FBI Director Comey on Hillary Clinton’s emails: Err, nevermind about that

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Before we get into the James Comey news, I just wanted to post the video of LeBron James introducing Hillary Clinton at a rally in Cleveland on Sunday. LeBron endorsed Hillary last month, and in the final days of the election cycle, the Clinton campaign has brought out all of her highest-profile endorsements, like Beyonce, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Stevie Wonder and now LeBron. Most professional athletes are encouraged to avoid politics, lest they alienate half their potential fanbase either way. But LeBron – and other NBA stars, and other pro athletes, to be fair – have grown into their roles as advocates and activists. Personally, I love that LeBron did this.

As for Hillary Clinton and the ZOMG EMAILS, nine days after James Comey sent the letter to Congress informing them about the emails discovered on Anthony Weiner’s computer, FBI Director Comey has sent a new letter to Congress. The letter is basically one gigantic “my bad, nothing to see here, we’re cool, right?”

Just over a week after FBI Director James Comey rolled a grenade into the presidential race by announcing the arrival of new evidence in the Hillary Clinton email probe, he offered what amounted to a “never mind” Sunday, notifying Congress that the newly discovered messages wouldn’t change the bureau’s conclusion that no prosecution of Clinton was warranted.

In a letter sent to House and Senate committee leaders, Comey said FBI agents had completed their review of all messages to or from Clinton on a laptop seized last month from the estranged husband of a Clinton aide and had found nothing momentous.

“Based on our review, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July with respect to Secretary Clinton,” Comey wrote. “I am very grateful to the professionals at the FBI for doing an extraordinary amount of high-quality work in a short-period of time.”

[From Politico]

As many have pointed out, this is unlikely to sway any votes either way, because at this point, there’s simply a miniscule number of truly undecided voters anyway and if you’re a voter whose biggest concern this year is Hillary’s emails, then you weren’t going to vote for her anyway. Besides that, Director Comey basically has support from zero people at this point. Best case scenario: Director Comey broke DOJ and FBI protocol – not to mention violating the Hatch Act – just because Comey was scared that his own people were going to leak damaging information and HE would look foolish. His main concern was self-preservation and his own image, not the republic. Obviously, Donald Trump is back to whining about how everything is “rigged.” Love it. His own surrogates – Rudy Giuliani – tried to rig it for Trump and now everyone is like, “Huh, we need to have hearings on this after the election.”

Here’s your feel-good story of the morning: Senate gremlin and outgoing minority leader Harry Reid has built an amazing political machine in Nevada and he’s delivered that machine to Hillary Clinton.

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, WENN, Getty.

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209 Responses to “FBI Director Comey on Hillary Clinton’s emails: Err, nevermind about that”

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  1. LiterallyaShambles says:

    If we could all just form a receiving line and slap James Comey in the face…
    I feel emotionally manipulated and I’m f*cking done with this. But I have a really good feeling. Come tomorrow night we could have a Madame President ladies, this is huge.

    • Tate says:

      I have a very good feeling too. Early voting looks promising and as long as the rest of us GOTV tomorrow I think we will do this.

      • Clare says:

        I hope you ladies are right, because I have the opposite feeling. 🙁

      • Megan says:

        I have a bad feeling, too. And Comey’s actions hurt the Dems down ticket. If he has a shred of decency, he would resign immediately.

      • Cel2495 says:

        I am heading to the polls at 6am tomorrow (NYC) and just pray that HRC is our new president. S*** is scary!

      • Sabrine says:

        This Comey needs to be fired asap. You don’t want someone as sneaky and conniving as this, using his position for his own agenda, in any position of authority.

    • grabbyhands says:

      From your lips to God’s ear. I think I’m going to go on media blackout starting tomorrow morning-I can’t deal with the tension anymore.

      • Alix says:

        You and me too. I’ll go online Wednesday morning and, based on what I read, decide whether or not I’m calling in sick for the next four years.

        Either my oatmeal isn’t agreeing with me, or seeing Drumpf’s name in print is actually starting to activate my gag reflex.

      • Birdix says:

        I had to this weekend as well, after my kid starting crying that she was afraid of the bad clowns coming and Trump winning 🙁

      • Esmom says:

        Oh no, Birdix, your poor kiddo. It’s so hard to see them distressed like that. I was just talking with a friend yesterday — she said her son is really freaked out and she thinks it’s because she’s been too openly doom and gloom about a possible Trump win. I’m the opposite — my kids seem calm and confident of a Hillary victory, and I think it’s because I’ve sheltered them a bit from my true terror of a Trump win. It’s so hard.

        One thing that did help — I went and canvassed yesterday. Talking to strangers about their plans to vote for Hillary was a really calming way to spend the day. Fingers crossed that love wins!

      • Lindsay says:

        It is very sad how the ugliness of the campaign has had such an impact on our mental health as a nation. Even little kids can’t escape it!

        Not to put down what you were doing Esmom. Hopefully you motivated some people to go vote. But I got laughed at for this: Am I the only one who will straight up lie to the people canvassing? I don’t want to talk politics with a stranger in the door of my house. Doesn’t matter who it is “You’re preaching to the choir. Go next door. I can’t wait to vote for Trump/Johnson/Stien/Captain America/the Lucky Charms’ Leprechaun! Leave!” I feel like I can’t be the only one who does this.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        If you need a place of warm and fuzzy feel goods, go to Pantsuit Nation on Facebook. It is a private group, so it keeps the trolls out. Finally, people have a SAFE space to be as pro-Hillary as they want, and to express what this election means to them.

        Two of my friends live in a Midwestern swing state, and they have a Hillary sign in their front yard. They are a same-sex couple with children. Someone spray painted a gay slur on their Hillary sign. They made new signs to put around it (with lots of rainbows) proclaiming that hate will not stop their love and they are proud to say #imwithher.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        The photo on this article warmed my widdle heart. 🙂 That little boy is too adorable for words! And the way he looks at President Obama gives me all the feels.

        https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obamas-october-surprise-a-cynical-angry-electorate-boosts-his-popularity/2016/11/05/91691588-a291-11e6-8832-23a007c77bb4_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_obamapopulaer-1135am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

      • NotSoSocialButterfly says:

        @Birdix,

        My sympathies- my 15 year old sons are having anxiety about being drafted into war, thanks to this shitstorm of a campaign year.

