Emails, emails, emails! It seems like these are the only things some people can ever think about when discussing Hillary Clinton. Admittedly, the emails are a bit of a big deal. Anyone suggesting the controversy over emails is simply a bunch of right-wing hot air is living in the dark. Clinton indisputably broke rules by refusing to follow proper email policy. She also intentionally misled the American public. These two facts can certainly give Americans justifiable pause before pulling a lever in the voting booth for Clinton. However, the email controversy, while serious, needs to be kept in perspective. Perhaps that is why people are sharing a letter sent by the FBI regarding the email scandal.
The letter was sent by the FBI this Tuesday. The letter was addressed to GOP Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Rep. Elijah Cummings. Rep. Jason Chaffetz is the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Rep. Elijah Cummings is the country’s top Democrat on that committee. The letter seems to have been sent to these two to help set the record straight about Hillary Clinton as the 2016 election gets ready to tumble into autumn. The letter states that Hillary Clinton did not write or send any emails containing classified information on her private email server. The FBI wants everyone, especially government officials, to know that Clinton wasn’t blatantly typing up classified information and sending it out into the world outside of official channels.
The letter begins be recounting the efforts made over the past year to complete an honest investigation of Hillary Clinton. Written by FBI Assistant Director James V. Herring, the letter states, “The fact that Secretary Clinton received emails containing ‘(C)’ [classified] portion markings is not clear evidence of knowledge or intent,” Herring said in the letter. The letter continues, “As the director stated, the FBI did find evidence that Secretary Clinton and her colleagues were extremely careless in their handling of certain, very sensitive, highly classified information.” In other words, just because some of the emails were indeed classified, it does not mean Clinton meant to showcase classified emails to the world.
The letter then goes on to explain the phrase that has been irking both thoughtful Americans and rabid Clinton detractors. “The term ‘extremely careless’ was intended to be a common sense way of describing the actions of Secretary Clinton and her colleagues,” the letter reads. “The director did not equate ‘extreme carelessness’ with the legal standard of ‘gross negligence’ that is required by the statute. In this case, the FBI assessed that the facts did not support a recommendation to prosecute her or others within the scope of the investigation for gross negligence.” This means people calling for Clinton to be put on trial for treason or some other outrageous charge do not have have their facts straight. Clinton made a mistake, and it was a careless mistake. However, it does not warrant a trial.
The letter concluded, “Ultimately, the FBI did not recommend prosecution based on an assessment of the facts and review of how these statutes have been charged in the past.” This means other people have made similar mistakes in the past, and these folks weren’t hauled into a courthouse to face trial either. Like many politicians, Clinton carelessly and somewhat arrogantly thought rules did not apply to her and her staff. Unquestionably, this should give Americans great pause in deciding to vote for her. Notwithstanding, it does not call for her to be prosecuted, and it does not call for Americans to be puzzled as to why she isn’t being put on trial. The circumstances did not warrant it.