FBI reviewing emails found on devices used by Weiner/Abedin

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I led the fight to get you confirmed because I believed you to be a principled public servant.

With the deepest regret, I now see that I was wrong.

Sincerely,
Harry Reid
United States Senator

NippyKindLangur-size_restricted.gif
 
If Reid ain't bullshitting that fact, then so much for the idea of honest shining knight Comey fighting for transperancy. Fuck this guy.
 
It's brutal, but alas it's Harry Reid, who conservatives kind of paint as a clown.

I'm sure people who despise Harry Reid were lining up to vote for Clinton before the news broke. 🙄

This letter was not written for conservatives or moderates. It's meant to put democrats on the attack. Risky? Yes, but so is saying nothing.
 
Maybe they'll both be in prison before election day and America can just go without a president for a little bit. It's for the best.
 
Damn. Unfortunately I'm highly doubting any criminal charges will be filed against him. They'll have him resign (I doubt even that tbh) and not a peep will be heard on the news.

Actually, violating the hatch act doesn't result is jail time. It's a fine and/or firing.

The penalty provision in the Hatch Political Activity Act, 5 U.S.C.S. § 1506(a), clearly gives the employer the choice of removing the employee in question “from his office or employment,” or forfeiting federal funds equal to two years' pay at the rate or amount the employee was receiving at the time of the violation.

http://hatchact.uslegal.com/penalties/
 
Right. I assumed government officials' emails could be subpoenaed and retrieved from a server. But the language used in these articles makes it sound like client machines are the only place these emails exist.
Correct. Since the server was wiped and Hillary admitted to deleting some 30k personal emails. These client devices are the only copies remaining. Which is why this is such big news. Republicans are hoping there are incriminating emails on this device that Clinton might have deleted everywhere else. They could also just be the same emails people have already reviewed just on a new device. No one knows just yet.
 
I'm sure people who despise Harry Reid were lining up to vote for Clinton before the news broke. ��

This letter was not written for conservatives or moderates. It's meant to put democrats on the attack. Risky? Yes, but so is saying nothing.

I'm just saying I doubt any conservative in the gov is going to be shaking in their boots over this letter from Harry Reid, of all people.
 
how badly has this effected the dems?

Depends:

1) Can DT manage to not fumble this? (I doubt it)

2) Will the FBI disclose more information? Chances are that would help Clinton, but according to Pete Williams on NBC (not a fan of Trump), his sources claim that will not happen.

3) Another story downs this out (unlikely, team Clinton seems to have blown it's load w/oppo research on Trump)

Best case scenario is it puts Trump back to a 25% - 35% chance of winning, still a Clinton favored win, but enough to make Clinton supporters sweat. I think the real damage here is the Senate, this will surely allow the Republican candidates who were drowning due to Trump to catch breath.
 
Trump didn't stand because Putin asked him to. Putin and Russia are not magic evil fairies who happen to know exactly what toxic brand of politics will be popular in the US.

Russia's involvement in the Election is to undermine American Democracy and change who is in charge. We know now Wikileaks is just an extension of their government - this has been a long term tactic of using information to undermine the US image.

The other problem with Reids comment is I think we all have enough knowledge to understand that the FBI are not sitting with a smoking gun showing Russian involvement - but rather looking at capability; motivation and a bit of reason - Russia looks like the obvious perpetrator.

Speaking of which it was a similar situation that had the Democrats leaking concerns about Russian involvement in order to deflect the contents of Democratic emails which were hacked. Not dissimilar to this situation.

On a dead horse I like to flog though - the fact Russia is able to so easily do this suggests the US political system needs urgent reform. The Presidential Election system generally works but let's be honest - it's (excuse the pun) Russian Roulette this year - two parties which are basically state sponsored instructions - chose a candidate each. One of those candidates will be the next President. They are chosen based on debating ability

- Drop term limits. Obama might have still stood down but at least you wouldn't have had a candidate basically waiting for the specific date they know hes going to go. UK politics is a lesson in why announcing when you are going is a bad idea and German politics is a lesson in why just being in an important job does not turn you into a raving power crazed lunatic. As long as Presidents cannot use the state to enrich themselves they will not become more powerful than the state. It's fine. Stop thinking Rome is a good basis to design a modern democracy on.

- Ensure candidates are already in an elected office. End of the day Clinton is a bad candidate but that's not the problem, the problem is the Republicans chose someone who we are now . He was able to do that by being unproven in elected office. More difficult in a Presidential system which is why I think Prime Ministerial systems are better (it's also why I think Germany/Japans democracys did very well whilst Russia basically became America's nightmare (and yes Germany has a President but their an elected Queen not a ruler) but it's not that hard to restrict it to the two houses.

- Reduce electoral seasons. Seriously just restrict fund raising and ask parties to put nominations forward a month before the election. And leave it up to parties to chose how they nominate/elect. Not much government can do here - the parties have to sort out this themselves at the end of the day. One primary; one day; members only would be my suggestion.

- Make the VP much more transparent and important process. Seriously if this happened then there would at least be talk about one of the candidates standing down/being removed rather thsn this fucking insane nuclear standoff.

