Washington Post Corrects Faulty Report That Nearly 150 FBI Agents Are Investigating Clinton Emails

[baldguy]

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2016/03/29/washington-post-corrects-faulty-report-that-nea/209615

The Post Now Reports "The Number Of FBI Personnel Involved Is Fewer Than 50"
...

On March 27, the Post published a 5,000-word article detailing the FBI's investigation into Clinton's use of a private email and personal Blackberry device during her time as secretary of state. The original story reported: "One hundred forty-seven FBI agents have been deployed to run down leads, according to a lawmaker briefed by FBI Director James B. Comey."

The Post's claim spread throughout the media, with outlets frequently highlighting the 147 figure in their headlines and some using the report to attack Clinton. National Review termed the figure "a staggering deployment of manpower," while Breitbart News celebrated the "FBI recently kick[ing] its investigation into high gear." The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza highlighted the "eye-popping" 147 figure by commenting, "W-H-A-T?", adding that the reported number of agents seemed "like a ton for a story that Clinton has always insisted was really, at heart, a right-wing Republican creation," while MSNBC's Joe Scarborough called the number the "worst kept secret in DC for months." The story was also highlighted in several segments on Fox News.

But the next day, Politico reported that the Post's story might be inaccurate. According to Politico, an official close to the investigation refuted the Post's report, saying that "The FBI does not have close to 150 agents working the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's email server" and that the Post's "number is greatly exaggerated."

[mcar]

1. Another HRC hit piece with inaccuracies!

What a surprise.

[MineralMan]

4. Please do not imply that another DUer is

any kind of Nazi. That image is symbolic of Ireland and is available for use here on DU in the normal avatars. Such implications are ugly and inaccurate. Thank you for cooperating.

[baldguy]

9. Par for the course.

[MineralMan]

10. I suppose so. It makes me sad to see it.

[mcar]

13. Thank you MM

I appreciate the support.

[MineralMan]

16. No problem. I'm always glad to help.

[one_voice]

17. I would like to comment on that person's

join date vs when they started posting. That there's a 5 year difference. There are tons of things that could be mentioned about that, but won't .

I find this whole attack shameful and whoever started it ought to be ashamed of themselves. Starting this nasty meme about long term DU'er reeks of bullying. It's disgraceful.

[mcar]

20. It is shameful and more than a little silly

Thank you one_voice.

[Cha]

45. Thank you, one voice.. i would like to comment on the stalker behavior on that poster's trying

to equate mcar's "Celtic Cross" with this..

"Whenever I see the Celtic Cross I'll mention that it is a symbol used by the Neo Nazis."

Thankfully he got a hide 6-1.. it should have been 7.

Maybe the next time it will be if he continues to do what he said he would.

[mcar]

48. Thank you, Cha

[Cha]

49. ..

[zappaman]

15. Guess that guy has some issues to work out.

[George II]

25. Some people just don't learn.

?w=460

?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=tzw7SYMh3SEraOKy0mZxUH26pyjFOO288CinLv89HY5A2SKTew7urGlHHOhRhP0SZQCnSOMJHmoPLI2qxtUa9kGtB85mLbrorpA6ABYHan8%3D

[mcar]

34. Beautiful!

I saw so many when I toured Ireland many years ago.

[MineralMan]

36. Some people have agendas.

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. You might want to consult the ADL on this

because, just like the Nazi symbol (which is also used by Indians, as in the Indian continent, and First Peoples, especially the Navajo) it does have that other meaning these days

http://www.adl.org/mobilehatesymbols/symbol-1.html

And there are more than one person who knows that. Pretending this is not the case is silly.

