Dear Editor,
For nearly a year, up until this past July, the FBI under the direction of James Comey had been examining the private emails of Hillary Clinton to determine if there were any criminal violations. This was spurred on by the loud clamour of Republicans for such an investigation. Comey and his associates questioned Clinton at length last spring, and in early July, Comey at a press conference reviewed the investigation, and stated that there was no evidence of any criminal violations.
This set off a firestorm by Donald Trump, his supporters and allies. Trump, who has no legal background, called Comey incompetent and suggested there was a cover-up. His supporters, activated by his rantings, were equally condemning of the FBI Director, and Paul Ware, the House majority leader, also with no legal experience, echoed Trump’s accusations.
This issue quieted down over the next few months as the candidates had three debates and other issues had developed, including a video of Trump bragging about being able to kiss and grope pretty women because he was a celebrity. According to polls, Clinton had a 5- point lead on Trump with clear support in the critical key states. But then out of the blue, on October 28th, 10 days before the election, Comey submitted a letter to each of the Republican committee chairmen in Congress, reporting that additional emails had been found and the FBI was re-opening the investigation of Clinton.
Later it was revealed that these were not Clinton’s emails, but that the FBI found these emails while investigating emails on a computer of Anthony Weiner, the disgraced former member of Congress from NYC and former husband of Huma Abedin, an assistant to Hilary Clinton. Weiner had been sending emails to an under-aged girl. Apparently, there were some of Abedin’s emails on this computer as well. Comey acknowledged that he and his associates had not read these emails before sending the letter.
The Hatch Act, which had been enforced for decades, prohibited Federal officials from supporting candidates in elections. Comey knew this when he sent the letters supporting Trump’s positions. There was also an unwritten rule in the Justice Department and FBI that nothing would be revealed about an investigation until after it had concluded.
Members of the Justice Department warned Comey about what he planned to do, but he ignored them. Lastly, FBI and Justice Officials had a longstanding rule that no information, which could affect the outcome of an election, would be released within 60 days of an election. Yet, Comey sent out his letters ten days before the election contrary to these rules and the Hatch Act, even though he had no evidence of Clinton’s involvement.
Democrats and even some Republican politicians strongly criticized Comey for what he had done. One longstanding Republican said what Comey had done was “disgraceful”. He boosted Trump and his followers by re-introducing Clinton’s emails as a big issue in the campaign. Trump immediately latched on to this. His ads the past few days have highlighted Comey’s investigation as proof against Clinton, and reiterating that Clinton is a crook, who has repeatedly violated the law.
He lauded Comey as a brave and intelligent man and went on to assail Clinton as the “most corrupt politician” to run for president. Polls showed that Clinton’s lead had shrunk to one point within a few days, and indeed, one-third of voters said they could not vote for here now.
Then on November 1, the FBI released documents which were part of an investigation by the FBI in 2001 of Bill Clinton’s pardon of a businessman at the conclusion of his presidency. No charges were assessed. Why release these old records at this time, days before the election? Talk about “piling on”.
What Comey has done is disreputable and his questionable actions could very well affect the outcome of the election this coming Tuesday, allowing Trump to win. Having in mind what Trump has been saying and doing during the campaign and in his private life, this would be a disaster for the future of the United States.
Steve Hopkins
