# Ryan and the congressional Republicans to investigate the FBI. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 6, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229 "2016-07-06T16:23:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/41 "2016-07-07T14:07:36Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > [Paul Ryan is requesting that Hillary Clinton be denied classified briefings as the nominee, saying that she can’t be trusted.](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/clinton-classified-briefings-paul-ryan-225201) Good lord. Hmm. That article says they’re introducing a bill to revoke her security clearance and of anyone else involved with her emails when she was Sec State. I’m no expert but it seems to me that isn’t really in their power, it’s an executive branch decision. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/42 "2016-07-07T14:16:45Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Hmm. That article says they’re introducing a bill to revoke her security clearance and of anyone else involved with her emails when she was Sec State. I’m no expert but it seems to me that isn’t really in their power, it’s an executive branch decision. Yes, they can’t do that, security clearances are an exercise of the President’s executive power. Also, it might be a bill of attainder, which is unconstitutional. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/43 "2016-07-07T14:27:37Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Also, it might be a bill of attainder, which is unconstitutional. They need to ignore the Constitution in order to uphold it! Again! ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/44 "2016-07-07T14:33:36Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Hmm. That article says they’re introducing a bill to revoke her security clearance and of anyone else involved with her emails when she was Sec State. I’m no expert but it seems to me that isn’t really in their power, it’s an executive branch decision. Could just be a semantics quibble but if she is not currently serving in a position that has a “need to know” requirement for classified information, she has no current clearance. I listened to Comey’s announcement, I listened to some comments in various forums and I went back and read the transcript of Comey’s announcement. Many of the things he mentions he says “they” referring to Clinton and/or her team. A lot of people are saying that he said that Hilary did specific things. Is there a more detailed report available for public viewing or is this just partisan parsing of the pronoun? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/45 "2016-07-07T14:34:51Z")
I love the smell of facepalm in the morning… ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/46 "2016-07-07T14:35:57Z")
Is Comey’s testimony going to be live-streamed? Have I enough popcorn? ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/47 "2016-07-07T14:39:58Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Is Comey’s testimony going to be live-streamed? Have I enough popcorn? [http://www.c-span.org/networks/?channel=c-span-3](http://www.c-span.org/networks/?channel=c-span-3) Apparently you have to have an account with a cable provider to stream it. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/48 "2016-07-07T14:40:06Z")
These hearings are really becoming quite funny. Mr. Cummings (sp) just allowed Comey to clarify the difference between Petraeus and Clinton. Intentional, passing to someone unauthorized to possess, obstruction of justice, hiding classified material under the insulation in his attic, misleading the FBI. Yep, they aren’t even close. ETA Live on MSNBC too ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/49 "2016-07-07T14:47:09Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > … hiding classified material under the insulation in his attic, … Damn, the Feds know to search there? Excuse me, but I have some things to relocate. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/50 "2016-07-07T14:47:21Z")
Btw, elucidator, I found this [WaPo article](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/08/21/everything-you-need-to-know-about-how-the-state-department-classifies-information/) that might answer questions you had earlier. My read is that seems as Sec State, Hillary or anyone she officially assigned had ultimate authority to classify/declassify information originating with State but if it came from another branch then authority to change classification remains with that originating department. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/51 "2016-07-07T14:49:59Z")
> [@Algernon](#): > > Question: So, is there any way that Ryan could determine how I’ve voted in the past? I’ve contributed to Democratic candidates in the past so even though I suspect they can’t actually “know” how I’ve voted they could infer my allegiance? I am registered as Independent. No, your vote is private. I would mention that you are an Independent who in the past thought Ryan a man of integrity who could move through the partisan bullshit of Washington. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/52 "2016-07-07T14:51:52Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Could just be a semantics quibble but if she is not currently serving in a position that has a “need to know” requirement for classified information, she has no current clearance. > > I listened to Comey’s announcement, I listened to some comments in various forums and I went back and read the transcript of Comey’s announcement. Many of the things he mentions he says “they” referring to Clinton and/or her team. A lot of people are saying that he said that Hilary did specific things. > > Is there a more detailed report available for public viewing or is this just partisan parsing of the pronoun? She will in two weeks. All major party candidates start getting security briefings after their conventions. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/53 "2016-07-07T14:53:32Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Is Comey’s testimony going to be live-streamed? Have I enough popcorn? I don’t know about live streaming but I’m watching it on MSNBC as I type this. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/54 "2016-07-07T15:04:27Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > It would be funny if Comey turns into the Left’s Oliver North, a man called upon to defend his honor and does so with such perceived sincerity that he damages the credibility of those who called him to the stand. > [@Procrustus](#): > > I don’t recall anyone being impressed with Col. North’s sincerity or credibility. I thought he looked guilty as hell. > [@Lok](#): > > Except that Comey actually has integrity and honor, and hasn’t committed any crimes. For starters, I got the sides backwards in the original analogy - it should have read “It would be funny if Comey turns into the _Right’s_ Oliver North,…” I recall plenty of people being impressed with Col. North’s “integrity”, but I lived in Newt Gingrich’s district so we likely ran in different circles, **Procrustus**. 😉 Just like the Left was unprepared when Oliver North became a hero to many with his “I was just following orders” defense, the Right may be unprepared if the narrative that comes out of today is “how dare you question my integrity”. It’s happening now, so we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/55 "2016-07-07T15:04:32Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I lost all respect for Ryan long ago. At one time he seemed to have some promise as a politician who actually respected ideas. But that respect has become revulsion. Paul Ryan is a Libertarian in Republican clothing, mostly financed by the Kochs and Wall Street. There is nothing to respect and much to be revolted by. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/56 "2016-07-07T15:12:47Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > They need to ignore the Constitution in order to uphold it! “You’re just supposed to Honor the Constitution, not READ it…!” ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/57 "2016-07-07T15:15:42Z")
> [@Algernon](#): > > Question: So, is there any way that Ryan could determine how I’ve voted in the past? I’ve contributed to Democratic candidates in the past so even though I suspect they can’t actually “know” how I’ve voted they could infer my allegiance? I am registered as Independent. I’m skeptical that they do any digging beyond verifying that you’re a constituent. I did read an interesting post on reddit from someone who claimed to be a former intern for a US senator and they said that one of their duties was to compile a daily record of articles and letters to the editor from the senator’s home state that mentioned the senator by name. They recommended getting a letter to the editor published in one of the top 5 papers for the state. So possibly, you would be more effective taking that route because even if you’re not a likely voter, people reading the newspaper might be. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/58 "2016-07-07T15:18:03Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > No, your vote is private. > > I would mention that you are an Independent who in the past thought Ryan a man of integrity who could move through the partisan bullshit of Washington. > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I’m skeptical that they do any digging beyond verifying that you’re a constituent. > > I did read an interesting post on reddit from someone who claimed to be a former intern for a US senator and they said that one of their duties was to compile a daily record of articles and letters to the editor from the senator’s home state that mentioned the senator by name. They recommended getting a letter to the editor published in one of the top 5 papers for the state. So possibly, you would be more effective taking that route because even if you’re not a likely voter, people reading the newspaper might be. Thanks for the responses. They are helpful! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/59 "2016-07-07T15:20:02Z")
They pay an outside firm to do it. I used to run one. In terms of your voting record? No, that’s private. They CAN look up whether you voted in a general election but not how you voted. However… Whether you voted in primaries - D or R - is a matter of public record. As is your record of political donations. It’s not that hard to see which way a person swings with that sort of information. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229/60 "2016-07-07T15:43:23Z")
It’s pretty apparent that the Republican’s rushed this hearing. They are not getting anywhere or uncovering anything new. Half are simply complementing Comey on his service. Comey is the one looking intelligent in all this. Honestly, it’s another Republican backed waste of taxpayer money. “Emergency hearing” my ass. Mr. Connolly just summed it up. One side, the side with the pathological narcissist, (his words) trying to take away the other side’s candidate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ryan-and-the-congressional-republicans-to-investigate-the-fbi/759229.md?page=4)