Obama puts his Thumb on the Scales

Obama weighs in on the HRC Email investigation, being conducted by the FBI, when he previously declined to take a side.

Must really be some Big-Trouble happening over in Hillaryville, for the President to weigh in like this today:

[...]
Obama suggested that any secret information in Clinton's emails was not highly sensitive.

"There's classified, and then there's classified," Obama said. "There's stuff that is really top-secret, top-secret, and there's stuff that is being presented to the president or the secretary of State, that you might not want on the transom, or going out over the wire, but is basically stuff that you could get" from unclassified sources.

Clinton has denied using the email account to send or receive materials marked classified.

Though some emails have since been deemed to be too sensitive to release publicly, Clinton's campaign has attributed that to overzealous intelligence officials and "over-classification run amok."
[...]

Obama says Hillary Clinton was careless with emails but didn't jeopardize national security

by David S Cloud, latimes.com -- April 10, 2016

OK, a few questions.

1) Does the President have a 'direct window' on the FBI Investigation, how does he know Nothing really top-secret, top-secret wasn't disclosed?

2) Can't Obama's public statement today, downplaying the Hillary's FOIA-proofed Email System as simply "being careless", can't that personal judgment of his, be construed as interfering with an "on-going investigation"? (ie. Thumb meet Scale.)

3) Why is Obama so quick to excuse Hillary's off-channel dealings, even to the extent of deleting over half of her Secretary Of State emails -- because those 30,000 some deleted emails were "personal"? (With no proof of this provided, other than Trust-Her.)

Could it be someone on Obama's Team got forwarded this next report, and as result deemed the Election stakes "just too high" for him NOT to get involved -- to try to steer the FBI Outcome, and DOJ response. While he still can ... "get ahead of the national story" ...

Do I Really Need to Worry About Hillary’s Emails? Yes. She Should Be Indicted.

by chetanhebbale, informedvote2016.wordpress.com -- March 18, 2016
[This fairly long, well-researched article, contains extensive source links, backing up their points. I recommend the read.]

[...]
How are these 15 emails from Sidney Blumenthal missing from the 55,000 pages of emails Clinton turned over? The State Department has admitted to not having these emails from Blumenthal in their records after the Benghazi committee gave it to them. Did Hillary Clinton erase these Benghazi-related emails from her private server before turning everything over?
[...]

One analysis has found that at least 23 messages between Clinton and Blumenthal contain potentially classified information. Blumenthal in fact prefaced many of his intelligence memos to Clinton by saying they came from “an extremely sensitive source” and the information “should be handled with care.” This throws into doubt Clinton’s argument that she did not know information was classified because it was not “marked classified”. Seven emails between her and Blumenthal have had select paragraphs, and even entire pages redacted. This June 2012 memo about Germany has been completely redacted, and this September 2012 memo has even the subject line hidden.

Blumenthal’s memos about Libya mostly dealt with intelligence surrounding the country’s 2011 civil war, but many reveal how he solicited Clinton’s support in pushing his business ventures. In an April 2011 memo, Blumenthal suggests that the new Libyan government hire private security firms for training, protection and medical supplies. He suggested that his own firm, Osprey Global Solutions, broker these deals. Clinton forwarded these emails to her aides and said “the idea of using private security experts to arm the opposition should be considered.” In August 2011, Osprey Global Solutions signed a contract with the new Libyan government to provide these services.

Blumenthal also suggested that America more intensively support the Libyan rebels by sending A-10 “Warthog” aircraft instead of Predator drones. The United States did in fact deploy six A-10s as part of Operation Odyssey Dawn in the coalition bombing to topple the Gaddafi regime.

There is no evidence from the emails provided that Blumenthal’s suggestion directly translated into State Department policy. If the FBI retrieves any emails from her “wiped” server that reveal this to be true, it is a violation of foreign lobbying laws and Clinton could be charged with public corruption. If the FBI recovers any other deleted emails which are found to contain work-related information, she could be charged with tampering of evidence and an obstruction of justice.

