The October Surprise, also known as The Comey Letter, may very well decide the most important election of a lifetime. Although I have been and still am a Democrat, I pride myself in my independence, having serious issue problems with both major parties. So, it is in this vein that I offer the following opinion:
1. FBI Director James Comey has had a reputation for fairness and honesty. He was asked by Congress his opinion about the thousands of emails that then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent on official government business through her private server, a violation of Department regulations. Comey said there were classified documents included among the emails, but her actions, although careless, did not rise to the level of a crime.
2. This past week, the FBI became aware of another computer apparently transmitting communication between Clintons's senior State Department (and campaign) aide, Huma Abedin and Secretary Clinton. Apparently Comey felt an obligation to disclose to Congress this new disclosure, not knowing what, if anything, was in the computer owned by Abedin's husband, former Congressman Anthony Weiner. I would guess that to not have disclosed the new emails to Congress would have left Comey legally exposed.
3. Abedin, apparently the sender and receiver of the emails, obviously knew about the situation, but never disclosed it to the FBI. Clinton probably should have known about the Weiner computer communication as well since she apparently sent and received some of the emails. That, in my opinion, is where the serious legal issue rests.
4. All the calls for immediate disclosure on the emails and the other required extensive due diligence would probably not be possible before the election. But full transparency would certainly be helpful.