'The FBI is Trumpland': anti-Clinton atmosphere spurred leaks, sources say

[mystery-ak]

 'The FBI is Trumpland': anti-Clinton atmosphere spurred leaks, sources say

Highly unfavorable view of Hillary Clinton intensified after James Comey’s decision not to recommend an indictment over her use of a private email server



Spencer Ackerman in New York
@attackerman

Thursday 3 November 2016 14.02 EDT

Deep antipathy to Hillary Clinton exists within the FBI, multiple bureau sources have told the Guardian, spurring a rapid series of leaks damaging to her campaign just days before the election.

Current and former FBI officials, none of whom were willing or cleared to speak on the record, have described a chaotic internal climate that resulted from outrage over director James Comey’s July decision not to recommend an indictment over Clinton’s maintenance of a private email server on which classified information transited.

“The FBI is Trumpland,” said one current agent.

This atmosphere raises major questions about how Comey and the bureau he is slated to run for the next seven years can work with Clinton should she win the White House.

more
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/03/fbi-leaks-hillary-clinton-james-comey-donald-trump

[sinkspur]

Exactly. 

If Hillary wins, she will fire Comey, and she should.  He has turned the FBI into a politically-driven agency.

He could just as well have done something like this against Trump.  Comey is more concerned about his own image.

[skeeter]

Exactly. 

If Hillary wins, she will fire Comey, and she should.  He has turned the FBI into a politically-driven agency.

Is Hillary innocent?

[mountaineer]

Is Hillary innocent?

Touché.

[geronl]

I guess we can rule out any investigating of Trump if he wins, even if he aborting babies from his 13 year old concubines

[sinkspur]

Is Hillary innocent?

Until proven guilty, yes.  No FBI director has ever injected himself into the political process as Comey has, all for his own aggrandizement.  And he has unleased his agents to leak whatever they want to the press.

Thumb on the scale.

[aligncare]

Appears someone's slip is showing...could it be...oh, I don't know....sink's?

[Frank Cannon]

Until proven guilty, yes.  No FBI director has ever injected himself into the political process as Comey has, all for his own aggrandizement.  And he has unleased his agents to leak whatever they want to the press.

Thumb on the scale.

You're an Leftist hack. Remember the Caspar Weinberger indictment?

Comey is actually investigating a long time criminal. Just because there is an election he is supposed to stop justice? Bullshit.

[skeeter]

Until proven guilty, yes.  No FBI director has ever injected himself into the political process as Comey has, all for his own aggrandizement.  And he has unleased his agents to leak whatever they want to the press.

Thumb on the scale.

Considering that new information has recently come to light that has a direct bearing on the investigation what would you suggest he should have done?

Waited until after the election and Clinton wins? That would be tantamount to no justice.

A few months ago when the FBI recommended no prosecution and Clinton was out on the stump claiming 'the FBI found no wrongdoing' were you then complaining about the FBI politicizing the race?

[skeeter]

You're an Leftist hack. Remember the Caspar Weinberger indictment?

Comey is actually investigating a long time criminal. Just because there is an election he is supposed to stop justice? Bullshit.

Sink will say thats different because it was a special prosecutor, not the FBI.

But you are right, that was far worse because there was NO cause for the indictment, and there was NO reason to mention GW Bush's name, which Walsh did. THAT was clearly political.

It was rich listening to James Carville complain about Comey the other day, when he was probably directly involved in the Walsh indictment in 92.

[DB]

Exactly. 

If Hillary wins, she will fire Comey, and she should.  He has turned the FBI into a politically-driven agency.

He could just as well have done something like this against Trump.  Comey is more concerned about his own image.

Or perhaps there's a revolt going on at the lower levels of the FBI due to upper level management actively trying to bury the corruption emanating from the highest levels of our government.

[sinkspur]

You're an Leftist hack. Remember the Caspar Weinberger indictment?

Comey is actually investigating a long time criminal. Just because there is an election he is supposed to stop justice? Bullshit.

I am a lifelong Republican, pal. 

The Cap Weinberger indictment was done by an Independent Counsel who had no direct ties to the FBI or the Justice Department.  Walsh was a Reagan hater who was out to get GW Bush because he disliked Reagan and Bush.

You proved my point.

Comey should not stop investigating.  He should shut his mouth ten days before an election.  If you don't think this is entirely political, you're not paying attention.

[sinkspur]

Considering that new information has recently come to light that has a direct bearing on the investigation what would you suggest he should have done?

Waited until after the election and Clinton wins? That would be tantamount to no justice.