However, the most incriminating email from Blumenthal to Clinton is a memo where he reveals the name of a CIA intelligence operative in Libya. In a March 2011 memo, Blumenthal wrote “Tyler spoke to a colleague currently at the CIA, who told him the agency had been dependent for intelligence from [redacted due to sources and methods].” Clinton forwarded this email to one of her aides. (“Tyler” is Tyler Drumheller a former CIA operative who left and joined a private consulting firm)

This is indisputable proof that Hillary Clinton not only possessed classified information, even if it was not marked classified, but willfully transmitted it to others. This information falls under the purview of a 2009 Non-Disclosure Agreement Clinton signed which stipulates that “classified information is marked or unmarked classified information” and would be considered “born classified” information. John Rizzo, a former general counsel at the CIA, said of the memo “it’s the most sensitive kind of classified information — the identity of a human source.”

If the FBI concludes that the identity and location of this individual was authentic, then Sidney Blumenthal, an employee of the Clinton Foundation, was sending highly classified information from his AOL account to the Secretary of State’s private e-mail server –- even though he was never given a security clearance to deal with such sensitive information in the first place. Something explicitly forbidden in the 2009 Non-Disclosure agreement which says that any information sent has been “verified that the recipient has been properly authorized by the United States Government to receive it”. This qualifies as a violation of Section 793 of US Title 18 for transmitting information “of the national defense” to someone “not entitled to received it.” The punishment is a fine and up to 10 years in prison.

Now those Blumenthal emails -- 15 of which were on his server, but not hers -- hardly sounds like "careless" chattering, about "'basically stuff that you could get' from unclassified sources." Now does it?

Unless you consider Clinton Foundation employees, deciding how the Libyan forces should be armed, and by whom (themselves) -- to be idle chatter you'll find being battered around in the latest issue of The War-room Gazette?

What do you think?

Are Obama's motivations with the latest rah-rah soundbites for Hillary, really an attempt to shore up his preferred Legacy-holder?

Or more an attempt to tell the American people, "There's nothing to see here folks ... let's move along now. Let's turn the page, once again" ...

Before someone actually gets indicted?

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Comments

Steven D's picture

But disappointed, yes.

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"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

jamess's picture

I'm both surprised, disappointed, disgusted, and dis-trustful,

even more than, I had been before.

Wars, and the Weapons of War,
should NOT be one of our biggest Exports,
conducted by Lobbyists and their connections,
mainly in the Shadows.

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gulfgal98's picture

And I am now distrustful forever. Great comment and a great essay jamess!

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

jamess's picture

At first I was willing to give her the 'benefit of the doubt' -- especially since Bernie was.

But the more I find out about all the shady things happening on that Server,
the more that "Benefit" has been evaporating.

And the worse part about it,
This CF connection to the SOS will be The Trustworthy-Issue on the Election.

The GOP will likely benefit from it. Make endless hay from it.

Unless the FBI 'gets off their dime' ... like now.

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whyvee's picture

The timing seems suspicious to me...but nothing...NOTHING he does surprises me anymore. Obama's administration is one of the biggest voting disappointments for me ever!

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Unabashed Liberal's picture

important with the New York primary looming soon.

From what I've read, no other former SOS handled classified material in the manner that she did--although her team has done a pretty good job of muddying the waters by comparing Colin Powell's use of his personal Gmail account for strictly 'housekeeping,' or State Department Admin issues, with FSC's receipt of highly classified materials dealing with drone operations, etc.

Some Clintonites even brought up Rice and Albright--neither of whom personally sent or received emails during their tenures. (An aide or two of Rice's may have, but not Rice herself).

If I can locate it in my comments, I'll repost the protocol for transporting classified material from the Pentagon that I personally observed (in metro D.C.). Even the lowest classification, Confidential, required that extraordinary measure be employed--regarding its transport, its handling, and its destruction (in some instances).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I don't read a whole lot into either PBO's or Comey's words, since both of them are likely to be attempting to deflect and/or obsfucate the facts.

Obviously, I don't have a crystal ball, but I'm sorta thinking that PBO may know that FSC won't be indicted. After all, no official wants to look stupid--especially the POTUS--so, if he's speaking out now, it 'could be' because he's already been reassured that FSC won't be penalized in any way. Dunno.

Guess time will tell.

Hey, nice essay--thanks!

