Justice Dept. grants immunity to staffer who set up Clinton email server

[kcjohn1]

Interesting. Looks like someone is going to take fall for this. The only question is how close is to Clinton?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/in-clinton-email-investigation-justice-department-grants-immunity-to-former-state-department-staffer/2016/03/02/e421e39e-e0a0-11e5-9c36-e1902f6b6571_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_clintonemail830p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

The Justice Department has granted immunity to the former State Department staffer who worked on Hillary Rodham Clinton’s private email server as part of a criminal investigation into the possible mishandling of classified information, according to a senior law enforcement official.

The official said the FBI had secured the cooperation of Bryan Pagliano who worked on Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign before setting up the server in her New York home in 2009.

Former federal prosecutor Glen Kopp said it is not surprising agents want to interview Clinton and her aides.

“They are within the zone of interest of the investigation,” he said.

A request to interview her would have to be reviewed by top level officials at both the FBI and the Justice Department, a former official said.

As part of those interviews, the FBI would also seek to establish that Clinton and her aides understood the policies and protocols for handling classified information, former officials said.

It’s unclear whether Clinton and her aides would agree to an interview with the FBI because of the potential legal risks. However, if Clinton refused to cooperate with FBI investigators, the issue could become a political flashpoint in the campaign.

Her lawyer, David Kendall, declined to comment.

[revbones]

1. How quick will Clinton supporters deflect and discredit here?

I'm betting that she'll have someone lower take the fall for her.

This should wake up any rational person to the fact that this is not just some right-wing smear job and it could have significant ramifications to the election if she is the nominee.

Basically, a vote for Hillary could easily be a vote for Trump. Really, I feel it is, but perhaps the "could" will result in less alerts from the crazy HRC DU thought police...

There's no way this doesn't become an issue in the campaign. But Hillary supporters will just assume it's nothing, say "But Colin Powell had a private server too!", and so on. I actually had one tell me on DU that the FBI had been infiltrated by right-wingers because Bush swept everyone out and replaced them, and Obama left them in place.

[roguevalley]

45. well, it would seem that the shoe is about to drop

I can't support her for a lot of reasons but having this Damocles sword hanging over all of us by the slightest of threads is too damn much to ask of anyone.

[TheBlackAdder]

63. Ruh Roh, Raggy! Zoinks! You can say that again, Scoob!

[Arazi]

2. OMG! This is the guy who pled the fifth last September

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-clinton-staffer-bryan-pagliano-pleads-the-fifth/

[revbones]

4. I kind of feel that that might be irrelevant.

He plead the fifth during the congressional Benghazi hearings. I think the intertwining allows Hillary supporters to feel this is the same, when it's not.

[Press Virginia]

7. I don't think many of them know or even care about the difference

[jfern]

21. Full steam ahead with the candidate who has a 67% not honest and trustworthy rating!

[Arazi]

9. Oh, they'll dismiss it of course

but you and I know it's extremely important

It means the Justice department is going after a bigger fish. When they start offering immunity to the underlings, they're really aiming up the chain

[CoffeeCat]

49. When law enforcement leaks information

like this, it serves a purpose. Although the public consumes the information and the information is released via the media--the intent isn't primarily to inform the public, but to put the squeeze on those who are under investigation.

This is he FBI's way of sending the following message, 'We've got your IT guy who is speaking freely, without fear of criminal charges. Whatever went on here, we will now know.'

This creates a "walls closing in" feel, which can foment all kinds of reactions from those involved.

Immunity is a negotiated trade off. The FBI didn't walk up to this guy after one meeting and cut him a deal. This was negotiated iteratively. The FBI does not grant immunity unless they have assurances that the information offered is critical to the investigation.

[Arazi]

52. Thank you. This is becoming the elephant in the room

literally

Watching HRC supporters spin this now will be depressing

Even more depressing will be those who simply ignore it

[bvf]

69. I can already hear the cries of "Going negative!"

I dont think they'll be able to ignore it. Deflect, probably, but ignore it?

Brace yourselves for a spate of "Here's why Sanders is evil" OPs. Maybe another nonsensical appeal or two to Skinner to make the pusillanimous bullies go away.

[840high]

19. Oh yes.

[Press Virginia]

3. Immunity? For what HRC has said is only a security review?

I'll bet there might be a little puckering happening inside camp weather vane

[kcjohn1]

11. I'm glad this guy

Is not taking the fall for her. I suspect everyone knew this was a crazy idea and the whole thing was basically structured to avoid FOI (another crime).