      • Lindsay says:

        Tiffany – I am so sorry to hear that. The atmosphere and attitudes of this election have been so toxic. The only winners here are people that sell or manufacture alcohol, guns, and Xanax. It has gotten to the point more people are getting physically sick due to the increasing number of people struggling with constant stress and anxiety. I really hope Hillary wins and even more than that I hope once the election has been decided, regardless of who the new President-Elect is we are able to heal and reconcile as a country. This open hostility, complete intolerance for anyone who is different, unwillingness to engage in an open and honest dialogue or make concessions of any sort, and fear mongering, appealing to base instincts and our ‘lizard brain’, tribalism, and selfish, an extreme individualism has to come to an end. As Jon Oliver put it – This election has not appealed to our better angels, it has groped them, made fun of their weight, and called them “a 6, at best”.

        I am glad your friends didn’t feel intimidated or shamed into silence and were able to come up with a classy response to declare their beliefs and support of Hillary. The Presidential yard signs on the hole have been conspicuously absent so a lot of people didn’t have their same courage initially much less after their family and values had been personally attacked in such a vulgar manner. I hope that the fact they didn’t cower into silence really gets under the skin of whoever was low enough to do this.

        As I have mentioned before my mom is a chief judge for both early voting and Election Day. The Republican campaigners had to take the Trump signs home at night because people would come in the middle of the night and take them. It was so juvenile. Unfortunately stealing his signs doesn’t make his campaign disappear too.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Thank you, Lindsay. I was very sad to hear my friends and their young children were subjected to such hate, but I was very happy at the positive response they gave! At the same time…I can’t help but worry for their safety. If the election doesn’t go the way the spray-painters want, will they be back? Very troubling.

    • lightpurple says:

      I will be in line tomorrow morning at 7 with my 87 year old great aunt, both of us wearing white, to cast my vote happily for Hillary Rodham Clinton.

      • swak says:

        I’m going to wait until about 8:30 when the rush of those voting before work is pretty much over.

      • LiterallyaShambles says:

        I can feel the conviction in your words, LP.

        “We’re clearly soldiers in petticoats
        And dauntless crusaders for woman’s votes
        Though we adore men individually
        We agree that as a group they’re rather stupid!
        Cast off the shackles of yesterday!
        Shoulder to shoulder into the fray!
        Our daughters’ daughters will adore us
        And they’ll sign in grateful chorus
        “Well done, Sister Suffragette!””

      • Kitten says:

        On my run this morning I came upon a rather savage scene: a huge hawk standing in the Chucktown Navy Yard with a giant, bloody rat between his talons. I couldn’t help but think it was a sign. HRC is often referred to as a hawk and we all know Trump is a rat bastard so…..here’s hoping it means good news for tomorrow.

        I’ll be watching tomorrow night with my guy who’s a paramedic, which is very apropos as I may need emergency care depending on the results of the election.

      • lightpurple says:

        @Literallyashambles, I have been singing that for days now.

        @Kitten, completely off topic, I find it fascinating that hawks and falcons are thriving in downtown Boston although I could do without seeing the results of their hunts. The hawks nesting atop the streetlight on Beach street in Chinatown have no problem swooping down near pedestrians. But they do help to keep the number of vermin down.

      • Kitten says:

        @ LP- Never in my life did I think I’d see a red-tailed hawk just sitting along the Harborwalk. I was able to get a few good snaps and I can’t believe it let me get that close. Also, my friend in East Boston got some incredible shots of a hawk perched on his deck railway.

        They are as beautiful and majestic as they are intimidating. I don’t know if it’s because I’m in such a heightened emotional state because of the election, but my hawk encounter this morning was truly humbling.

      • swak says:

        @kitten and @lightpurple. The redtail hawk has really increased where I live in the past few years. This summer playing softball, one landed on a the backstop in right field where a field used to be. It sat there for a while. Also have to watch out for any small animals that you take outside, because between the hawks and the owls, they could be snatched up (my daughter has a rat terrier/yorkie mix that we have to watch when we let her out to do her thing). Many animals seem to be getting comfortable around humans, we have deer, coyote (pups included this last spring), foxes, etc. that live in the wooded areas around us (live by a creek).

      • doofus says:

        Red tails are awesome and are great at adapting. as long as they have a tree or two to nest in and things to hunt, they’ll be fine. sounds like you had quite a sight to see!

        FYI, in the springtime when they’re nesting, there are quite a few “hawk-cams” available to watch. you can see them from the time they start “cleaning up” the next, pre-egg laying, to the point that the babies fledge. my go-to is the ornithology dept at Cornell. if you search Cornell hawk cam, it’ll come up. They also have eagle nest cams, and heron cams…and OWL cams…baby owls are the cutest!

        ETA: their main red tail cam is actually ON the Cornell campus, on a light tower.

      • SusanneToo says:

        LP and kitten. Funny, on Saturday I attended a raptor exhibit at our local Environmental Studies Center. At the end, a large rehabbed owl was released back into the wild. Fingers, legs, toes and eyes crossed for tomorrow.

      • MC2 says:

        I love this thread and thank god for this place during this election. Tomorrow is the build and end of a terrible time- but ending on the best note. I think of HRC as a character in a video game & this is her final fight with the boss bad guy. But I’ll take a bird or a shark or anything. All good & strong feelings will be flowing tomorrow I hope.

        My emotions are running high & I look forward to crying tomorrow when I see a woman president! I am starting now. Gosh darn- why did I quit drinking a few months ago?! Thank god for the natural stuff. I might not be able to function today & tomorrow.

      • susanne says:

        I just got home, and hawks were everywhere here in Upstate New York. Along the highways on electric posts, and rurally in trees next to fields closer to home.
        I dreamt of a canary last night. Reading this triggered the memory. Need to look up the symbollism of that.
        Thanks for the nature break. I already need cat vs cucumber videos, puppy shows, and it’s only Monday, barely past noon. Oh dear.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        I ALWAYS cry when I vote. I just think back to all of the struggles that paved the way for me to have this ability. This election is so fraught with emotion, I think I’m going to be even more teary tomorrow.

