# Neverending election? US watchdog to probe FBI Clinton email actions **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 12, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985 "2017-01-12T20:47:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OwnRules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ea666f/32.png) [@OwnRules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OwnRules)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/1 "2017-01-12T20:47:53Z")
[A US government watchdog has launched an investigation into actions taken by the FBI during the election campaign.](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38603294) > [@](#): > > It seems the 2016 election isn’t going to go gently into that good night. Thanks to this decision by the Justice Department inspector general, one of the more controversial moments of the recently concluded presidential campaign is going to be given closer scrutiny… Much more at source (BBC). ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/2 "2017-01-12T21:06:48Z")
This isn’t about re-arguing the last election; it’s about protecting the next one. If there’s no penalty for as blatantly interfering with an election as the FBI appears to have done this time, then there’s nothing left to protect the integrity of future elections. ---
**Author:** ![OwnRules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ea666f/32.png) [@OwnRules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OwnRules)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/3 "2017-01-12T21:10:29Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > This isn’t about re-arguing the last election; it’s about protecting the next one. If there’s no penalty for as blatantly interfering with an election as the FBI appears to have done this time, then there’s nothing left to protect the integrity of future elections. Understood. But it certainly throws – if that is even possible at this time – more shade to the results of the current one. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/4 "2017-01-12T21:16:32Z")
Hopefully some US agency will investigate this watchdog. _Down a hollow to a cavern where the sun has never shone_. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/5 "2017-01-12T21:30:20Z")
James Comey acted professionally and had he not informed Congress then he would be guilty of trying to influence the election for Clinton by hiding information … Then he said “Nevermind, nothing to see here.” :smack: What I don’t get is why he did it. He seemed like he was trying to protect Clinton before that. Maybe he’s just an idiot? And what about this? > [@](#): > > It will also address concerns expressed by Republicans that some lower-level FBI officials may have improperly shared information with the Clinton campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/6 "2017-01-12T21:31:48Z")
There’s no way i can take 4 years of this. At some point i will have to find the will to disengage. I wish i had some kind of Parks job like Ron Swanson scored. (at the end) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/7 "2017-01-12T21:34:50Z")
Yeah Comey did a brilliant job of ensuring that everyone hates him, left and right. Or people that just dislike incompetence. Sometimes I wonder if he’s a puppet to two conflicting puppet masters. It’s one of the few ways to make sense of the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/8 "2017-01-12T22:29:30Z")
Apparently they are also going to investigate the FBI’s actions re the Clinton Foundation investigation. That’s not been subject to nearly as much discussion as the Comey actions, so it could be more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/9 "2017-01-12T22:43:14Z")
> [@OwnRules](#): > > Understood. But it certainly throws – if that is even possible at this time – more shade to the results of the current one. It throws no shade on Trump’s legitimacy whatever. There’s no suggestion that he ordered the FBI director to intervene, and in fact there’s no solid evidence that the intervention made any difference. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/10 "2017-01-12T23:50:39Z")
You’re doubting that the FBI director’s announcement of the re-opening of the investigation, just two weeks before the election, had a major effect on the outcome? Dude, that announcement determined the outcome. Look at the huge dip in the polls at exactly that time. The fucking FBI director overthrew the government of the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/11 "2017-01-13T00:44:22Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > You’re doubting that the FBI director’s announcement of the re-opening of the investigation, just two weeks before the election, had a major effect on the outcome? > > Dude, that announcement determined the outcome. Look at the huge dip in the polls at exactly that time. > > The fucking FBI director overthrew the government of the U.S. Really? If Clinton didn’t behave stupidly the election wouldn’t have been close. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/12 "2017-01-13T01:05:41Z")
Its a pity they did not consult you. Or did you withhold your acute insight as an act of sabotage? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/13 "2017-01-13T01:22:00Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Really? If Clinton didn’t behave stupidly the election wouldn’t have been close. That may also be true; it doesn’t contradict what I said, only parallels it. A car-crash can have more than one cause. Clinton didn’t campaign optimally and the may-he-be-God-damned FBI director sandbagged her. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/14 "2017-01-13T03:17:46Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > James Comey acted professionally and had he not informed Congress then he would be guilty of trying to influence the election for Clinton by hiding information > … > Then he said “Nevermind, nothing to see here.” :smack: > > What I don’t get is why he did it. He seemed like he was trying to protect Clinton before that. Maybe he’s just an idiot? And what about this? He wasn’t trying to protect Clinton. He was acting improperly before that with his editorial attached to the facts of the private server investigation. ---
**Author:** ![OwnRules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ea666f/32.png) [@OwnRules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OwnRules)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/15 "2017-01-13T06:16:23Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > It throws no shade on Trump’s legitimacy whatever. There’s no suggestion that he ordered the FBI director to intervene, and in fact there’s no solid evidence that the intervention made any difference. You, and many/most Trump supporters, may certainly see it that way. However, we’re speaking of possible malfeasance on the part of the head of the FBI, which along with the confirmed\* Russian interference in the election, might just have quite a few Clinton voters thinking that the results don’t quite pass the smell test. And IIRC, there are quite a few more of the latter than the former… Not exactly a smooth start to the Trump years (months?) wouldn’t you say? \*Not even touching the unconfirmed dossier for now. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/16 "2017-01-13T06:25:50Z")
Oh, good, no “solid evidence” that it worked! Great, so now all we got is _attempted_ fucking with the whole damned country! Well, there’s a fucking relief! ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/17 "2017-01-13T08:45:00Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Its a pity they did not consult you. Or did you withhold your acute insight as an act of sabotage? Clinton and her team never asked. And I would have advised them that being paranoid by setting up a private email server wouldn’t look well. And I’d have educated them that you don’t click [phishing4passwords.ru](http://phishing4passwords.ru) and give your login info. All for free. Because I am generous like that. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/18 "2017-01-13T16:52:34Z")
Seems like there are differences of opinion about Comey’s motives. Maybe if someone held an investigation, they could sort out the facts … ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/19 "2017-01-13T19:37:16Z")
I am very disappointed in the man, there was a time when I gasped with wonder, behold! the honest conservative, someone we can argue with on the basis of reason! Signs and wonders! There’s just no way I can see his actions regarding Hillary as anything but a partisan backstab. Damned good one, too! The first one wasn’t _that_ bad, just not good. His job was to determine if there was criminal stuff there. And, just as he said, his staff _unanimously_ agreed that there wasn’t. He was not tasked to make editorial comments about her behavior, but he chose to do so anyway. Given his staffs unanimity on the real question, he did as much partisan damage as he could get away with. The “dick pic” laptop stuff? Does not deserve to be dignified with reasoned debate, it was a rat-fuck right out of the Rove cookbook. And the horse upon in which he rode! ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985/20 "2017-01-13T19:55:19Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I am very disappointed in the man, there was a time when I gasped with wonder, behold! the honest conservative, someone we can argue with on the basis of reason! Signs and wonders! I had the same reaction (and posted it) at the time. Now I’m wondering: has anyone looked into whether James Comey might have stayed at the Ritz Carlton, Moscow, at any time…? If Putin has something on Comey it might explain quite a bit of Comey’s conduct. (On the other hand, he might simply be one of the regrettably-many Party Before Country adherents with which the GOP is rife.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neverending-election-us-watchdog-to-probe-fbi-clinton-email-actions/776985.md?page=2)