FBI director Comey sends letter to Congress

STANDOFF — FBI Director James Comey sent a letter to Congress alerting them of new evidence, serving to alter his previous recommendation of no indictment for Secretary Clinton. (Getty Images)

Anthony Weiner’s alleged “sexting” of a minor may result in the reopening of the Clinton email case

On Friday, FBI director James Comey sent a letter to Congress stating that the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails would be reopened following the discovery of new emails in a “separate investigation.” Nearly 650,000 emails were found on disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner’s laptop during an investigation by the FBI investigation into his alleged “sexting” of an underage girl.

Of the 650,000 emails, some were discovered to belong to Weiner’s estranged wife, Clinton’s top aide, Huma Abedin. It is not known how Abedin’s emails wound up on Weiner’s computer, however the less politicized investigation of his appaling online sexual advances to a minor may have turned up important emails related to the Clinton entourage.

The validity of the emails as evidence was challenged by Clinton supporters, largely because the FBI did not have a warrant to look at the emails. This was rebuffed when the warrant to read the emails was obtained by the FBI on Sunday, according to the New York Times. Unfortunately for Clinton, and especially Abedin, if confidential files are found on the private email account director Comey’s recommendation against an indictment may very well change.

Some have asserted that the delay in the FBI’s ability to obtain a warrant to read the emails may be related to a Department of Justic-FBI conflict. Attorney General Loretta Lynch was reportedly against director Comey sending his letter to Congress, as it would indubitably affect the election now less than a week away.

Several Clinton supporters, including Nevada senator Harry Reid, have alleged that director Comey has violated the Hatch Act: a law prohibiting political activity by executive branch officials. In his letter to congress, director Comey told recipients that he “agreed that the FBI should take appropriate investigative steps designed to allow investigators to review these emails to determine whether they contain classified information, as well as to assess their importance to our investigation.”

Director James Comey’s appointment as FBI director lasts for 10 years, and since he took office in 2013, he will be in office for the duration of the next presidents term. If elected, Trump has promised to launch a special investigation into both Clinton’s gross misuse of a private email sever while serving as Secretary of State and the conflict of interest regarding the Clinton Foundation. If Clinton is elected, she may very well be sworn in while being investigated for a conflict of interest and the mishandling of confidential material. Often one of the penalties for mishandling of classified documents is the revocation of classified privileges, something that a president obviously needs in order to do their job.

In addition to the emails found by the FBI, thousands of hacked emails belonging to Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta have been released by Wikileaks. As of Oct. 31, the total number of emails released stands at roughly 39,000. These emails have illustrated the clear connection between the Clinton campaign and popular media outlets. The Podesta emails have given Donald Trump’s allegation of a media conspiracy some legitimacy, as they revealed that the Clinton campaign received questions before Clinton attended the events at which they were to be asked. The collusion of campaign and media is nothing new in the political arena, but the sheer level of control exerted by the Clinton campaign over those who inform the public begs one to ask one question, why?

This close to the election and in the middle of many state’s early voting periods, these new revelations about the leading candidate’s legal issues in regard to national security have serious implications for the already historic 2016 presidential election. Can a president be sworn into our nations highest office while under investigation? Only time will tell.