      • Lightpurple says:

        @swak, the red tails are nesting on street lamps. Falcons have taken to nesting atop skyscrapers here. A boring conference perks right up when a falcon or hawk soars by a 20th floor conference room window. However, I could do without the wild turkeys that have taken to harassing people

      • Kitten says:

        I love how everyone just shared hawk stories 🙂
        This place is so great..

      • elle says:

        I am seriously stressed and worried. Reading comments here gives me hope, but then I go elsewhere, like to the yahoo story about the missing woman in CA, and see such hate-filled and ignorant comments (we need guns! illegals are killing our women! liberals hate pretty blond white ladies!) that I fear the worst.

        This one comment on the story I mentioned above did make me laugh:
        “No woman in her right mind goes jogging ALONE, especially at 2 pm.!”

        I didn’t realize that 2 p.m. was a known highly dangerous time.

        Also, I just got a robocall about ISIS!! and how only Trump will protect us!! Desperate times call for desperate measures. I listened through (holding the phone away from my ear) in hopes I could leave a message saying that I’d already voted for HRC.

      • swak says:

        @lightpurple, my daughter was running on a man-made trail one day and 3 turkeys were there and she was just about attacked. We had 8 of them one day going to the common ground behind the next subdivision over. Also, we have to watch for the geese. Went to walk a trail in a park last week and the geese were near the bathroom (had to stop before we started the walk) and as I went by one, i was hissed at. I LOVE the nature around hear. We saw a fox over by my daughter’s house last week also.

    • Lindy79 says:

      Yep like that scene in Airplane with the hysterical woman.

      In the meantime still no tax returns from the rancid, racist, misogynistic vortex of humanity and he has how many pending lawsuits against him? But yeah …emails…again…

      • susanne says:

        That is the perfect escape movie for today!!!
        It came out before pg13 was invented, and I let my preteen kids watch it. It was no porky’s, but there were cringe-worthy moments to be sure.
        I am in escape mode, and in need of diversion.

    • Nicole says:

      I would punch him hard. He needs to be fired and charged. So many 4 letter words running through my head rn

    • original kay says:

      Yes to your entire post Shambles.

    • Melly says:

      The messed up thing is I f HRC wins, she could never fire Comey. It would look awful politically.
      She needs to win. She just has to.

      • hmmm says:

        Oh, here we go. Let’s start tying Madam President’s hands even before she takes office, place her in a double bind which is how the deplorables work. Don’t people understand that whatever she does, it will be savaged by the dark side?

        It’s time to clean house and forge ahead with her agenda. It’s not like you can expect the dark side to do anything other than obstruct and undermine; she will definitely work with the sane ones. Show the people that you are decisive and mean business. What she needs to do is *the right thing*, which means dealing with the corruption.

      • Melly says:

        @hmmm
        Maybe you misunderstood what I said or maybe I didn’t say it in the right way. I’m all for Hillary getting rid of corrupt elements in the government. Politically, it would look really bad if she fired Comey. This country is already really divided and firing Comey would add gasoline to the flames – it would look like she was getting payback for sending the letter/investigating her. Facts aren’t as important as perception. I think Obama needs to order an investigation into the FBI before he leaves office, which would give Hillary the ability to continue the investigation after she becomes president.

      • MC2 says:

        Melly- I totally agree. And I was thinking the same about HRC’s hands being tied about Comey which is what hmmm seems to be fired up about. We all should be mad at the GOP, FBI & system. She has a double standard on her hands & if she goes in there and starts “locking them up!” then she will look like Trump, even if they deserve it. They go low, she goes high. It’s how she will win her agenda for the next 8 years.

        I agree that Obama should start something- this sh7t is happening on HIS watch. He needs to get the heads rolling as soon as tomorrow is done.

      • Macscore says:

        I’ve read the other comments on this issue – whether HRC should/could fire Comey when she becomes Pres… – and I’m torn about it. Why *shouldn’t* she be able to say, “I cannot trust you; I have zero trust in you and cannot work with you as FBI head”? That’s surely legitimate, right? Everybody knows this has been a horrific witch hunt against her with _zero_ punishable result. I wonder if, if she were male, people would expect her to take appropriate action and deal with her enemy; but she’s held to a different standard and *can’t* take action against him without being accused of retaliating, being a bitch, whatever. I have such respect for how she has kept her head up during this hideous campaign.
        I’m taking a news black-out. We won’t know the news over here until Wed. a.m. (or middle of the night) anyway; I’ve decided to learn the news simply by looking at the expression on my partner’s face. My stomach is in knots and I really can’t take anymore.

      • Lindsay says:

        I would have agreed with you if it weren’t for this last stunt. He made a huge mistake pissing off both sides. No one is willing to go to bad for him. I also think he will turn in his resignation. Going away quietly without being subjected to public Congressional hearings makes the most sense to preserve his chances at a high level, cushy private sector job.

      • susanne says:

        It’s Obama’s job to clean house, and I think he would like to kick a little a$$ over the next 2 months, slowly and thoroughly. That’s what I’d like to see.

      • Melly says:

        I hate to be the pessimist, I much prefer optimism, but are we all going to pretend that if Hillary gets elected there will not be a double standard set by the republicans for her? They are ALREADY talking about impeaching her and/or blocking any supreme court nominations. If she fires Comey, sh!t will meet the fan.
        I agree, she *should* be able to say she can’t work with Comey. But like I said, perception is more important than reality. If Hillary wins, a little less than half the country is going to be boiling in anger. Republicans are going to try to look for ANYTHING they can to discredit her. HRC firing Comey would waste political capital she needs to get her agenda through. Obama needs to take care of the FBI issue, he’ll be a lame duck with nothing left to lose.

      • delorb says:

        Last week that cesspool said that the FBI wouldn’t have put anything out if there wasn’t something there. Any bets that they’ll say that Comey was bought by Clinton to put out fake information a day before the election? It must be great living in their world where they get to be right all the time, even when they’re wrong.

      • NotSoSocialButterfly says:

        I don’t know. A congressional investigation into Comey and the underlings involved could yield results that would compel her to dismiss him.

