The real Clinton email scandal is that a bullshit story has dominated the campaign

[riversedge]

Lots of details for anyone who is interested--



Tweet:
EMAILS! ‏@mattyglesias 1h1 hour ago Washington, DC

Take a serious look. Inform yourself. Tell your family. There is nothing to this email scandal. It's entirely bogus.

https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/794518690901491716





The real Clinton email scandal is that a bullshit story has dominated the campaign
If you agree with her on policy, vote with a clear conscience about the server.


Updated by Matthew Yglesias@[e-mail] Nov 4, 2016, 9:35am EDT

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/11/4/13500018/clinton-email-scandal-bullshit



..............A bullshit scandal amidst a serious election

Network newscasts have, remarkably, dedicated more airtime to coverage of Clinton’s emails than to all policy issues combined.

Cable news has been, if anything, worse, and many prestige outlets have joined the pileup. One malign result of obsessive email coverage is that the public is left totally unaware of the policy stakes in the election. Another is that the constant vague recitations of the phrase ‘‘Clinton email scandal’’ have firmly implanted the notion that there is something scandalous about anything involving Hillary Clinton an email, including her campaign manager getting hacked or the revelation that one of her aides sometimes checked mail on her husband’s computer.

But none of this is true. Clinton broke no laws according to the FBI itself. Her setup gave her no power to evade federal transparency laws beyond what anyone who has a personal email account of any kind has. Her stated explanation for her conduct is entirely believable, fits the facts perfectly, and is entirely plausible to anyone who doesn't simply start with the assumption that she's guilty of something.

Given Powell’s conduct, Clinton wasn't even breaking with an informal precedent. The very worst you can say is that, faced with an annoying government IT policy, she used her stature to find a personal workaround rather than a systemic fix that would work for everyone. To spend so much time on such a trivial matter would be absurd in a city council race, much less a presidential election. To do so in circumstances when it advances the electoral prospects of a rival who has shattered all precedents in terms of lacking transparency or basic honesty is infinity more scandalous than anything related to the server itself.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

1. A-FUCKING-MEN!!!

[calimary]

11. Welcome to DU, 50 Shades of Blue!

Such an incredibly bogus, stupid, TOTAL bullshit "scandal."

Too bad there's such a big contingent of know-nothings who swallow this crap without even chewing it a little.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

21. Thank you and ditto!!!!

[ffr]

22. ^^^ This!

Nothing there, never was. Millions in taxpayer dollars and countless hours wasted by our lovely Grand Old Party of NO.

[unblock]

2. and they say she needs jailing because her administrator didn't keep up with microsoft updates.

it's beyond ridiculous the standard to which she's held.

[Iliyah]

4. All of this fueled by the GOPs which was backed by corporate media

and now we find out our supposedly "non-partisan" FBI were also fabricating the fake story as well.

This is worst than Watergate.

[burrowowl]

14. PROSECUTE THE GOP!

[world wide wally]

5. And on a sarcastic note:

What are they even concerned about? That she would work with the Russans or something?

[kebob]

6. E-mail

Freakin e-mail, something that didn't even exist 25 years ago! Bullshit indeed. Durec

[calimary]

12. Welcome to DU, kebob!

Just imagine all the new ways they'll undoubtedly invent to continue persecuting her! Wouldn't surprise me if they kept on investigating, still desperately trying to come up with something/anything that'll stick - long after she's faded into history.

[kebob]

13. Abe Lincoln Personally KILLED "Alleged" Vampires

I'm sure you've seen the documentary film.

[YOHABLO]

7. I think all of us here on DU would agree. I hope this country is finally waking up from its nap.

[Stonepounder]

10. Why doesn't anyone mention that it wasn't illegal?!?!

And using a private server was not illegal while Hillary was SecState!!

An older, but still very good analysis is by NPR at:

http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/04/02/396823014/fact-check-hillary-clinton-those-emails-and-the-law

[agincourt]

15. It is a testimony

to how much the American public has swallowed the liberal media myth, that the story had any legs. I've wondered too, if Comey thought HRC might fire him if elected so he tried to swing the election for Dumpster.

[joshdawg]

16. It's always been much ado about nothing.

RWNJ's are the only ones interested in her emails.

[certainot]

17. the buzz starts at your local radio station and a lot of

those parasitize our major universities.

at least 90 unis support at least 255 limbaugh stations at it may be closer to 1/3 of rw stations all together that would lose advertisers by the truckload if those schools started looking for apolitical alts to broadcast their games on

[nightscanner59]

18. There is no there, there...

Even when the MSM knew there was no there there, they sensationalized the bullshit here, there and everywhere. NO substance. No smoking gun. NO there, there... but there's a lot of people all upset and ranting so there is one and there is one and there and there and there. There.
Anything but to talk about the issues which is a sure loser for the GOP.

[Bucky]

24. It's a little preview of what the next 4 yrs will be like

More constant distractions from Republican disruptors.

[red dog 1]

25. K&R

The Clinton e-mail crap had settled down since Comey said last summer that there was no criminal intent on her part, so there would be no indictments etc.(There was no "there" there)

Then 10 days ago, Comey inserts himself into the election with that stupid letter he sent to the GOP lawmakers.

Comey should have been put on administrative leave AT THAT TIME, and President Obama should have issued a statement immediately that the Justice Department would be looking into the Comey matter as a possible violation of the Hatch Act of 1939.

[JHan]

26. COMPLETELY AGREE....

Biggest pile of crap ever.

[Doodley]

27. An unstable, racist, fascist is this close to being elected and all the MSM can talk about is emails

[The Wielding Truth]

29. I totally agree with you."Clinton broke no laws according to the FBI itself."

"Her setup gave her no power to evade federal transparency laws beyond what anyone who has a personal email account of any kind has. Her stated explanation for her conduct is entirely believable, fits the facts perfectly, and is entirely plausible to anyone who doesn't simply start with the assumption that she's guilty of something. "

[tclambert]

30. I used to laugh at the idea of choosing kings by birth

and how big arguments, even wars, could erupt over who had the closer relationship to the previous king. And then there was Richard the Third, who pretty much murdered his way up the chain of succession. But really, is our system of people throwing BS around and all their supporters arguing that the "other side" stinks more than their candidate much of an improvement? Can't we make them take an aptitude test? Can't we do a simple criminal background check?

No, of course not. One side has a clear advantage in aptitude and education and no criminal record. One side has no evidence of aptitude at anything and actually paid fines and settlements and is currently on trial for various legal violations. BUT, the one with the skill and clean record gets investigated over and over, investigations that never lead to anything, yet the implication that something might someday be found outrages people more. Innuendo counts more than actual violations. The two major parties have way different standards.

[jackson]

31. Election records show Comey gave $5000 to romney in 2012.

The records don't show he gave anything yet to Trump, but it usually doesn't come out until after the election. Someone on facebook posted a photo showing a Trump sign on Comey's lawn. This entire situation stinks. Comey should resign. ............

COMEY, JAMES MR. WESTPORT CT 06880 BRIDGEWATER ASSOCIATES LP GENERAL COUNSEL ROMNEY, MITT / RYAN, PAUL D. VIA ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT, INC. 05/31/2012 2500.00 14970005730
COMEY, JAMES MR. WESTPORT CT 06880 BRIDGEWATER ASSOCIATES LP GENERAL COUNSEL ROMNEY, MITT / RYAN, PAUL D. VIA ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT, INC. 05/31/2012 2500.00 14970005729

[still_one]

32. and as Dan Rather added, the media and demagogues who enabled it

[Hekate]

33. KnR