And yes, given current tensions, I would be careful. Not that the good folks at the News Hour were not punked... you know how fast I would have run if I saw that tattoo? Myself and my husband would have had an urgent breaking news story on the other side of the county to be brutally honest.

check the photo, not necessarily the story

http://www.salon.com/2016/03/17/pbs_airs_segment_with_trump_supporting_family_doesnt_notice_mothers_white_supremacist_tattoos/

[rbrnmw]

46. They use the Odin's Cross version

Celtic Cross


Also known as: Odin’s Cross, Sun Cross, Wheel Cross

The white supremacist version of the Celtic Cross, which consists of a square cross interlocking with or surrounded by a circle, is one of the most important and commonly used white supremacist symbols. Although usually called a Celtic Cross by white supremacists, its origins date to the pre-Christian "sun cross" or "wheel cross" in ancient Europe. Norwegian Nazis used a version of the symbol in the 1930s and 1940s. After World War II, a variety of white supremacist groups and movements adopted the symbol. Today, this verson of the Celtic Cross is used by neo-Nazis, racist skinheads, Ku Klux Klan members and virtually every other type of white supremacist. It has also achieved notoriety as part of the logo of Stormfront, the oldest and largest white supremacist website in the world.

The Celtic Cross, as typically depicted, is a traditional Christian symbol used for religious purposes as well as to symbolize concepts like Irish pride. As such, it is a very common symbol and primarily used by non-extremists. Most renditions of the traditional Celtic Cross feature an elongated vertical axis (often accompanied by Celtic knotwork) that resembles that of other Christian crosses. Although white supremacists will occasionally use this version of the Celtic Cross, the overwhelming use of this version of the Celtic Cross is non-extremist and, in the absence of other hate symbols, does not denote white supremacy or racism.

It is the short "sun cross" version of the Celtic Cross, surrounded by a circle, that is more commonly used by white supremacists, although even here care must be taken always to judge it in context.

The lace Celtic Cross is an Irish Scots Irish Symbol


.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

51. Your mileage will vary

[mcar]

54. This!

It's a bastardized version of the beautiful and historic cross that I love. I will not concede this lovely symbol to a bunch of racist a-holes. It is a crying shame that some on this site give them so much control.

[Sheepshank]

56. well said!!!!!

that some feel we should concede to the lowest common denominator is disgusting.

[MineralMan]

47. Well, thank you for your suggestion.

However, the image used in that avatar is not any sort of neo-nazi symbol. That avatar is one of he many available to DUers on this website and is included as a symbol representing Ireland.

I'm sorry, but implying that a poster who uses that avatar is some sort of nazi is the height of disgusting behavior on DU. The posts doing so was hidden by juries here on two occasions. I believe that is enough discussion of this, actually.

[nadinbrzezinski]

50. I am not implying a thing

My choice would be not to use it given current tensions on the website. Your mileage will of course vary

[mcar]

55. Current tension on this website? Seriously?

When is there not current tension about something? And, the "current tension" involving my avatar is ginned up "controversy" by a handful of posters. There is no current tension involving the Celtic Cross and unless and until Skinner removes it as a choice, I will display it as my avatar.

[Sheepshank]

57. concede to white supremacists? why would anyone do that?

Why would anyone give them license to dictate 1000+ years of history that belongs to someone else? And you back them up and give them credence? Are you sure you don't want to walk that back?

[zappaman]

58. Ok.

[gordianot]

3. So fewer than 50 FBI agents that sparkles everything.

Even a misdemeanor will wreck Hillary's ambition.

[HereSince1628]

6. Less than 50 on the server issue, how many looked at the emails?

I suspect the truth depends upon what recipe is being considered and how that recipe requires the numbers to be cooked.

My guess is there are also many people who looked at this from agencies other than the FBI.

As always when discussing stories that involve numbers a person must ask, what is the bakery product people are going for?

[gordianot]

24. The whole stupid chain of events may have been started by Obama Blackberry envy.

If someone had won in 2008 they too would have gotten a secure Blackberry like the President. The pay grade for Secretary of State was too low for a custom made chip. Next time you support paranoid legislation like the Patriot Act get a clue before you go full in with Blackberry envy and dash your chances for a pay upgrade.

[MineralMan]

5. The original story was based on misinformation from

a Republican "lawmaker briefed by FBI Director James B. Comey." It never made any sense. It's another anonymous source sort of thing. Why we trust anonymous sources so often escapes me. No named source? Assume the story is wrong, every time.