      • ol cranky says:

        I would like to see an independent investigator look into the relationship between the FBI’s NY field office and Rudy Giuliani/Trump campaign. Giuliani was bragging days before Comey’s announcement was made that something was happening in the next couple days and also implied that he’d been privvy to information about the investigation for months. The FBI colluding with a surrogate for a campaign to sway an election is beyond heinous and, unlike Clinton’s emails, IS a scandal bigger than Watergate

      • lucy2 says:

        People are going to give her hell no matter what she does. If she feels he should go, for the good of the country, then I think she’ll have the balls (pardon the expression) to do it and not be concerned with what people say. She’s already been called every name in the book, repeatedly.

        I believe it is a 10 year appointment, and he’s only been there for a few.

    • isabelle says:

      Somewhat hopeful but don’t trust Cheeto Benito will just accept defeat.

    • lurkingweirdo says:

      I hope you’re right. Last week, the early voting poll where I voted felt like a Trump lovefest. I’m in AZ, though, so there’s that.

  2. DeniseMich says:

    1 more day. Just one more day….

  3. RussianBlueCat says:

    Who is that young girl in the last photo? She is certainly giving ” I will be standing on stage in Hillary’s place one day” looks. I love it!!

    • lightpurple says:

      Demi Smith. J.R. Smith’s daughter.

      • Nancy says:

        It is J.R.’s daughter. I was so proud of LeBron and J.R. The Cavs truly are champions. GMA is saying it is virtually impossible for HRC to lose. Now that frightens me. Remember what they said about the Titanic. Yet I have faith and have to believe he can’t win, he just can’t.

    • Rice says:

      I think it’s J.R. Smith’s daughter.

    • Kitten says:

      YES. I love how beautiful and strong she looks in that pic.

    • doofus says:

      thanks for pointing that out. not only is she all kinds of adorable, she ABSOLUTELY has that look like “*I* could do this someday, too…”

      YES, YOU CAN, YOUNG LADY!!!

      • antipodean says:

        It’s funny, I got that exact vibe from that young lady too. Hopefully she will grow up in a world where she won’t be defined by anything other than the content of her character (nods to MLKjr). I have all my appendages crossed for Madam President.

      • susanne says:

        Because of Obama, this child has known nothing else but a black man as the president. And now a woman.
        My inner 5 year old is grinning ear to ear with confidence and hope, too.

  4. grabbyhands says:

    So basically, now that the damage has been done and it will cost him nothing, he’s all “My bad!!”.

    I’m willing to bet he knew that there was nothing to see when he delivered his little October surprise.

  5. aquarius64 says:

    Trump and the Republicans were banking on Comey to recommend an indictment for Clinton and it didn’t happen. Watch Trump really come unglued these last 24 hours before Election Day.

    • Christin says:

      The timing of the second letter is interesting, given that a story was covered within the past couple of days that was a ‘connect the dots’ pointing out Rudy’s multiple ties (and incentives) to be pushing this.

      • supposedtobeworking says:

        I kind of wonder if the ‘leaks’ is part of the bigger play here – by letting the issues in the FBI become public, it gives the DOJ or Comey justification for cleaning it out. Clinton had a substantial lead at that point, so he may have thought it wasn’t as big a gamble as it was? It’s not okay to have jumped in period, but I think the FBI might need a house cleaning.

    • Rachel says:

      What really pisses me off is last week the news was filled with nothing but stories about the emails. Interviews with political pundits about the emails. Conjecture. Predictions. On and on and on. On this morning’s news? A two second blurb I might have missed if I sneezed at the wrong time. Nothing else.

    • isabelle says:

      He began yesterday, going back to talking about it being rigged and media out to get him.

  6. OldLadiesForHillary says:

    When President Clinton takes office, I’m really hoping that on her Priority To-Do List is: “Fire Comey ASAP … “

    • Luca76 says:

      I think Obama will do it as soon as the election is over. Within the next two weeks I’d bet.

    • lightpurple says:

      Actually, I think she and Obama will both stay out of it so they aren’t accused of meddling with the FBI. I believe that Loretta Lynch began an investigation into Comey and the handling of the emails the day after his little letter to Congress and that investigation will result in his termination after all the proper protocols are followed so there can be no accusations of wrongdoing in the termination.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        That would be fine…maybe that kind of investigation would actually turn up something real.

    • Bonzo says:

      I hear what you’re saying, but I think this is the better plan, per James Fallows at The Atlantic:

      1. Hillary Clinton, if she wins, should not fire Director Comey. If she cares about governing norms, she would have to realize that this would inescapably look like revenge and a purge.

      2. For similar reasons, Barack Obama, who appointed Comey to this job in the first place, should not fire him. FBI directors are given 10-year terms precisely to insulate them from politics. Obama should observe the letter of that apolitical norm, even if Comey himself has not.

      3. But as soon as the election is over, Obama should make clear, bully-pulpit style, what Comey has done wrong, and why Comey has tarnished his bureau’s reputation, lost Obama’s trust, and forfeited the public’s deference to his judgment.

      4. And then Comey should resign. He shouldn’t be fired, but if he cares about his institution and its values, he should recognize that his continued presence is an unavoidable source of continued harm.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        No matter what, even if either party fires him, they’d allow him to say that he’s resigning. We’d all assume he was fired anyway.

      • susanne says:

        Ah, this is delightful. Good plan. This is perfect, and more politically savvy than my thought of Obama just cleaning house before he leaves.

      • Fl girl says:

        His letter of resignation was written the day he was hired. It only lacks his signature with I believe will be coming forthwith.

  7. Chrissy says:

    I really wish that Loretta Lynch would fire Comey’s ass in the very near future (but after the election, of course). If also sounds like the whole FBI needs a purge. What a mess Comey’s made interfering in the election! SMH
    Crossing my fingers for Hillary and praying that Florida’s Latinos come through for her.

    • Who ARE These People? says:

      Especially the NYC office for its ties to former prosecutor Rudy Giuliani.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Yes.
        My greatest fear is that Trump wins and puts Giuliani in charge of the FBI/Justice Dept.

    • Amelie says:

      “I really wish that Loretta Lynch would fire Comey’s ass in the very near future (but after the election, of course)”

      I predict that he will resign.

