Monday's Washington Post reported that the FBI now has another 15,000 undisclosed emails of Secretary Clinton. This is after the FBI made their full report to Congress saying her actions did not rise to a chargeable offense, but did violate Department Protocols--a serious charge, especially for a candidate for the highest office in this country. Apparently there was some reference by FBI Director Comey during his presentation to Congress about additional emails, but nothing further was reported. The release of these new emails was order by a Federal Judge, after the filing of a law suit by a conservative watch dog group in Washington. This whole sordid affair has grown to a very serious matter for the candidate, because:
1. Secretary Clinton should not have had control of our government's most sensitive information on foreign affairs independent of her employment with the Agency.
2. When the emails were discovered, she should not have been able to decide by herself what was government and personal communication. She had no authority to destroy any government documents, if she did.
3. It is a serious charge that she might have used her office to benefit the fund raising of her husband's private, unregulated foundation, which was involved in foreign affairs. According to today's Wall Street Journal ("WSJ"), there was a pattern of communication between the State Department and the Foundation on requested meetings and special treatment.
4. She appears to continue to lie about whether classified information was shared on her private server, inspite of Director Comey's testimony to Congress.
5. While all of the investigation was pending, former President Clinton had a private meeting with Attorney General Lynch.
But the most alarming disclosure in the WSJ was that a senior State Department Employee was given "a special designation from the agency that allowed her to work there [at the Aency] while also doing outside work [including the Clinton Foundation]." Approval for that apparent conflict could only come from the highest levels of the Agency. That Agency ultimately reports to the White House.
These breaches of the public trust are serious. They appear to reflect legally on both Clintons, Director Comey, Attorney General Lynch, and even President Obama. We are talking about the highest position in our government--Secretary of State-- dealing with Foreign Affairs.
As they say in baseball, I think it is time for Senator Kaine to head to the bullpen for warming up.