Mollie
elinkarlsson@WordPress
Screenshot Of 'Barabas' -- Dual Photo From WP With Caption.png


Visit Us At Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)

"The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil."--Cicero

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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

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Beat in the USA.

jamess's picture

The Shadow World -- Author Andrew Feinstein

Penguin Books UK -- Oct 10, 2011

Link to video

[Andrew Feinstein] Puts it this way:

"Show me who profits from War -- and I'll show you how to the stop the War."

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Pricknick's picture

No war crimes prosecution. "We need to look forward".
Increasing number of combat troops deployed to Iraq. "My first day in office, I would give the military a new mission: ending this war".
No major entities of the 2006-Current crash ever prosecuted, (Statute of Limitations) or will be.
kow·tow
ˌkouˈtou/
verb
act in an excessively subservient manner.
"he didn't have to kowtow to a boss"
synonyms: grovel to, be obsequious to, be servile to, be sycophantic to, fawn over/on, cringe to, bow and scrape to, toady to, truckle to, abase oneself before, humble oneself to.

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

jamess's picture

in many cases,

especially those involving whistle-blowers,

they just kind of thrown those 'Scales' away.

Chilling accomplished.

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and probably the democratic nominee. I'd be shocked if he didn't have her back.
Anyone who expected an indictment was only looking at the law not the politics

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40% chance: the fbi releases a damning report on Hillary's emails, but i neutral on whether to indict. Obama's justice department declines to indict. Hillarybots celebrate.

40% chance: the fbi releases a report so heavily censored that you can't tell what the Hell happened. Obama's justice department declines to indict. Hillarybots celebrate.

10% chance: the fbi releases a damning report on Hillary's emails and recommends an indictment. Obama's justice department declines to indict. Hillarybots celebrate.

0% chance: Hillary is indicted

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Cha Cha DiGregorio's picture

I'll say it again: there better be a "Saturday Night Massacre 2: Electric Boogaloo" of epic proportions.

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It's a big club...and you ain't in it!

I handled classified documents for almost a decade and is view on classification doesn't match the law (what a surprise).
Documents are either classified or they are not classified.

There is no such thing as what the president is talking about.

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I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it."

John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873)

Bisbonian's picture

I handled TS/SCI documents...not on my basement server, though.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

jamess's picture

It sounded like double-talk nonsense to me.

Good to hear those who have worked with such Docs, to agree.

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using unclassified sources which relates the same information as classified. Its about where the information came from and how it was obtained, not necessarily the information itself. I myself was somewhat shocked when I read some documents that were classified and felt I would read the same thing in Time magazine. I was told that is the case in many instances, but again, classification had more to do with how that info was obtained.

And I'm sorry, but to instruct an aide to transmit classified by stripping off the markings and sending unprotected? That is a willful no-go, and anyone else would indeed be at least fired for it, if not prosecuted.

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Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur

sensetolisten's picture

Here's the money quote, I believe...

Obama repeatedly guaranteed the White House would not seek to influence a decision by the Justice Department or FBI about whether to prosecute Clinton if they find evidence of wrongdoing.

"I do not talk to the attorney general about pending investigations," Obama said. "I do not talk to FBI directors about pending investigations. We have a strict line, and always have maintained it."

He added, "I guarantee that there is no political influence in any investigation conducted by the Justice Department, or the FBI, not just in this case, but in any case."

...and I would suggest that everything else stated in the interview was pure red herring. Not important. Distraction, misdirection, to make Hillary believe that he is on her side. He's not. He gave this interview here, now, today, ("The interview was the Obama's first on Fox News since February 2014.") for the single and sole purpose, to let people know that he will NOT stop the due process of the law once the FBI recommends an indictment. And, rest assured, the FBI will recommend indictment. Count on it. And once the FBI officially recommends indictment, the DoJ -- Lorretta Lynch will indict Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Mark my words...


#DeadWomanWalking

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“I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”
― Harry Truman
Bisbonian's picture

I trust Obama just about as much as I do Hillary.

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"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X

Hill and Obama are Third Way Dems and that explains everything. Every disappointment, every headscratcher decision, every concession to Republicans and snubbing of progressives, every failure to prosecute the banksters, every austerity measure, every broken (campaign) promise. Why won't people accept that they are just two peas in the same pod?

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jamess's picture

I probably should have said ... "on the Scales of Public Opinion",
lol.