  8. lightpurple says:

    Paul Ryan’s public response to the latest on the emails was “Vote Trump.”

    My public response to Paul Ryan is pay the US public back for every cent of our tax dollars you have wasted on your email and Benghazi witch hunts out of your own pockets.

  9. Amelie says:

    Newt Gingrich tweeted the following after Comey’s announcement:

    “Comey must be under enormous political pressure to cave like this and announce something he can’t possibly know”

    Prior to Comey’s statement to Congress that additional emails had been discovered, he notified Loretta Lunch and her deputy. Both of them have reporting authority over him and could have ordered him not to issue this statement. They did not do so.

    Next, hard evidence needed to be provided to a federal judge in order to obtain a warrant allowing investigation of the “new” emails found on Weiner’s laptop.

    Multiple sources indicated that it would be impossible to investigate the “new” emails prior to the election.

    My conclusion is that Comey was directed to issue this statement.

    • lightpurple says:

      Loretta Lynch most definitely told him not to send that letter to Congress. Gingrich is trying to cover his huge, hypocritical, lying arse.

      • Amelie says:

        She has supervisory authority over him and could have ordered him not to issue the initial letter. She did not do so.

        Also, Lynch had an inappropriate ‘secret’ meeting with Bill Clinton on a airplane tarmac during the initial email investigation re: Hillary. Does anyone really believe they were talking about their kids and golf as they claimed? The circumstances of this meeting call into question Lynch’s ethics.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        Let’s hope Gingrich’s encore round ends after tomorrow. It’s time for him to exit the national stage.

      • lightpurple says:

        Amelie, what part of she told him not to send the letter do you not understand? Also, what part of there’s nothing criminal about the emails do you not understand?

        I am beyond fed up with my tax dollars being wasted on these damned emails. Why aren’t you fed up with that?

      • Melly says:

        By all accounts @Amelie, Lynch DID order him not to send the letter. He sent it any way. It really messed everything up when Bill and Lynch met on the tarmac, but Lynch SHOULD have recused herself from the case and appointed a special prosecutor. Leaving up to the FBI was a huge mistake.

      • doofus says:

        if it was on an tarmac, and we all know about it, it wasn’t very secret.

    • Who ARE These People? says:

      Amelie, whatever Clinton and Lynched discussed, it’s still immaterial to the matter of Comey’s timing and the nature of his letter. If he really did believe there was “something,” it still could have waited — if there were evidence of criminal activity emerging between the election and inauguration day, charges could be brought; if it emerged after inauguration, impeachment is an option. He didn’t even have the warrant when he issued his first letter against the advice of his supervisor. He was trying to cover his ass AND he has a long, grudge-filled memory from his time working for Ken Starr.

    • A says:

      Yeah, there’s no way the FBI would’ve been able to investigate these 650 000 emails in 6 days. No way. Something is fishy here.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        There probably are ways to match headers, dates, times to existing emails very quickly.

      • Jamie says:

        I work as a system administrator and it would not be difficult to filter and search these emails. I’m not sure where the 650k number came from – probably just the internet echo chamber – but the majority of these emails were probably not even to or from Hillary, so there…those get filtered out. Then you use a simple hash to filter out all the duplicate emails they already investigated. Whatever small number you’re left with are actually read and evaluated but could probably be filtered even further with keyword searches. A team of investigators over 8 days…seems realistic, I’d think it would take even less time.

      • LiterallyaShambles says:

        There were not 650,000 emails. That was Donald Trump misrepresenting sh!t, as per usual. The number is being called “tens of thousands.”

      • Lama Bean says:

        The 650k number is total emails on the computer. The number related to this case was much much lower. I think the number floating around is more like less than 10000, plus they are mostly duplicates.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Exactly, Jamie. A simple de-duping software would eliminate everything that had already been examined. That concept is too difficult for the strident Drumpf supporters to understand.

      • Esmom says:

        A, way to repeat the Trump talking points. I heard a great news story this morning about how they could in fact go through thousands of emails using two software programs designed specially for this task. Trump isn’t even an e-mail user so it seems ridiculous that he would comment so definitively about how this process could or couldn’t work.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        According to Edward Snowden, it would take only “minutes-to-hours”.

      • Flan says:

        650,000: yet another lie.

        All those lies and lies, but nothing sticks.

        I have only grown to admire HRC more because of all the nonsense thrown at her that she shrugs off.

    • Size Does Matter says:

      Having previously managed huge litigation-related document review cases, I was not surprised how quickly these emails were reviewed. They already had them in electronic format. They just needed to add them to the existing database and run filters to remove duplicates and then look at everything else for relevance. They said there were thousands and thousands of emails on the computer but never how many were clintonemail. Apparently it was also an old laptop. So once they filtered out the garbage and duplicates there was nothing substantive left.

      • Amelie says:

        My understanding is that they had to write software programs in order to filter thru these emails. It was more involved than using existing software programs.

      • Lightpurple says:

        @Amelie, sorry but what you are posting here is nearly identical in wording to RNC propaganda I see popping up on Facebuthid morning.

        The FBI had already spent millions of out tax dollars investigating her emails. They would already have a program to do it developed. All they had to do was run these emails through that program. Most of the emails were duplicates of what they saw before. What’s next? An argument that they were in code and “Birthday” means “abandon the ambassador?”

      • woodstock_schulz says:

        @Size Does Matter – a long time ago I also worked on a litigation where there *were* probably 100’s of thousands of emails involved and it didn’t take long to collect AND scan those emails for relevancy, etc.

      • lilypad says:

        As an attorney in a large litigation house, yes, exactly this. Once you have the correct software – one that will identify duplicates and restrict sender/recipient/date, reviewing the emails shouldn’t even have taken them this long. The FBI is not a two man operation, so I’m assuming they had sufficient man power to get this going. My trial team can go through tens of thousands of documents in a matter of days with adequate staffing.

      • Amelie says:

        Lightpurple:

        Your insinuation that I frequent and post information from GOP propaganda sites is incorrect. I also do not frequent DEM propaganda sites. I have written frequently on this site about obtaining information from non politically oriented sources and stated that I find that the best news sources currently are outside the U.S. I have stated that I find information from France 24, a French TV station, to be very good. It is my recollection that this is where I obtained the information on the processing of the emails–from experts in that area.

