friends (and anyone stupid enough to listen to them) all because she MIGHT have had government secrets on her private E-mail server, like what Colin Powell used when he was SoS.

Oh but now I get it. Not only are the Clintons on the enemy list of the KGOP, they're also on the enemy list of the Kremlin..."Clinton are both regarded as political enemies of the Kremlin.

“The idea that Russians would tell a story in which the Clinton campaign, Soros and even an Obama administration official are connected — that Russians might tell such a story, that is not at all surprising,” said Matt Rojansky, a Russia expert and director of the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center. “Because that is part of the Kremlin worldview.” - WaPo

[ehrnst]

12. Yep. Waiting for RT, the Intercept and FoxNews to use the memo to "prove" she and the DNC

are as "corrupt" and "not the legitimate candidate."

[Sancho]

5. Comey is an idiot....Obama should have fired him a long time ago.

[pnwmom]

6. The Senate would have refused to confirm anyone Obama appointed,

just like they refused to confirm Garland for SCOTUS.

So we wouldn't have been better off.

[Eliot Rosewater]

7. America needs to redo the election, or we are not a Democracy.

So dont tell me we cant redo it, because we have to, even if there was a new election TOMORROW we would not survive this because of Gorsuch.

People will die, I say we do something ...taking suggestions

[Vinca]

8. That's the only remedy, but there's no provision for it.

[riversedge]

9. I can't begin to imagine how Hillary must feel. I know she is strong but seems

a new thing emerges that brings the issue up again -so often.

[ehrnst]

11. Comey was willing, like so many on the far left, to believe the wildest crap about HRC.

I expect RT, the Intercept and FoxNews to now report the memo, and use it to "confirm" that the DNC is guilty of obstruction.

[Lil Missy]

14. There has never been any doubt in my mind that Comey deliberately sabataged against HRC

With the assist of Russia and Comey, the orange jackass was handed the election.

[PRETZEL]

15. I'm confused

I get it that Comey knew about the email back in July and thought it was of no value or it was unverifiable and as such he didn't use it as his basis for his decision not to pursue the email scandal any further.

Fast forward to October and all of a sudden emails that the NY Office had found on Anthony Weiner's laptop that Huma Abeden had also used that were from Sec. Clinton show up and that the case needs to be re-opened so they may be reviewed.

I hope I have it right so far, what I can't figure out is why this email is now so important again? Was this particular email also on that laptop? If so, how did it get there? Did the NY office find it and use it as their basis to force Comey to re-open the case? Was it used as a political tool against Comey (and by inference against Sec. Clinton)?

I think either way Comey was put in a bad spot. If he maintained his previous stance that he thought the email was unverifiable then the media will call it politically motivated in covering up for Sec. Clinton. We know that McConnell has made such statement. As it happened and he went to Congress to let them know that he wanted to pursue the Huma Abeden emails the Republicans use that against Sec. Clinton.

[ucrdem]

16. Right, the Russians did it.

Stand-up Jim sure has a lot of excuses.