Judiciary Committee Probes Reported Lynch Assurances to Stifle Clinton Email Investigation
Jun 23, 2017
WASHINGTON
– Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member
Dianne Feinstein, Crime and Terrorism Subcommittee Chairman Lindsey
Graham and Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse sought information about
alleged political interference by then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch
during the FBI’s investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton’s use of a private email server. The bipartisan inquiry comes as
the Judiciary Committee is examining the circumstances surrounding the
removal of James Comey as FBI Director.
In April, The New York Times reported
that the FBI came into possession of a batch of hacked documents, one
of which was said to be authored by a “Democratic operative who
expressed confidence that Ms. Lynch would keep the Clinton investigation
from going too far.” Chairman Grassley then requested a copy of the document from the Justice Department, which has failed to respond. A month later, The Washington Post reported similar facts and provided further details about individuals involved in these communications. The Post reported
that the email in question, sent by then-chair of the Democratic
National Committee Debbie Wasserman Schultz to Leonard Benardo of the
Open Society Foundations, indicated that Lynch had privately assured
Clinton campaign staffer Amanda Renteria that the FBI’s investigation
wouldn’t “go too far.”
Comey was reportedly
concerned that the communication would raise doubts about the
investigation’s independence and began discussing plans to announce the
end of the Clinton email investigation rather than simply referring it
to the Department for a prosecutorial decision. Comey’s extraordinary
action to announce the end of the investigation was a break from Justice
Department protocol, and was later cited as justification for his
removal from the FBI.
In their letters to Benardo,
Open Society Foundations’ General Counsel Gail Scovell, Renteria and
former Attorney General Lynch, the Senators seek details about the
reported communication, copies of any related documents and whether the
FBI contacted them to investigate the alleged communication.
The
reports come amidst numerous allegations of political inference in
controversial and high-profile investigations spanning the current and
previous administrations. The Senate Judiciary Committee has
jurisdiction over the FBI and Justice Department and is obliged to
oversee any potential misconduct or inappropriate political influence at
these agencies.
Full text of the letters can be found at the following links.
And this comes as THE HILL reports, "A majority of voters say former Attorney General Loretta Lynch should be investigated for an election-year meeting with former President Bill Clinton that took place while the FBI was investigating Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server from her time as Secretary of State."
Oh, Loretta.
I stood up for you and defended you here.
I thought you took your oath of office seriously.
Turns out, you may have been just another partisan.
I hope not.
Closing with C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"
Friday, June 23, 2017. Chaos and violence continue, a judge weighs in
on Iraqi Christian refugees in the US, The Mosul Slog continues and much
more.
Starting with the topic of refugees . . .
Starting with the topic of refugees . . .
From Syria to Libya to Iraq and beyond, millions of refugees wouldn't have fled if the US, the UK and co. didn't destabilize their homelands
They didn't create themselves.
Before the start of this decade, the Iraq War had already created the largest refugee crisis in the Middle East since 1948.
And that's only continued through this day.
Some of the displaced stay in other parts of Iraq.
Some leave for other countries.
Those who turn to other countries arrive hoping they've found a place where they can create a home.
For a number of Iraqi Christians, the US may not be that place as they've been informed that they are being deported.
Some hope emerged yesterday.
BREAKING: Detroit judge temporarily halts deportation of more than 100 Iraqi Christians who fear torture if sent back.
A Detroit judge has temporarily halted deportation of 100+ Iraqi Christians who fear persecution if returned. ICYMI:
AJ+
US judge halts deportation of more than 100 Iraqi Christians
Federal judge temporarily blocks Iraqi Christians’ deportation world.wng.org/content/federa… @onize_ohiks
Meanwhile, it's day 247 of The Mosul Slog.
Mosul to be liberated in a few days as [the Islamic State] on the verge of defeat says Iraqi PM trtworld.com/mea/mosul-to-b…
Of course, prime minister Hayder al-Abadi has been making the "within days" claim for 247 days, over eight months.
247 days.
And the operation only kicked off after Mosul had been occupied by the Islamic State for over two years.
The Islamic State seized control in June of 2014.
The liberation has resulted in increasing the refugee population and civilians being targeted.
This is what, the Iraqi army, U.S and France allies in the region is doing...
#Iraq
Iraq's late for provincial elections. They were supposed to be held in April.
National elections are to be held next year -- or supposed to be.
Protests are taking place over the Independent High Electoral Commission.
Which is a good thing.
It's impacted each election negatively.
And usually the complaints are on hold until after the election is days away.
What's happening? ماذا حدث؟
It is a protest to the Iraqi people demanding the dismissal of the Electoral Commission because it is corrupt
These protests could make a difference.
Meanwhile, the violence continues.
XINHUA reports, "Six civilians were killed and 11 wounded on Friday when four suicide bombers attacked the town of al-Baghdadi in Iraq's western province of Anbar, a provincial police source told Xinhua." AFP notes that the death toll has now increased to nine.
The following community sites updated:
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