For the “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” file:
Clinton supporter and former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called on the public to “move on” from Hillary Clinton’s emails and instead focus on the “real issues.”
“It’s been investigated, no action has been taken by the Justice Department,” Panetta said on ABC’s “This Week.” “They found no basis for any kind of action.”
“I really do think it’s time for the candidates and for the American people to move on and talk about the real issues,” he said. [ABC News]
Well, that settles it, then! As Bernie Sanders said during the Democratic debate last October: “The American people are sick and tired about hearing about your damn emails!”
Except . . . the notion that the Department of Justice is the final word on this matter is, well, laughable. Just last week it was revealed that “several FBI field offices” wanted to launch an investigation into the relationship between the Clinton Foundation and Hillary Clinton’s State Department — and the DOJ blocked the request. What was that about “no basis” for action?
It turns out, too, that Cheryl Mills — Hillary’s right-hand woman at Foggy Bottom — spent time “volunteering” for the Clinton Foundation during her time at State. Was Habitat for Humanity’s roster full?
Look, I get it. Surrogate work for a habitual liar is hard. But maybe the prospect that the former secretary of state was using her position to enrich herself and her family is among the “real issues” that the American people should be considering as November approaches? (Also, as an aside: Shouldn’t this be of particular interest to someone whose entire career has been in national security?)
It seems that others are of that opinion. The Daily Caller reports that “multiple FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys in various cities are leading investigations about possible corrupt practices among Clinton Foundation officials, foundation donors, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and inner circle of aides during her years as America’s chief international diplomat.” The attorney reportedly heading up the inquiry is Preet Bharara, of the Southern District of New York, known for his aggressive public-corruption probes.
If this is true, we’re not “moving on” from this story anytime soon. And that’s a good thing.