By Daily Bell Staff<\/p>\n
Comey on Clinton email probe: \u2018Don\u2019t call us weasels\u2019 \u2026\u00a0The normally-stoic FBI chief grew emotional as he rejected claims that the FBI was in the tank for Clinton. -Politico<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
James Comey appeared today before the House Judiciary Committee to answer questions about the FBI\u2019s decision not to recommend prosecution of Hillary Clinton regarding misuse of classified emails \u2013 and in the process told members that once the politics stopped circulating, the FBI would again be seen as the institution \u201cyou know and love.\u201d<\/p>\n
This hyperbolic statement certainly set the tone for the larger hearing which\u00a0saw Comey testifying with unusual emotionalism,\u00a0 adding at one point that people ought not to see those involved in the decision as \u201cweasels.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can call us wrong, but don\u2019t call us weasels. We are not weasels,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are honest people and\u2026.whether or not you agree with the result, this was done the way you want it to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite Hillary\u2019s destruction of various phones with hammers (to mention only one issue), he spent several hours insisting, often querulously, that there\u00a0was no evidence that she intended to obstruct justice or to hide evidence.\u00a0His statements were mostly a repetition of already presented justifications. As they made little sense previously, they\u00a0added neither clarity nor insight.<\/p>\n
Republican congressmen \u2013 many of whom were increasingly\u00a0incredulous \u2013 pressed him in startling ways. Several virtually demanded he\u00a0reopen the case and others told him bluntly that \u201cyou blew it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI would be in big trouble and I should be in big trouble if I did something like that,\u201d said Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.). \u201cThere seems to be different strokes for different folks. I think there\u2019s a heavy hand coming from someplace else.\u201d<\/p>\n
Comey was confronted with new evidence including a Reddit post from July 2014 probably authored by Platte River Networks specialist Paul Combetta seeking information on how to delete a \u201cVIP\u201d email address. \u00a0(Platte River provided Clinton server support.) Republican Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte said, \u201cThis clearly demonstrates an action to destroy evidence by people operating Clinton\u2019s private server and her staff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Comey\u2019s response:\u00a0It seemed to him to be merely an effort to deal with privacy considerations.<\/p>\n
At every turn, Comey simply explained and re-explained the logic of determining that there was no evidence to move forward with prosecution of Hillary Clinton for mishandling emails of the most sensitive kind \u2013 and with little new information to bolster his perspective.<\/p>\n
Now, following this hearing, the\u00a0public accusation stands front and center: The director of the FBI, James\u00a0Comey, himself allowed the FBI to be influenced by political considerations.<\/p>\n