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This entire episode has exposed a troubling character flaw that calls into question Comey’s very fitness to lead the FBI. He is without a doubt an outstanding lawyer and public servant. But as he has carefully nurtured his reputation for independence and integrity, he seems to have become intoxicated by the plaudits that have come his way. That praise has emboldened him to ignore the rules that apply to others, both because he believes in his own reputation and because he wants to thwart critics such as Republicans in Congress who might question it.

This case in particular has exposed how Comey’s self-regard can veer into self-righteousness, a belief that only he can fairly adjudicate the appropriateness of others’ conduct, and that the rules that apply to every other Justice Department employee are too quaint to restrict a man of his unquestionable ethics.

That is a dangerous trait. The director of the FBI has great power at his disposal. Congress has seen fit to provide FBI directors with nearly unfettered independence, including a 10-year term designed to stretch beyond any one president’s tenure.

With that independence comes a responsibility to adhere to the rules that protect the rights of those whom the FBI investigates. Comey has failed that standard repeatedly in his handling of the Clinton investigation.

A widespread attack targeting the east coast has impacted a number of online companies across the country.

Websites impacted include Twitter, Spotify and Reddit.

AL.com, a statewide media company, has also been targeted. Any attempt to visit the organization’s website only brings up an error message.