Just my thoughts. This election has been a mess and maybe it's a one off. But I'd say the current system served its time wonderfully but America has had issues with its political system for over two decades now. Don't start me on how Gerrymandered the whole thing is.
 
how badly has this effected the dems?

I think the real question will be what comes out this week.

If Wikileaks and Russia have been sitting on a smoking gun, I'd guess that Monday or Tuesday is when they'd reveal it. Wikileaks has been teasing a "phase 3" to start this week.

If they're out of ammo, I doubt Comey's shit will make a difference. I think everyone's already made up their mind about the significance of the email issue (or lack-thereof).

It does suck for the Clintons though. The media is rehashing this "scandal" instead of focusing on Trump's absurdity.
 
Depends:

1) Can DT manage to not fumble this? (I doubt it)

2) Will the FBI disclose more information? Chances are that would help Clinton, but according to Pete Williams on NBC (not a fan of Trump), his sources claim that will not happen.

3) Another story downs this out (unlikely, team Clinton seems to have blown it's load w/oppo research on Trump)

Best case scenario is it puts Trump back to a 25% - 35% chance of winning, still a Clinton favored win, but enough to make Clinton supporters sweat. I think the real damage here is the Senate, this will surely allow the Republican candidates who were drowning due to Trump to catch breath.

I think this is probably what happens. The "blowout" scenario is gone and she wins by 4-5 points. If she gets a Senate majority, it is more narrow and the candidates barely win.
 
Trump calling this bigger than watergate. LOL

What a clown. If anything is bigger than watergate is him getting so close to the Presidency.
 
What was Obama's reason for appointing a fucking Republican to this position in 2013?
Obama and many democrats strongly beleived in bipartisanship. So do the democratic voters who would rather have politicians work across the aisle than stick to heir ideals. Republicans are the opposite, wanting to stick to their ideals above all else.

There's nothing wrong with having people from the other party in your administration in throry. The problem comes when the other party wants you and yours to fail at all consts, which republicans do.

The problem here though is your seeing it from your POV.

Hurting Hilary. Bad FBI.
Letting Hilary off. Bad FBI.

Two different groups will see from their POV. Let's cut something else as well - people are panicked because;

a) Whilst many Dems don't agree with or understand why the email story is so toxic they do know it hurts her. They don't want it in the press whatsoever. It will impact some voters; whether it impacts the electoral result is a much bigger question but I think the anti FBI stuff is in itself driven by party polotics. I mean is the suggestion he wants Trump to win?

b) The debates. Trump went in limping and came out limping. Which is saying something considering the position he's in - he should have been dead. Was a big missed oppurtunity - Clinton just seems to be struggling to sell.

If she was up against Romney rather than Trump there might be some discontent but let's be honest - this is about the possibility of Trump winning and less about Clinton not winning. Thats folks main motivation and anger and people would want (and I think sounds like expected) the FBI to be helpful in that direction.

Personally I think she'll be alright. Couple days to go (I think the attack FBI thing is weak as they are clearly hitting back - all this does is stretches out how many days this is the main story), story will move on - she'll go on the offensive against Trump and I think she'll get her voters out. But I don't think there is a evil Pro Trump cabal in the FBI.

I can't beleive it's only been about a month and people already think this, considering it's total historical revisionism. Trump was not limping into the debates, he was doing rather well, actually, the closest he had been to winning since the RNC. Clinton changed that, and Trump’s first performance was seen as one of the worst ever. Clinton had an unusually high bounce from the first debate, especially compared to other recent debates. Only Romney had a larger bounce, and that is because he was so far behind to start.

If you don't beleive me take a look at the polls before he debate, or shit, the GAF thread before the first debate. People were shitting themselves over Trumps numbers.

Trump left the debates in a far, far worse manner that he entered them.
 
Everything is lost
 
I think this is probably what happens. The "blowout" scenario is gone and she wins by 4-5 points. If she gets a Senate majority, it is more narrow and the candidates barely win.
Ohio, Nevada, and Iowa are all leaning Trump, and that's before the effect of the Comey announcement has become visible. I think we'll have to see what happens Monday before we are confident Clinton can retain a 4-5 point lead.
 
If Wikileaks and Russia have been sitting on a smoking gun, I'd guess that Monday or Tuesday is when they'd reveal it. Wikileaks has been teasing a "phase 3" to start this week.
If Wikileaks had a smoking gun, they would have released it when early voting started.
 
Ohio, Nevada, and Iowa are all leaning Trump, and that's before the effect of the Comey announcement has become visible. I think we'll have to see what happens Monday before we are confident Clinton can retain a 4-5 point lead.

In what universe is NV leaning Trump?
 
Ohio, Nevada, and Iowa are all leaning Trump, and that's before the effect of the Comey announcement has become visible. I think we'll have to see what happens Monday before we are confident Clinton can retain a 4-5 point lead.

Nevada is not leaning Trump and the Democrats are building an EV lead comparable to 2012.
 
NY Times Q&A on Part 9 of Hillary's email saga

What happened on Friday?