  10. Rhiley says:

    But don’t you think if Dems don’t flip the Senate that the Comey letter is going to be a big reason why? I do. It isn’t doesn’t look good for the Dems as far as the Senate goes. Hillary had a pretty significant lead,that was going to naturally tighten sure, but one that would have likely allowed the Dems to flip the Senate and makes significant gains in the House (while still not flipping it). Now, even though she may become President, it looks like we will still have a Republican House and Senate so gridlock, and four years of Republicans focusing all of their time, talent, and energy trying to “lock her up” rather than passing measures to fix, oh say, the very real healthcare problem we have in this country. Thanks, Comey!

    • OldLadiesForHillary says:

      I’m worried about the Congress also … Although Hillary is one of the few people who might be able to make some tiny progressive steps in the face of toddler-meltdowns-I’m-not-moving-Congress, it’s going to be very very tough. We elect members of Congress, all of us, and we really need to start working at that level and even lower (is there lower? metaphorically?) to get people willing to do some work and play semi-nicely with others in office.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        There’s an organization working to reduce gerrymandering and Obama will be involved. We should support its work.

      • lightpurple says:

        The Supreme Court passed down a decision recently that will make it harder to gerrymander but we won’t see the effects of that until after the next census in 2020.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        Only a bit over 3 years away – putting major pressure on the mid-term election.

    • isabelle says:

      Since the scandal Dems chances of taking the Senate dropped like a rock. This is why its so import to vote during off years. Vote in all elections not only the National one. We can change it blue in another 2 years. Don’t forget this isn’t a every 4 year thing for the Senate, its every 2 years we get more seats up.

  11. toni says:

    I’ve heard enough stories about the FBI being full of White Supremacist, which makes sense considering how the Police behaves.

    • Melly says:

      I think it would be a good idea not to over generalize. Most people in the FBI are good people with integrity who do a really tough job.

  12. Sixer says:

    Has anybody actually gone and read any of these ZOMG EMAILS other than the ones newspapers have been highlighting? Because I spent a nosy hour being nosy and did. When she’s not talking about the nastier aspects of campaigns and policy and is just chatting or talking in generalities, she comes across as a really nice person. The stuff about food security is fascinating.

    • lightpurple says:

      Sixer, I’ve met her twice and in person, she comes across as a really nice, funny person.

      • Sixer says:

        I wasn’t particularly interested in the putative controversial stuff since that seems to have been done to death even in the British media. I just went to Wikileaks and typed in any old non-political search term. She seems to have an excellent and informal relationship with her staff and a very competent grasp of general issues that are kind of political but aren’t really related to the election. Regardless of political affiliation, I quite liked her.

    • Christin says:

      It doesn’t fit the narrative that has been pushed for nearly three decades.

      • Sixer says:

        No, quite. Hillary and I aren’t really on the same ground politically but it did illustrate to me how poisonous personality politics is. That whole crooked Hillary thing keeps reminding me of Richard III and Tudor propaganda.

      • Christin says:

        It is truly perplexing how lies can take hold. I am not proud to admit that I halfway believed the shrewish image. My mother had a great sense for BS and always supported her. I proudly cast my early vote with strong beliefs, and in memory of my mother.

        One of the HC staffers tweeted the media to be on guard for last-minute lies during the last hours. It’s hard to imagine what new falsehoods they may toss out there.

      • Kitten says:

        My mom sent me this today and I think it gives a bit of insight into the issue of lies taking hold: http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-37846860

        We really need to hold the media to a higher standard of responsible reporting.

      • Sixer says:

        Kitten – I think it all started with clickbait recycling of social media by the likes of HuffPo and Buzzfeed. It’s ok when the social media responses are to articles by established outlets. But then they started using small independent outlets too, which could be a good thing – but a failure to use any quality control on *which* independent outlets produce reliable content means it’s often a bad thing. So now we have conspiracy theory being aggregated on an equal basis with reliable reporting (established or independent) and these aggregations make their way over to what you see on Facebook, etc etc.

      • Lama Bean says:

        The crazy right wing sites are pushing insane stories too. If you buy their stories, she’s a Wiccan who does blood rituals and eats little kids for breakfast.

      • TotallyBiased says:

        Yeah, you’d think we’d have put blood libel past us as a people.
        All of us.

    • Who ARE These People? says:

      Yes, you’d think they would work in her favour but at this point it’s just the FACT of them that gets so easily manipulated. Can we imagine what internal e-mails from the Trump campaign would look like? ZOMG indeed.

      • Sixer says:

        Exactly. The fact of them. And the ridiculous thing is that anyone can go to Wikileaks and read the lot, just like I did. Well, not the lot. But anything they feel like reading.

  13. Patricia says:

    Latinos are getting out to vote in record numbers! Do they give a crap about some email conspiracy theory witch hunt? No! Theu don’t have the goddam luxury of feigning outrage over nothing. They are out to protect themselves, defend themselves against a candidate who has denegrated them and made them feel threatened. That’s the REAL outrage.
    I am crying tears of joy when I see Latinos lined up around the block to vote in Florida today. My son is half Latino and he can’t vote yet but he deserves to live in a country where he can hold his head up high, where his president respects him and his father. As a white woman in a mixed family I have been so heartbroken by the number of white people around me and my family who won’t defend others. They are in a white privileged bubble, they genuinely do not care about minorities, and I’ll never be able to look at them the same way again.

    • Christin says:

      What amazes me is how some have forgotten their own immigrant backgrounds. My ancestors came to the US around 1700, and I believe others deserve the opportunity.

      I have been moved by the coverage of along lines in Nevada, and how determined folks are being to get their vote counted. I want this election to be an overwhelming verdict as to what is right and decent.

    • Who ARE These People? says:

      Debemos hablar “muchas gracias” a todos de Latinos que votar para Clinton y otras democratas.

    • Saks says:

      Thanks Patricia. As a Mexican with family in the US, we have been super anxious about this elections. It was heartbreaking to see how many people think horrible things about us… But as I said yesterday, I really hope Latinos turn to be the key piece to Hillary’s victory, as a strong statement that we can’t be neglected or humiliated anymore.

