I have to know: Why did Comey send that letter about Hillary's emails when he was actually

[PinkTiger]

investigating 45's connections to Russia?
Maybe I'm just to dumb to see it, but I don't get it.

[Wounded Bear]

1. I would love to see them ask that...

that is the million dollar question, considering the "coincidence" of the polls flipping during those 8 days.

[susanna]

20. Yes, that's the odd part.

They are not asking the most obvious questions.

This stinks to high heaven (old southern saying).

I'm in wonder myself.

[briv1016]

2. I'll give you three guesses but you're only going to need one.

[gopiscrap]

3. because he's a coniving, lying douche bag fuck wad repuke

[Warpy]

4. He was on the first Whitewater investigation committee

and has been a Clinton hater forever. So he got the incredibly flimsy information that Clinton was mentioned in a Democratic sex offender's email 4 times and he couldn't wait to spill it.

Meanwhile, he's been sitting on everything the Dolt45 gang has been up to for months before the election and all these months after it.

If this doesn't get him a treason charge, what will it take to charge anyone with treason?

Yeah, I know we have to hope that Doltie manages to outrage the GOP base enough they'll stay home in 2018.

However he's well on the way to doing just that.

[Cosmocat]

29. THIS

He cut his teeth as a special prosecutor for whitewater.

Whatever "decency" he may have, he is a dyed in the wool, rock republican and fundamental to any republican who was a part of the 90s political scene, Clintons are spawned from the devil.

We will see if he does what needs to be done about Trump, but there is no excuse for EITHER hit job he put on Hillary last year.

[Doreen]

5. This is what I think about it.

He has his fist shoved up Trumps ass so far he is trying to divert attention to somewhere else.

[rufus dog]

6. One Congresswoman almost went there today

Was listening on the radio so not sure who it was. For some reason she backed off from asking the question directly to Comey.

And no, you aren't dumb. There is only one viable answer.

[JI7]

8. Maxine Waters ? there is another thread on her and her statement

she has been calling it out since the election.

[rufus dog]

13. No, it was a voice I didn't recognize

Watching Lawrence now, if she is shown I will update it with her name.

[rufus dog]

15. I think it was Jackie Speier

She is out of the Bay Area, first time I have ever seen her to be honest.

[Control-Z]

18. You do know her Jonestown story, don't you?

Last edited Tue Mar 21, 2017, 02:21 AM - Edit history (1)

She was shot 5 times and left for dead.

For anyone who doesn't know her story:

http://www.rollcall.com/news/home/jonestown-murders-jackie-speier-37-years

[rufus dog]

32. No way

I had no clue she was there or the rest of the story.

[Control-Z]

48. When I see her on TV, or hear her name,

her ordeal feels like it happened just yesterday. She is a courageous, beautiful, woman. Just remarkable.

[NCTraveler]

37. Thank you for sharing that. nt.

[Control-Z]

50. You're welcome.

I often assume that because I know something everyone else knows it too. Especially on DU. With all the bright and highly educated people here I expect everyone knows more than I.

[anneboleyn]

39. Wow! I remember this story but I didn't make the connection. I can't believe

what she went through -- her life is quite an amazing story.

[Control-Z]

51. I think I'd still be curled up in a fetal position

somewhere had I gone through what she has. She is a stronger woman than I'll ever be.

[uponit7771]

40. +1, some brave democrats

[obamanut2012]

23. "first time I have ever seen her to be honest"

I don't know who you are talking about, but it isn't Jackie Speier.

WRONG.

[msanthrope]

24. Read it again. The post doesn't say what you think it means. nt

[rufus dog]

33. Not sure of the comment?

Jumble of thoughts in my comment, thus not clear about your statement.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

36. A funny placement of words

"first time I have ever seen her to be honest."

could mean "to be honest, this is the first time I've seen her"

or, could mean "of all the times I've seen her, this is the first time she's been honest".

It probably needs an extra comma:
"first time I have ever seen her, to be honest."

Just a guess

[rufus dog]

56. Thanks, get it now.

[susanna]

21. Good grief but I want a 'like' button on DU...seriously.

[Xolodno]

9. -puts on tin foil hat-

Comey has a deal with Pence. Take out Clinton and get 45 elected. Let 45 fuck up...start dropping dead bodies. Get 45 booted. Pence, an establishment GOP gets the house.....to liking of Comey...also an establishment GOP guy.

What leads me to speculate this?