My guess is that they were brazen about it, and concerns about security/official policies were brought up, and he was told not to worry about it. I suspect its another Clinton staffer, but there is no way they would do this without Clinton's explicit approval. The only question is will others roll over or will they take the fall for Clinton?

[HereSince1628]

36. 1) Would immunity be negotiated? 2) Does this mean he is compelled to answer?

I am glad to say I have no experience with the nature of immunity to prosecution.

It doesn't look like he'll do a McDougal, but maybe Huma will. It's always nice to have human shields on one's staff.

[NWCorona]

43. It usually is worked out between the lawyers on both sides

And yes it is so he can testify freely with out worry of prosecution. With this agreement in place he won't need to be compelled to testify.

[HereSince1628]

44. So, he could he elect to -not- testify?

Considering the Clinton Foundation's many wealthy connections...well, you know what's on my mind.

[NWCorona]

46. Yes I'm sure he could elect to not testify but I think he will

I'm saying that because he's already working with the FBI outside of this agreement they must have something on him.

[magical thyme]

47. no, he is agreeing to testify in exchange for immunity

He pleaded the fifth and said, through his lawyer, he would only testify if granted full immunity. The whole purpose of immunity is to get him to testify, not to get more 5th pleas.

He is agreeing to answer all of their questions in exchange for immunity. If he then refuses to answer questions and again pleads the fifth, he's reneging on the agreement and open to prosecution if somebody else provides evidence against him.

This way he can admit to doing anything he knows was illegal and not be prosecuted for it. He had been a government employee; he knew what the security requirements around the systems were and he didn't follow them. So he could be held partially responsible for not properly protecting classified information. This lets him off the hook for responsibility, but not for testifying. He must testify to maintain his immunity.

Otherwise there would be no point in offering him immunity.

[HereSince1628]

48. That was how I originally thought this worked.

But these things often seem to have more curves in them than I expect

[Warren DeMontague]

12. "There is obviously nothing to see, here

So please stop looking at it"?

[Fairgo]

6. Leadership

I am sure HRC will demand that those responsible will be held to account.

[RobertEarl]

8. Oh no

Not good news at all.

Immunity can only mean one thing. The server wasn't wiped good enough and there were some top secrets on that public unsecured server. And they are letting the IT go free?

Uhoh. Not good.

[Warren DeMontague]

10. What is with these right wing sources on what is obviously just a giant right wing plot?

The washington post? The FBI?

How can such unfairly biased nonsense be posted at DU?

[FreakinDJ]

29. +1000

[Warren DeMontague]

31. "As part of a criminal investigation"

You know, Im just a stupid berniebro. Obviously not bright enough to figure out why that isnt as bad as it sounds.

[FreakinDJ]

34. What do you think this will do to the Democratic Brand when the front runner

is indicted - She'll sink the party and the country in 1 fell swoop

[Merryland]

35. That is a terrifying thought.

[Warren DeMontague]

37. In all 100% honesty? It keeps me up at night.

Im resigned to her likely being the nominee, so i really fucking hope her happytalk brigades are right that there's nothing there.

[FreakinDJ]

42. Even IF she some how makes it through the GE

They would impeach her on her first day in office

[fun n serious]

64. Hillary supporter here..

I'm not blowing this off. I do not know if there is something to this or not but I am worried. If there is something there I hope it gets dealt with fast so we could move on to Bernie if need be. I love my country and think Bernie would be a fine President. So I guess what I am saying is Thank God we have a decent candidate just in case. Yes. I am worried. I would be lying if I said I wasn't

[Warren DeMontague]

74. Agree.

[fun n serious]

67. I doubt she would intentionally put classified information at risk.

Do they not have to prove it was intentional and with malice?

Anyway.. CNN puts me at ease over the whole thing a little..

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/02/politics/hillary-clinton-email-server-justice-department/index.html

[NWCorona]

41. Agreed!

Bernie will emerge unscathed tho from this

[Logical]

57. Lol, good one fooled me!! Nt

[PonyUp]

13. Watch your back, Bryan!

[840high]

20. Don't board planes.

[AzDar]

14. K & R

[hootinholler]

15. Focus group that one

[CdnExtraNational]

16. Ouch that's going to hurt /nt

[MelissaB]

18. OMG! My husband saw one of these in KY.

LOL!

[840high]

22. That must have been

my friend Ted. He hates her.

[MelissaB]

24. Is he in Richmond.

We are close to Lexington.

Hubby laughed and laughed at that bumper sticker. He just couldn't believe it. At first, he thought it was pro Hillary and then he got closer and read all of it.

