Former Bush AG Mukasey on Hillary and "Email-Gate:" There is No There There

GOP Witch Hunter Weasels Looking for a Way Out 

Gen. David Petraeus and HILL

Background (from ABC News) Special for GOP Headhunters:  Former CIA Director David Petraeus received a sentence of two years probation and a $100,000 fine today after he admitted he leaked classified information to Paula Broadwell, his mistress, reported this way:  “... [today] David Petraeus admitted that he removed and obtained classified, and that he lied, to the FBI and CIA.” (Statement from Jill Westmoreland Rose, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of NC). “He was sentenced to a 2-year probation and a $100,000 fine,” she concluded.

The GOP has been digging ever since to make a link between that case and the so-called on-going one about Hillary Clinton and her home email server. Then this break onto the scene from USA Today:

Former Bush administration Attorney General Michael Mukasey, compared the inquiry into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server when she was Secretary of State with former CIA Director General David Petraeus vis-à-vis her case and his federal conviction for the unauthorized removal and retention of classified information.

Mr. Mukasey was the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of NC when he oversaw the prosecution of General Petraeus. He says clearly about the two cases and any similarities in simple terms; there is no there there - none, nada, nil, zero, goose egg. 

His assessment is based on the known facts with the key element being that which distinguishes Secretary Clinton’s email retention practices from Gen. Petraeus’ sharing of classified information is that Petraeus knowingly engaged in unlawful conduct, and that was the basis of his criminal liability. HILL did not.

In fact, the State Department has confirmed that none of the information that has surfaced on Clinton’s server thus far was classified at the time it was sent or received. Plus, the DOJ has indicated that its inquiry into the Clinton practice IS NOT a criminal one and that Mrs. Clinton IS NOT subject or target of any inquiry.

Note: The State Department IG told the DOJ that they are following an established protocol when it is determined that there has been an unauthorized disclosure of classified materials — by virtue of a potential after-the-fact change in classification. This protocol ensures that any classified information is properly handled going forward unlike those going to Mrs. Clinton – classified after the fact.

Political point making aside, reasonable minds can differ about the wisdom of using a personal server to conduct the official business like Mrs. Clinton did while at State, but she also has taken responsibility for using a private server and admitted that using separate accounts would have been a better choice. 

She has stated several times that her decision not to segregate her email accounts was regrettable, but unlike the actions and prosecution of General Petraeus, there has been no evidence of criminal conduct or Federal employee misconduct.

So, is this over now? Even based on this assessment by the former GOP AG?  Nope, not by a long shot. Why not, pray tell.  Well, not as long any GOPer in office or rightwing Talk Radio pundit or nitwit has one breath of hateful air left in their lungs. It is raw, ugly politics and every passing day that becomes more abundant.

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