[noretreatnosurrender]

30. Parsing

The Washington Post issued a correction to both their initial story on March 29, explaining that they incorrectly reported "that 147 FBI agents had been detailed to the investigation" and that multiple U.S. law enforcement officials "have since told The Washington Post that figure is too high" and the actual number of "FBI personnel involved in the case is fewer than 50":

So if you are "detailed" to the investigation does that mean you are specifically assigned to that investigation? If so, there could very well be more FBI agents working the investigation who were not specifically "detailed" to that investigation. They are also in the closing stages of the investigation so I would assume you would have fewer agents working on the case now.

I guess we will all have to wait to see what happens. Hopefully the FBI will report on their investigation soon.

[noretreatnosurrender]

31. The Updated Version

also uses anonymous sources stating that there were 50. Just saying.

[riversedge]

7. And several of those MisInformation articles were brought to DU--

gleefully. over and over-with hundreds of REC's.


I would like to see your OP posted several times--with hundreds of RECs(or kicks).

Thank you

[MineralMan]

11. If any story looks bad for Hillary, it will be posted

here without any attention paid to its source or questions about the details. This was just another example of that.

No named source? No problem. If it's negative about Hillary, it's gospel truth, obviously, according to some.

[riversedge]

12. Sad. and Thanks for post.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

26. The tentacles of that right wing conspiracy that both hates her and wants to derail her

can be found everywhere.

[noretreatnosurrender]

32. Question

Who is the named source in the updated version? All I saw were anonymous sources for the changes?

[MineralMan]

35. Frankly, it's all bullshit.

The FBI doesn't officially comment on its investigations. So anyone who is saying what's going on, but remains unnamed, is full of crap.

[noretreatnosurrender]

37. I think you are saying

the 50 agents number is bullshit too because that number was given by anonymous sources, correct?

[MineralMan]

38. Nothing about the FBI that comes from

Anonymous sources is from the FBI. PERIOD!

[noretreatnosurrender]

39. Anonymous Sources

Sadly the newspaper business has abused the process of giving anonymity to sources. They frequently give it to people who have an axe to grind or those trying to use anonymity to frame a narrative for political gain. Anonymity should only be given to people who truly are whistleblowers giving valuable information that the public has a right to know but who have to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job or worse yet being hounded by prosecutors.

[Hekate]

41. Thank you MM for that unusually (for you!) forceful response

What a long strange trip this campaign has been.

[riversedge]

8. K an R

[Ash_F]

14. I was surprised at that number.

Seemed like a "too many chefs in the kitchen" kind of thing.

[mythology]

18. msnbc.com is reporting about 12

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fed-source-about-12-fbi-agents-working-clinton-email-inquiry-n548026

[Vinca]

19. She should be concerned if it is 1.

[TheBlackAdder]

21. Move from the investigator phase to the prosecutor phase. nt

[Skwmom]

23. The 150 number was reported a couple of months agon in reletation to the Clinton Foundation/SOS

business. The WP said it was only for the emails. Not sure where that came from....

[TeddyR]

27. I have to admit

I'd be much more relaxed if fewer than 50 FBI agents were investigating me as opposed to 150 or more. That certainly makes it seem like I did nothing wrong. Doesn't the FBI always devote about 50 agents to every investigation?

[Jennylynn]

29. lol

Oh. ONLY 50. Phew.

[jfern]

28. There are 2 separate FBI investigations

One about the emails and one about the Clinton Foundation.

[Punkingal]

33. Right...read somewhere they added agents to invesrigate the Clinton Foundation.

[Bill USA]

40. NBC News: Federal sources - it's more like, about 12.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fed-source-about-12-fbi-agents-working-clinton-email-inquiry-n548026

[renate]

42. I think that's disgraceful

Inaccurate reporting about either candidate is wrong wrong wrong. The corrections never get as much ink as the original misinformation.

I'm a Bernie supporter, obviously, but I don't want him to win because of false information.

[blueintelligentsia]

44. One day they are pro-HRC the next pro-Bernie....n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

52. If "fewer than 50" FBI agents are investigating her,

is that a good thing? Seems to me that the fact that there is an investigation at all is pretty worrisome regardless of how many agents are involved.

[mymomwasright]

53. The interviews are getting ready to start..

They wouldn't waste the manpower, time, or money if they didn't "smell" something. These aren't Republicans on a "witch hunt", it's the FBI.