  14. ElleBee says:

    On a superficial note: There s something very sexy about Lebron. He isn’t good looking in the face but he attracts me for some reason.

  15. Melly says:

    Fellow white, relatively sane, American voter:
    It looks as those the Latino/African American vote is going to save America from an Orange dictatorship. The same people who we systematatically discriminated against for over 200 years have saved the Republic. If this election was just us white folk, well we’d be pretty f#cked. So maybe now we can say that black lives matter? Maybe now we can stop calling latinos rapists? Maybe consider comprehensive immigration reform?
    I suggest everyone take out to dinner and say “THANK YOU FOR SAVING US” every Latino or person of color you know. Buy that nice bottle of wine. After this crazy election, get that nice bottle of tequila. Say thank you to the community of people who saved us from F#ck Face Von Clown Stick.

  16. Jayna says:

    I’m so emotional this morning. I feel so confident this morning that I am about to witness an historical event in just a couple of days, the first woman to be elected president, and someone I have believed in for a long time.

    Tuesday is going to be a riveting day and long night as the numbers come in. Come on, Hill, not long to go. Hang in there.

    #IBelieve

    • Esmom says:

      Thank you for the optimism, this brought a tear to my eye.

      My mindset is more like the Ramones song they played on The Takeaway today: “24, 24 hours to go, I wanna be sedated.” 🙂

  17. Kitten says:

    My dealer came over last night (needed to stock up before tomorrow) and of course we talked about the election. He’s unquestionably the most politically-savvy person I know and he made me feel so much better about HRC’s chances.
    That was, until he mentioned the potential for a recount. Sigh. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

    • Chrissy says:

      Good thoughts to you Kitten. I’m hoping that Florida and North Carolina go Hillary’s way and it will be a verrrry long night for the Orange One knowing he’s aready lost the race. I’m not really an optimist by nature but I get the feeling that Americans will sent a clear message that Trump and his culties are just a very vocal minority and that there will be no need for a recount. #Imwith her

    • Melly says:

      Lol kitten my guy came over last night too! I have everything i need to deal with the next 24 hours. From my understanding, recount laws vary from state to state and I don’t believe a candidate can force a recount unless it’s incredibly close. CNN had a segment about this the other day.

    • Kitten says:

      Yep we just need Florida. Really hoping that my dealer’s theory that the polls aren’t bilingual and are not accounting for the Hispanic vote is true. He also said that could be a state that goes to recount though.

      LOL I love how we’re all stocking up on weed like it’s the Armageddon.

      • Melly says:

        If the worlds going to end, I’m going out on a high note.
        Thats a really interesting point about the polls not being bilingual. Let’s hope that the bad hombres ensure a Hillary victory

  18. Verona says:

    I rarely comment here but I do read the comments. I’m so happy I found a place where I feel safe and hopeful for humanity. Most of your arguments and opinions are smart and respectful. I’m just wishing everybody here good luck tomorrow if you are voting and sending everybody who is nervous (like myself) internet hugs. Let’s go HRC!

    • LittlestRoman says:

      Just commenting echo your sentiments – I am encouraged by the tone and thoughtfulness of the political conversations on CB. There’s a sentence I never imagined I would type 🙂 Seriously though, I am cautiously optimistic. Let’s all hope that the truly unhinged/unreachable members of the ‘Make America Great Again’ camp are too unhinged to navigate their way to a voting booth. It’s not a huge stretch of the imagination.

  19. PunkyMomma says:

    Slightly OT – Yesterday I received a phone call from the HRC camp, ensuring I had a ride to the polls, making sure I knew where to vote, asking if I knew approx what time of day I would be voting. I replied that tomorrow afternoon I would be getting my nasty hair done, going home and putting on my nasty cheetah print pumps, and, along with Daddy, would be taking my nasty feet, along with my nasty-lovin’ husband and go vote for HRC, and after we vote, we’re going out for cocktails. 🍸🍾

    • LiterallyaShambles says:

      I… I… I kind of have a crush on you? Lol. This is amazing. Nasty woman get shit done.

    • Giddy says:

      I ordered a Nasty Women Vote t-shirt from Etsy and plan to run lots of errands tomorrow wearing it! But you have inspired me because I have a very nasty pair of leopard heels with a gold chain that I bought for a costume ages ago. I’ll dig them out too!

    • Macscore says:

      Hope you’ll order a Nasty Martini! (oops… or is that a Dirty Martini?). Love your post Punky Momma!

    • susanne says:

      Love it. My day will look a bit different, but equally nasty.
      Wear white! Nasty it up, whatever that means to you.
      I would love to see men show up in Nasty Boy tshirts. Ooh, that’s kind of hot, isn’t it?
      As I type, I see the post below….I’m down with HRC!!

    • Lightpurple says:

      As I mentioned above, I will be wearing white to the polls tomorrow. Specifically, a white tunic with frayed collar and cuffs, a flag pin, a Hillary pin, and I voted stickers, blue jeans, red patent leather stiletto pumps, a red and blue floral shawl, a bracelet with red, blue, and flag beads, Democratic Party donkey earrings (so cute!), blue eyeshadow, blue liner, and blue mascara, red lipstick, and red, white, and blue nail polish. I will be driving NH voters to the polls

  20. nicegirl says:

    You down with HRC!???? Yeah, you know me!!!

    • susanne says:

      Where is it legal to bet on the us election? I am clearly not a gambler, but I kind of want in.

      • spidey says:

        Sorry it’s a UK website. But betting on the outcome of elections is perfectly legal in the UK.

  21. Cel2495 says:

    I am def voting for Mrs. Clinton, not because she is a woman and I am a woman but because she is clearly the rational choice. This election has left me questioning some of my “friendships”. Some people has been so hateful, condescending and outright crazy. I had a crazy guy yelled at me the other day and threaten me with physical violence because I had a HRC tee. A friend from Venezuela put a posting of support for HRC and mutual friend went bat s*** crazy writing him that he was wrong, that HRC is lying to Latinos, that she was a piece of s*** and other things I can’t write here. (All public) How can person defend the indefensible? Please, please, make sure you vote because I am afraid that this sorry excuse for a human being can win with the support of people like my “friend”.