The F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, sent a letter to Congress that said agents had uncovered new emails that may be connected to the Clinton investigation. That investigation had examined whether Mrs. Clinton and her aides had mishandled classified information by sending it through Mrs. Clinton’s private email server. The inquiry was completed in July with no charges filed.

[...]

Where did these new emails come from?

Mr. Comey did not say in his letter. But law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation said that agents had discovered the emails on a laptop owned by Anthony D. Weiner, the disgraced former congressman and estranged husband of Mrs. Clinton’s top aide, Huma Abedin.

[...]

Why does the F.B.I. care if there is classified information in the emails?

Under federal law, mishandling national security information is a crime, one that the F.B.I. is responsible for investigating. In 2015, the bureau began investigating the personal email account that Mrs. Clinton had used exclusively as secretary of state. As part of that investigation, the bureau tried to find every electronic device — phones, tablets, computers — that Mrs. Clinton and her aides used.

[...]

Why did Mr. Comey send the letter?

In July, Mr. Comey told Congress that the Clinton investigation was complete but that if new information came to light, the bureau would examine it. Mr. Comey pledged to be as transparent as he could with Congress about the investigation, and has since made public hundreds of pages of documents related to the inquiry. According to senior F.B.I. officials, Mr. Comey felt that he would be breaking his pledge of transparency to Congress if he did not reveal the new information from the Weiner case. And he believed that the bureau would be accused of suppressing details to benefit Mrs. Clinton — an accusation that he believed could do lasting damage to the F.B.I.’s credibility.

What does all of this mean for Mrs. Clinton and her campaign?

The short answer is that it is not yet clear. Polling on weekends can be unreliable, so it may be a few days before the effect of the development can be fully assessed. What is evident is that a campaign that has largely been a referendum on Mr. Trump — particularly since the first debate — is now not so clear-cut. The email development will certainly matter, but the question is just how much.

[...]

Who is upset with Mr. Comey for sending the letter?

Many Democrats and even some Republicans have called the letter vague, troubling and unprecedented. Senior officials at the Justice Department urged Mr. Comey not to send the letter, saying it violated the spirit of longstanding policies not to discuss current investigations or do anything that could be seen as meddling in an election.

More here
 
I can't beleive it's only been about a month and people already think this, considering it's total historical revisionism. Trump was not limping into the debates, he was doing rather well, actually, the closest he had been to winning since the RNC. Clinton changed that, and Trump’s first performance was seen as one of the worst ever. Clinton had an unusually high bounce from the first debate, especially compared to other recent debates. Only Romney had a larger bounce, and that is because he was so far behind to start.

If you don't beleive me take a look at the polls before he debate, or shit, the GAF thread before the first debate. People were shitting themselves over Trumps numbers.

Trump left the debates in a far, far worse manner that he entered them.

Should correct that as the second debate. The first one he was horrendous and didn't seem to have any strategy. The second one he did well in I felt considering what was one of the worst few days I think any Presidential candidate has suffered - he got some jabs in and actually had good moments.

He limped after the first debate and then got hit by a bus that was his videos then limped to the second. He came out better than he went in (not saying much). But I still make the point Hilary failed to kill him off.
 
NY Times Q&A on Part 9 of Hillary's email saga



More here

Might want to quote this one too:

How rare is it for the F.B.I. to make a development like this public?

Extremely rare. At times during trials or after cases are closed, the F.B.I. finds new evidence and either discloses it to defense lawyers or reopens a case. An F.B.I. director has never made such a disclosure to Congress so close to a presidential election.

Just so people get an idea of how completely unprecedented Comey's actions are.
 
this letter will also light a fire up the fbi's ass to get moving on these letters and tell the american people what's in them.
 
Should correct that as the second debate. The first one he was horrendous and didn't seem to have any strategy. The second one he did well in I felt considering what was one of the worst few days I think any Presidential candidate has suffered - he got some jabs in and actually had good moments.

He limped after the first debate and then got hit by a bus that was his videos then limped to the second. He came out better than he went in (not saying much). But I still make the point Hilary failed to kill him off.

I'm not sure what you're definition of "killing him off" is when she had post debate polling of 10+, with aggregates in the high single digits.

That is a blow out.
 
Even if something new is discovered I am of the opinion that Hillary's poor judgment will once again be disavowed on grounds of "no criminal intent", like FBI did with the original email scandal. It's just a matter of fact that if I was caught with any classified information on my personal email address I would be thrown out of the air force, criminal intent or not. But because she's a political dynasty she gets the benefit of having her intent be of prime consideration.

My vote for Hillary is purely an anti trump vote but I sorely wish this scandal could have unfolded a year earlier so that democrats could have selected a more digestible candidate.
 
Obama and many democrats strongly beleived in bipartisanship. So do the democratic voters who would rather have politicians work across the aisle than stick to heir ideals. Republicans are the opposite, wanting to stick to their ideals above all else.
it's pretty funny to think that obama fucked over hillary again with a naive move like this
 
Apparently Preet Bharara is leading a separate FBI investigation into conflicts of interest between the Clinton State Department and the Clinton Foundation.
 
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