Many politicians, journalists, lawyers, and pundits are just outraged that FBI director James Comey has re-opened the Clinton investigation, based on new e-mails found on disgraced ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner’s computer. He is trying to influence the election! He is just playing politics! He already made his decision not to prosecute so he shouldn’t change his mind!
But defense attorney Page Pate points out that no one should blame Comey. He didn’t cover up the e-mails that have now turned up. Clinton staffers, including Huma Abedin, whose correspondence was discovered on her husband’s computer, were asked if they had copies of other e-mails sent from Mrs. Clinton’s illegal server, but they denied it.
James Comey is not primarily responsible for the political mess caused by the recent discovery of more emails that may be relevant to the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. These newly uncovered emails were not written, sent or received by Comey. He didn’t store them on his computer, and it wasn’t his fault that they were not reviewed many months ago during the initial investigation. In fact, Comey never even knew these emails existed until now.
That’s the problem. Neither Comey nor the FBI had the opportunity to review these emails before making the decision not to charge Hillary Clinton. Discovering them now, so close to the election, has caused a political maelstrom that may pose a problem for Hillary Clinton’s apparently smooth ride to victory in the last days of this campaign. But this problem wasn’t created by Comey. The FBI found new information that’s potentially relevant to the investigation we all thought was over. Now someone has to deal with this information, and that job belongs to James Comey.
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