1. Pence is very quiet and is practically no where to be seen. Biden, Cheney, Gore, Quayle, Bush, etc. all had a more prominent role. This guy has practically fell off the earth.

2. Pence's staff is probably involved, at least as observer status in everything....and are not beholden to 45. They could be the very people leaking everything.

3. Pence wasn't even on the radar in the run up to the Presidential election and was considered unelectable, too much of an establishment guy, not very charismatic, etc. But was picked because, they needed someone with experience and would round up establishment types. But he isn't dumb that's for sure.

[eleny]

17. I've been wondering where the heck Pence has been these days

Especially today when we've learned that Ivanka Trump is getting an office in the west wing, close enough to hold daddy's hand when he starts whimpering and sucking on his lapels. Pence is supposed to be an important veep. So where the hell is he when things are going to hell in a hand basket? That's what I'd like to know.

[Baitball Blogger]

34. Evita Perono.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

25. I think this sounds plausible.

Pence has been very quiet. It also seems like he is just letting Trump screw things up on his own rather than helping him.

[lapucelle]

35. If Trump is dirty, so is Pence.

If this happened before the election, then the ticket falls. No one on the ticket should benefit from from a crime committed to benefit both candidates.

[Skittles]

10. HDS

Hillary Derangement Syndrome

AKA "MISOGYNY"

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

26. Yup n/t

[triron]

11. Quite a mystery to me. Except I think he hates the Clintons.

Seems pretty petty and simultaneously an outrage.

[Leith]

12. Because He's a rethug

It's what they do.

[Pachamama]

14. Trying to throw people off his investigation so they could be deep undercover?

[Samantha]

16. Comey had earlier testified to the Congress under oath

At the end of his testimony, he was asked a question to which he answered, again, under oath, if anything changed he would let Congress know.

Just a few weeks later, Comey did receive more information via the NY prosecutor who was investigating the child trafficking crimes. That prosecutor had a huge file, and he told Comey some of the material related to the investigation here in DC, and he, the prosecutor would send Comey copies of the information. After Comey reviewed the new information, he immediately told Justice he was sending a letter to Congress advising them of the new information.

A day or so passed, and Comey did in fact proceed to write the letter and send it to Congress. From his standpoint, he was only doing what he had said under oath he would do should more information evolve. Sitting in his chair, he was only keeping his word. People occupying other chairs did not add 2 plus 2 to envelop the matter of the hearing but simply perceived Comey's action as a political stab in the heart to Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Sam

[lapucelle]

38. That's not what Comey said in the memo to his staff.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/post-nation/wp/2016/10/28/read-the-letter-comey-sent-to-fbi-employees-explaining-his-controversial-decision-on-the-clinton-email-investigation/

[mythology]

49. Quoting from the link

Of course, we don’t ordinarily tell Congress about ongoing investigations, but here I feel an obligation to do so given that I testified repeatedly in recent months that our investigation was completed. I also think it would be misleading to the American people were we not to supplement the record. At the same time, however, given that we don’t know the significance of this newly discovered collection of emails, I don’t want to create a misleading impression. In trying to strike that balance, in a brief letter and in the middle of an election season, there is significant risk of being misunderstood, but I wanted you to hear directly from me about it.

Yes he absolutely said that his previous testimony was why he did it. Granted it was stupid to do so before even cursory review of the emails was completed.

[Samantha]

55. And here is Comey's letter to Congress on October 28th on reopening the Clinton email case

On October 28, 2016, less than two weeks before the presidential election, Comey announced in a letter to Congress that the FBI learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation of Secretary Clinton's email server and the FBI will take steps to allow investigators to review these emails "to determine whether they contain classified information as well as to assess their importance to our investigation." Director Comey stated in the letter that he was writing the letter to "supplement his previous testimony" before Congress.

https://ruleofreason.blogspot.com/2016/11/jail-house-rock.html

and from the same link:

Here is the letter:

To all:
This morning I sent a letter to Congress in connection with the Secretary Clinton email investigation. Yesterday, the investigative team briefed me on their recommendation with respect to seeking access to emails that have recently been found in an unrelated case. Because those emails appear to be pertinent to our investigation, I agreed that we should take appropriate steps to obtain and review them.
Of course, we don’t ordinarily tell Congress about ongoing investigations, but here I feel an obligation to do so given that I testified repeatedly in recent months that our investigation was completed. I also think it would be misleading to the American people were we not to supplement the record. At the same time, however, given that we don’t know the significance of this newly discovered collection of emails, I don’t want to create a misleading impression. In trying to strike that balance, in a brief letter and in the middle of an election season, there is significant risk of being misunderstood, but I wanted you to hear directly from me about it.
Jim Comey

I believe the problem of the misunderstanding arose because Comey informed DOJ he was going to send the letter. The DOJ was planning on a response to that information but Comey not knowing the Department might object and was formulating a response sent the letter the next day. He had in fact been asked to keep Congress informed of further developments and he had promised to do so.