    • Flan says:

      Lots of Trump voters are angry that they are not more ahead in life. But instead of taking steps to get ahead, they cross their arms and stamp their feet.

      They have been raised to think of themselves as ‘very special’, but only turned out to be average or less. Of course that’s not their fault, but that of women ‘who don’t see them for the studs they are’, immigrants ‘who take their jobs’, liberals ‘who don’t put their needs ahead of those of everyone else’ etc.

      Trump is their petty revenge.

  22. Linda says:

    My real question is why do people care so much about what celebrities think. They are all so privileged and what happens to the country will have no consequences to them. People think for yourself, study the issues. This is your life. Celebrities opinions and popularity should not make the decision for you. What is important to your life is what matters.

  23. nicole says:

    The countdown is on now, feeling pretty confident that HRC is going to do it, cant wait for tomorrow night when the results start coming in, hoping for a landslide, but just hope she wins, it will be a great moment in history for women when HRC becomes first female president of USA, no matter what you think of her..

  24. Canadian Becks says:

    Janet Reno just passed away- my condolences to her family…..but honestly, I don’t even feel guilty that my first thought is: I really, REALLY hope Ms. Reno early-voted for Clinton!!!!

  25. Sandy says:

    Not going to lie, I was Bernie or Bust. But this morning when it began to look like it would turn Clinton’s way, I felt like crying. It’s been a long, horrible campaign, but if a woman wins the U.S. Presidency, it is going to be HUGE!!!

    • bros says:

      I hope that means you are going to vote Sandy! don’t sit this one out.

    • susanne says:

      I get the bern. I watched a bunch of shows recently, and can’t recall which it was. I want to say Bill Maher, and even though I find him offensive much of the time, he has had some great interviews with Sanders which were very enlightening.
      One of which was about his potential to be influential within her administration, and bringing about change from outside the oval office. I hope the momentum doesn’t die out after the election for progressive change. We have to keep the kids fired up.

    • Flan says:

      I like Bernie Sanders as well, but don’t forget that she votes like him most of the time.

      She’s done a lot of good for vulnerable people that is seldom mentioned between all the ’emails’-foaming at the mouth.

      I can’t wait for her to shut down conversion therapy, because that is scary as hell.

    • Tate says:

      I supported Bernie in the primary but was never a Bernie or bust person. Too much is at stake.

    • EM says:

      I was thrilled yesterday when my niece, a Sanders supporter, told me that she was voting Hillary. #TrumpIsNotMyAmerica

  26. Frosty says:

    Sanders is encouraging voters who want to vote 3rd party to vote for Hillary on the Working Families ticket, to send a message to the democratic party I guess.
    Anyway, interesting re background on FBI (etc) getting its partisanship on:
    http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/11/07/agencies-of-fear/

  27. Christin says:

    The US stock market seems to be reacting to the letter (sharp rise today, after a nine-day slide).

    Those who seem to think America isn’t great may not remember 2008. Remember losing a huge chunk of your 401k? Food and gas prices? Etc…

    • Melly says:

      People seem to have forgot how bad things were. We were on the brink of another great depression. Obama got us out of the ditch that republicans drove us in. The stock market predictions for a Trump victory is yet another reason to get nauseated at the thought of President Trump.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      They expect that if Trump wins the S&P will go down 12%. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen!

  28. MellyMel says:

    Feeling a little bit more confident for Hillary now but I’m a Floridian so I won’t hold my breath. I’m hoping we pull for HRC and help her win the whole damn thing. I decided I can’t watch the news cause it’s too stressful so planning on going to work, leaving @ 4 to vote and then go home drink wine & watch The Crown (which is amazing) on Netflix & pray when I wake up that we have her as Prez!

    • Melly says:

      If she wins your state, she’s the president.

    • Macscore says:

      I am trying to distract myself by watching the Crown, too! Might pull an all-nighter with it! (loving it, but dissatisfied with the casting of Lithgow for Churchill – I don’t think they’ve got his character right at all.. )….. Deep breaths, people! HRC for Prez! Nearly there!

  29. SusanneToo says:

    If this doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what will. Can anyone really imagine Ghouliani and Grinchrich and ProbeUs in the administration?

    http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2016-election-day/gingrich-giuliani-priebus-eyed-top-jobs-trump-white-house-sources-n678881

    • Kitten says:

      I’m not a religious person but I feel like that deserves a “God help us all”.

      That is like the Trifecta of Terror, The Axis of Evil, The Triplets of Doom.

  30. Christin says:

    Reporter Kurt Eichenwald is tweeting his findings about the orange one. He’s currently on number 64, with more promised.

    It’s easy to forget all the nefarious things that have surfaced. Now let’s see if a responding meltdown happens tonight. 😀

  31. Whyme says:

    I posted this in the Trump Twitter post as well but I wanted it to be read by every HRC OR DT supporter:

    It’s a longish read but so worth it. It’s Republican Ana Navarro on why she is voting for Clinton:

    http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/07/opinions/navarro-republican-voting-for-clinton/index.html

  32. Jayna says:

    Boy, Obama is zig-zagging all over the place for Hillary. I’ve been watching tonight the live feed from the final rally in Philadelphia with President Obama and Mrs. Obama and Hillary and Chelsea and Bill and Bruce Springsteen. It’s pumping me up for tomorrow and I’m enjoying this last bit of calm before the storm, because I’m going to be a bundle of nerves when the results start coming in tomorrow.

  33. Shannon says:

    I am dipping out of work early to go vote, and I cannot WAIT! It is going to feel so cool to cast a vote for our first female president. Where *I* live, I know the Hillary numbers will be low, like double digits I’d bet. But when I see the breakdown in the newspaper, I can point at the votes for her and say, “I was one of them!” I’M WITH HER and so is my son!!

  34. Rina says:

    Today is the day! Sending all my #nasty Celebitchy friends good luck and warm wishes to survive this arduous time. 🗳

  35. Tate says:

    Time to defeat the bully!! Let’s do this!!! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

  36. nicole says:

    Everybody get out and vote, and lets hope its a victory for Hillary tonight, tomorrow lets have our first female president, yeah!