I hope he really does stay out of it (the FBI and DOJ processes)

-- but not entirely sure I trust him to do so.

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Lookout's picture

Originally they were scheduled to interview Clinton this month and release the findings in May. Everything's been put into slo-mo. Will they nominate Clinton with the super-delegates, then indict, and then bait and switch may be a Biden like the RNC is trying to do with Ryan? I hope not.

Obama has been a disappointment in many ways.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

whyvee's picture

what I was wondering. They don't really necessarily want HRC, but they, sure as hell, do not want Bernie!

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praise Hill a little, say you don't think it's big deal
and yes she was careless
But no he don't think she did anything wrong
BUT
She's on her own. the FBI gonna do what the FBI gonna do.
I felt a little hopeful seeing that interview.

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With their hearts they turned to each others heart for refuge
In troubled years that came before the deluge
*Jackson Browne, 1974, Before the Deluge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SX-HFcSIoU

GreyWolf's picture

"Obama suggested that any secret information in Clinton's emails was not highly sensitive."

No: Obama suggested that any secret information in Obama's emails was not highly sensitive.

But no he don't think she did anything wrong
BUT
She's on her own. the FBI gonna do what the FBI gonna do.

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I'd like to believe that, but I don't. When was the last time a wealthy person with the political connections she has EVER been indicted? There are 2 very different Americas. At first I believed as Bernie implied that there's nothing there, but now that I see the kinds of things that are there I'm very disturbed. This person has no right to be the next President of the U.S.

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How could not every work related email coming from the SoS be considered automatically classified - even the most contentless email has info that can be hacked, mined and morphed in useful ways to do damage. If Obama can wave off her use of an unsecured server then he is flagging that Hillarys position was ceremonial and that truly sensitive intel did not go through her.

I am not saying this is true but...I am having a hard time taking in the utter indifference Obama is showing towards us. Do presidents get stockholm syndrome? Guess so.

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jamess's picture

SOS email are supposed to be subjected to Freedom of Information Act requests,
like any Govt Position.

THAT was the first thing the private server, protected her from.

Those Deleted emails, should have gone to the National Archives.

Not the circular bin.

She was a PUBLIC Employee, not a facilitator for the Clinton Foundation, when employed as Secretary of State.

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snoopydawg's picture

Keep her foundation separate from her duties as SOS. And she agreed that she would do that.
But it Obama had to know about the donations from foreign governments to her foundation after she sold them weapons.
Did he approve of the huge increase in weapon sales during her time as SOS?
Is Kerry selling as many weapons or has the market been saturated?

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Read the coverage in The Guardian. What Obama said was that Clinton would never INTENTIONALLY put the security of the country at risk. The LA Times headline completely misrepresents the situation. HRC is in big trouble.

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snoopydawg's picture

And had the same thoughts as you all had. He is either going to squash the investigation (most likely) or that he is interfering with an ongoing investigation. I vote for number one.

Remember that he said that Chelsea Manning was guilty before she was brought to trial and said the same thing about Snowden.

The fact that Another of Hillary's friends and insider was directing the US's foreign policy smacks of the corruption of the Clintons.
I am strongly hoping that she and their crooked foundation is linked to the Panama papers.
As many others have said, the DNC is running a candidate that is scandal ridden and has been for over 25 years.
Clinton degraded the White House when he whored out the Lincoln bedroom for money and favors.
Then there's hers and their scandals from when they lived in Oklahoma.
And exactly how did Vince Foster shoot himself in the head twice?
If they are allowed back in the WH, just think how much more damage they can do to not only this country but the world.
Anyone read about what they have been up to in Haiti with the reconstruction?
If not look into it. Pay to play. Again.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

and the gang keep saying it is no big deal because former SOS C. Powell among others have done it in the past but I believe the 2009 Non - Disclosure agreement makes it different and could be a game changer.Lets hope so!

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pswaterspirit's picture

Just another of her mistakes. That is the top reason I won't vote for her. Behind many but not all of the various scandals during Bills administration were mind numbingly stupid decisions the two of them made. They did nothing wrong just exhibited the life skills of a potato bug.

They have learned nothing. But by all means put her in charge of the country....... Geez.....

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