I believe what you quoted might have resulted from pressure from the DOJ which was in fact furious about the matter. It was a violation of DOJ policy and as you know a furor erupted from several arenas over the matter.

Sam

[lapucelle]

57. Comey's explanation was facile and self-serving,

and he could have exercised greater discretion in informing the committee, without violating his oath. Comey prides himself on his renowned reputation for circumspection, in all cases unless they involve Hillary Clinton.

[Hamlette]

19. He's more afraid of pissing off GOP (for not trashing Clinton) than pissing us off.

Sad as it is to say this, we are just not that mean.

[Orangepeel]

27. To preemptively damage her presidency

Cut down her coat tails for senate races and give the republicans more excuses to obstruct after she won.

[apnu]

28. Because he was in the bag until recently.

Comey obviously interfered with the election. He had some petty reason for putting his finger on the scale. But now that he's got a good look at Trump and sees what kind of a shit show the next 4 years will be, he's turning on the President.

[Vinca]

30. Comey should be investigated, too.

There's something very stinky about it all. He claims it's because the Hillary investigation was closed so he could talk about it, but that sounds like BS.

[uponit7771]

41. +1, what he did should be against the law

[unblock]

31. the hillary email has a simple explanation; it's the current investigation that's more speculative.

the hillary email was very likely just plain partisan politics. he's a republican and wanted republicans to win.

that's still a guess to some extent, but certainly a simple and quite plausible explanation.


it's the current investigation that's a bit more of a mystery.

maybe he turned now that he's seen donnie in action?
maybe he likes pence better?
maybe he hates everybody?
maybe he just likes the attention?

my own theory is that there's simply too much obvious crap around for him to plausibly *not* investigate, so his hand is forced, he *has* to investigate.

that said, he's still a partisan jerk, so my guess is that he'll find a way to clear everyone or let this fizzle without major political damage if at all possible.

[Skittles]

43. or maybe it was just plain MISOGYNY

[unblock]

44. There's always that, too....

[Skittles]

42. I take it he wasn't asked that at the hearings?

he should be required to explain

[McCamy Taylor]

45. Because he told Trump's people they were being investigated and they told him to create a diversion.

Why do you think Comey got so freaked out when Trump said he had proof that he was investigated? Because Trump heard it from him. Someone needs to get Flynn under oath and ask him who told them about the investigation. I'm betting it was Comey.

[jalan48]

46. Obama's AG could have stopped Comey from releasing the letter but chose not to.

I don't know if it was because Obama knew about the ongoing Trump investigation and didn't want to get embroiled in the mess.

[krawhitham]

47. Rumor at the time was

Comey had no control over NY FBI office, they were going to leak the Anthony Weiner laptop email story. Rudy was bragging FOX news the FBI had something. So Comey send that letter before NY office leaked it

[still_one]

52. It's as it appears, to help trump win

[yardwork]

53. I think he assumed that Hillary would win. He was covering his ass.

Comey, like most people in DC, were sure that Hillary would be elected. He figured that the Republicans would keep their majority in Congress. The Republicans were planning endless "investigations" of Hillary after the election. Comey didn't want to be accused of covering for her.

I don't think that Comey intended to tip the election to Trump.

[Alice11111]

54. Cuz he wanted to fuck over Hillary &Dems. Also

There was a lot of pressure from the NY office, a den of extreme RWs. He implied, as did Gulianni, that they were going to leak it.
Still, he could have made it somewhat eqivalent.

Comey for jail.

[Sancho]

58. Comey hates the Clintons, and he probably expected Hillary to win; just trying to damage her.

Now Comey has painted himself into a corner with the Russian/Trump cooperation, so he is trying to backtrack and save himself. Even Comey could be accused of cooperating with Russia if the evidence is clear that the FBI knew of collusion before the election.

That may be why the FBI is so slow to confirm what evidence they collected since last summer. In their efforts to hurt Hillary, the FBI and Comey opened the door for an insane traitor to occupy the White House.

I think Comey knows that any serious investigation with point to his own office as interfering in the election.