Why Is The FBI So Slow On Clinton E-Mail Probe?

[Purveyor]

By Joan Vennochi GLOBE COLUMNIST APRIL 06, 2016

IF FBI Director James Comey feels no deadline pressure to wrap up the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s e-mail server, he should.

“The urgency is to do it well and promptly. And ‘well’ comes first,” Comey told local law enforcement agents in Buffalo on Monday, according to the Niagara Gazette.

“Well” is important. But so is “promptly,” and the FBI’s definition of that is unclear.

The probe, underway for a year now, addresses a fundamental question: Did Clinton intentionally or recklessly forward classified information in a way that put the country at risk?

Getting the answer sooner rather than later seems only fair.

MORE...

https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/04/06/why-fbi-slow-clinton-mail-probe/lJmHwLuAfbxSXrrvR0XqwJ/story.html

[Babel_17]

1. It's possible that the FBI does appreciate the public's need for all relevant information

But that appreciation could be affected by their sense that it's not really so unfathomable to understand the larger issues. They might think that either the voters have a problem with them, or they don't. What the FBI is doing is leaving no stone unturned, and seeing if/how laws and regulations were broken. They might not see the facts of the matter as being in doubt, and that at least might be getting made clear to us fairly soon. When they start asking people to come in for questioning, I think the press will loosen up as to what can generally be agreed upon.

Documenting and proving criminal intent is different than establishing sketchy behavior has occurred.

Now, some may have a pet theory that the FBI realizes that political muscle will be a factor in this case. So their accumulation of evidence might be allowing for inordinate pressure being put on the DOJ from every which direction. In that line of reasoning, the FBI might want an avalanche of evidence that's not just for the courts, but for public consumption. I see it as plausible to argue that the FBI isn't happy about the foot dragging that has gone on from many with government jobs. If it's going to be in part a turf war, they'll be ready to handle that part of this case.

[Skwmom]

12. Well,I've experienced the "we won't give you the information but you have to issue your report" game

Unfortunately for them, I'm not the type of person that bows to that type of pressure.

It seems like they really played games with withholding info from the Benghazi committee.

[Babel_17]

16. And that led to the FOIA document requests, and that led to the eventual discovery

that documents weren't available that should have been, and that was because of the private server? (whew, catches breath)

If I got that right, and IIRC, that's been purported to be potentially a quite major issue. Deliberately arranging to avoid FOIA requests. That could be something requiring a lot of research. You have to establish a timeline, and somehow prove intent. And it is the kind of thing people might do out of clumsy venality, and not for deeply sinister reasons. So you do have to look at every angle.

[scscholar]

2. Because there's nothing to find?

It takes an infinite amount of time to find something that doesn't exist. Plus, she already confirmed that she didn't do anything wrong.

[frylock]

6. Plus, she already confirmed that she didn't do anything wrong.

[Babel_17]

11. "why take so long to question her?" (from the article)

I'm a bit surprised by that question, though maybe I shouldn't be. IIRC several armchair sleuths have written that it can be solid practice to interview the people at the top of the food chain last, and then only after the bulk of the investigation has concluded.

I gather there are lots of good reasons to do this, and those reasons may or may not be dependent on suspicion of any guilt. You can't expect people to sit still for a fishing expedition, if there's a chance of them becoming a suspect.

The FBI will want answers from the functionaries first. And we recently learned a bunch of them acquired the same, recently independent, lawyer. So I'm not all that surprised that it's like in a play, with the FBI hoping the evidence can build up to a denouement of sorts.

Lol, I had to guess at the spelling of that, first time I ever used that word.

[geek tragedy]

3. They're messing with y'all nt

[frylock]

7. [Insert nervous laughter]

[frylock]

4. I don't see how this bodes well for Mrs. Clinton.

If there's no there there, then one would think that this thing would be ready to wrap up.

[Myrina]

5. A hahaha you really have to ask?

Let's look at some financial statements of the folks involved - all the way up to the top - & see if any happen to be familiar with the Clinton Foundation.

[Skwmom]

15. Folks involved as in the folks being investigated?

[SDjack]

8. Maybe the FBI is marking an escape path for her to take to avoid indictment. /nt

[Skwmom]

9. It makes sense if they are looking at a lot more than the emails. n/t

[jillan]

10. Comey is a Republican. Need I say more?

[Skwmom]

13. He was appointed by Obama. n/t

[frylock]

14. Nominated by President Obama.

[jillan]

17. Also by Bush.

[Fumesucker]

19. If anything comes out it won't be until after the primaries are decided

This is an immense political football and the FBI is far from immune to politics.

[jfern]

20. It's terrible for the party if this isn't decided soon

At least give us some hint of the odds of indictment before New York votes, and decide whether to indict before people start returning their ballots in California. Is that too much to ask?

[Abouttime]

21. Hillary will walk

She will walk away from this without harm.
No way President Obama lets his DOJ indict the Democratic front runner and hand the Presidencty to Trump or Cruz, it ain't gonna happen.
Sooner rather than later Hillary will be cleared of any and all wrongdoing.

[Lurks Often]

22. Because the FBI wants the case to be air tight

Presuming there is something there to investigate, you don't go after someone as public, well connected and powerful as Hillary Clinton without making sure absolutely no mistakes are made and that the evidence is overwhelming.

[MineralMan]

23. Maybe because they know there will be no recommendation

to indict and Comey, the Republican, wants to keep hope alive for some.

Or, perhaps they're still investigating and trying to figure it out. I have no idea, and neither does anyone else who is not directly involved in the investigation. That's especially true of newspaper editorial collumnists.