A few months ago when the FBI recommended no prosecution and Clinton was out on the stump claiming 'the FBI found no wrongdoing' were you then complaining about the FBI politicizing the race?

So you admit that he's trying to influence the election by speaking up and derailing Clinton.  He was under no obligation to speak up when he did.

And,as a matter of fact, I was complaining about no indictment.  But, that was in July.  Not in the waning days of a general election.

[sinkspur]

Sink will say thats different because it was a special prosecutor, not the FBI.

But you are right, that was far worse because there was NO cause for the indictment, and there was NO reason to mention GW Bush's name, which Walsh did. THAT was clearly political.

It was rich listening to James Carville complain about Comey the other day, when he was probably directly involved in the Walsh indictment in 92.

Comey said there was no cause for indictment last July.  Is there now?  How would he know, since he hadn't looked at the emails?

You don't seem to realize that you are making my point about the politicization of the justice system by bringing up Lawrence Walsh. 

[sinkspur]

Or perhaps there's a revolt going on at the lower levels of the FBI due to upper level management actively trying to bury the corruption emanating from the highest levels of our government.

And that is reason to overcorrect and inject the bureau into the political process?  That is exactly what has happened here.

[montanajoe]

Hmmmmm...

Is having the FBI pulling for a candidates election a good thing for the rest of us...

If you are convinced the FBI is your friend then no worries

[DB]

Comey said there was no cause for indictment last July.  Is there now?  How would he know, since he hadn't looked at the emails?

You don't seem to realize that you are making my point about the politicization of the justice system by bringing up Lawrence Walsh.

Comey corrupted himself with that July pronouncement. If lowerlings are in possession of serious wrong doing and their boss said what he did, they might be just a little upset with the state of government and their being dragged into being part of the corrupt Clinton machine. At some point you have to stand on principle and let the chips fall where they may. Perhaps this is one of those moments. Perhaps not. There's so much crap flying around who knows what the truth is - but that is probably part of the plan as far as Hillary goes.

[Oceander]

You're an Leftist hack. Remember the Caspar Weinberger indictment?

Comey is actually investigating a long time criminal. Just because there is an election he is supposed to stop justice? Bullshit.

C'mon Frank, put the finger down.  Sinkspur is nothing of the sort, and neither is anyone else here.

[skeeter]

So you admit that he's trying to influence the election by speaking up and derailing Clinton.  He was under no obligation to speak up when he did.

And,as a matter of fact, I was complaining about no indictment.  But, that was in July.  Not in the waning days of a general election.

He's attempting to get the information out there ASAP so voters can make an informed decision.

Thank God for that.

BTW I was under the impression that the new information became known as a result of the Weiner investigation. If thats the case Comey is under no obligation to wait until after the election when Clinton will do exactly as her husband did and fire all prosecutors effectively ending all ongoing prosecutions.

[Oceander]

Hatch Act, 5 USC 7323(a)(1): a federal employee may not "use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election."

Using one's access to agency investigative files to obtain, and then leak, information relating to a candidate for elective office, a week before that election, is almost certainly using official authority - access to information - to affect the result of an election.

If bleep in the FBI are leaking information on the Clinton investigation this close to the election, they are almost certainly violating the Hatch Act.

[Oceander]

He's attempting to get the information out there ASAP so voters can make an informed decision.

Thank God for that.

That's a direct violation of the the Hatch Act, 5 USC sec. 7323(a)(1).

[skeeter]

That's a direct violation of the the Hatch Act, 5 USC sec. 7323(a)(1).

I seriously doubt the Hatch Act specifies that the FBI should bury evidence found prior to an election that one of the candidates might find inconvenient.

[Longmire]

Appears someone's slip is showing...

[sinkspur]

He's attempting to get the information out there ASAP so voters can make an informed decision.

Thank God for that.

BTW I was under the impression that the new information became known as a result of the Weiner investigation. If thats the case Comey is under no obligation to wait until after the election when Clinton will do exactly as her husband did and fire all prosecutors effectively ending all ongoing prosecutions.

There is no information. There is only speculation.

You are doing it again.  You are saying Comey is rushing to get information out to derail a Clinton presidency.

Do you not see this?

[Oceander]

I seriously doubt the Hatch Act specifies that the FBI should bury evidence found prior to an election that one of the candidates might find inconvenient.

Not disclosing information is not the same as burying that information.  This applies with particular force to FBI agents other than Comey who may be leaking information.

If they had this information, they should have revealed it a long time ago; now it's nothing more than a blatant attempt to influence the election, and that is expressly prohibited by the Hatch Act.  If this is true, there are going to be a number of very sorry, very poor, ex-FBI agents.