[840high]

28. Louisville.

[MelissaB]

38. Well, he has a friend here.

[sabrina 1]

23. Can you imagine if Bernie and his staff were under a criminal investigation by the DOJ

and the FBI how Hillary's supporters would be acting?

Is this the first time a Presidential candidate has been under such a cloud?

This is my sincere opinion. I think she needs to suspend her campaign for the good of the country.

[MelissaB]

25. I think this is the first shoe to drop.

I've heard she may be in big trouble for soliciting for the Clinton Foundation while Sec. of State.

[yourout]

26. That is the real crime...far worse than the emails.

Corruption on a grand scale

[NWCorona]

33. There's been talk of a separate FBI investigation into just that

But it was dismissed as it was from Fox but people fail to realize that the Clinton foundation's emails were on that server as well as all her top staff.

[MelissaB]

39. People on DU may have dismissed it, but people in Washington have not.

[NWCorona]

40. Yeah I was a lurker when that dropped here

And non of the usual suspects are touching this story!

[Android3.14]

53. That's my thought too

If not that, then something more terrible.

[sabrina 1]

59. Someone just reminded me it is not the first time someone under such a cloud was a presidential

candidate, Gov Hair from Texas ran while under indictment, he did however drop out of the race pretty early.

Yes, the Foundation stuff is murky to say the least. Haiti wants to know where THEIR money is as apparently all the money donated has not gone to rebuilding that poor country.

[MisterP]

56. she runs with cartels, Sauds, and banksters

[Logical]

58. So true! Great point, they would be loving it. Nt

[Autumn]

61. I think this is the first time the democratic party leadership has gone to such great lengths

to make sure that a candidate under a cloud like this wins the nomination. Almost like they don't care who has the White House if it's not Hillary.

[sabrina 1]

70. They would be askiing Bernie to suspend his campaign so 'he can deal with his legal problems and not

risk the Party being subjected to the inevitable right wing attacks and the loss of an election'. And I think that is exactly what she needs to do now, to suspend her campaign so we are not subjected to more years of Clinton scandals while the country's business isn't the main focus, as we saw during the whole impeachment period. And thoough I fiercely defended them back then, secretly I knew HE put us in a position of having to defend them and I for one won't be doing that anymore.

[Autumn]

71. I spent way too long defending them and I won't waste another second of my life doing it

ever again. I'm done with that.

[beam me up scottie]

62. Omg they're still having a cow over a data breach that he had nothing to do with.

I predict much whistling past the graveyard in the coming days.

[FreakinDJ]

27. This is going to stick

Wasn't there some thing very irregular about the way they hired this guy.

Doesn't matter - if they are granting him immunity they have some thing concrete on a bigger fish

[snagglepuss]

30. k n r

[NWCorona]

32. Things seem to be moving fast now

"The official said the FBI had secured the cooperation of Bryan Pagliano who worked on Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign before setting up the server in her New York home in 2009."

This part is huge and shouldn't be overlooked and makes this news of immunity ominous for Hillary. He's about to testify in a grand jury IMHO.

With the news that an email has been found on her server that was "marked classified " It's only gonna get worse from here.

[silvershadow]

50. It's as if everything she touches turns into a Federal case... nt

[FailureToCommunicate]

51. Was there perhaps some reason to wait for this news till the day after Super Tuesday?

[Arazi]

54. I like Obama and hoped he escaped without any scandals during his Admin

if HRC fucks this up for him I will be pissed

[Kilgore]

55. Ouch, that could leave a mark.

[Logical]

60. And the hits Just keep on coming

[beam me up scottie]

65. Don't they usually dump this kind of story on Friday nights?

I don't think this is going away.

[bvf]

66. Hoo boy...n/t

[andrewv1]

68. So to understand this, we're not even dealing with Clinton Foundation financial issues yet?

[Oilwellian]

73. Those investigations have just begun

But the classified email investigation is probably reaching the end and the FBI will be making their recommendation, or not, to the DOJ very soon. This isn't looking good for Hillary.

[angrychair]

72. Ive been saying this

For awhile now: this is not going away! It is a big deal!
I have been laughed at. Talked to like I'm an idiot. Called a "right-winger". Called a Republican plant. Argued to death about souce material.
As I have also stated several times: you can shoot the messenger but it won't change the message.

As recently as a speech I heard today she was talking about love and unity and making the country whole again.
If she really means that than withdraw now with dignity, on your own terms, and give this issue the attention it deserves. The country will be in good hands with Bernie.

PLEASE WITHDRAW NOW.