This passage from his letter is an admission that Comey knew his actions would influence the election. Before "know[ing] the significance of this newly discovered collection of emails," he released an update to Congress that could easily be interpreted as an indication that there was a significant development in the Clinton case. Why else would he write the letter?
Comey told FBI employees, "I don't want to create a misleading impression." If Comey wanted to avoid a "misleading impression," he might have told the truth if he insisted on writing a memo to Congress. Based on what we know now, he should have said:
There are some emails on the computer belonging to a close Clinton aid. No one at FBI has seen the emails. We don't' even have a warrant to download them. These emails might or might not be important enough to warrant reopening the investigation.
The fact that Comey failed to tell the truth about the status of the emails proves his ill intent toward the Clinton campaign.
Comey's Violation of Law
The 1939 Hatch Act bars Federal employees from a broad range of political activities.
Richard Painter, a former lawyer in the Bush White House Counsel's office, filed a formal complaint against FBI Director Comey for violating that act. He argued: "I believe that the Hatch Act and ethics rules are violated if it is obvious that the official's actions [Comey's] could influence the election, there is not another good reason for taking those actions, and the official is acting under pressure from persons who obviously want to influence the election."
Comey's actions will clearly influence the elections. There was no "good reason" to release the memo on evidence not yet reviewed or analyzed. And, Comey admits that he acted "under pressure" from critics in Congress, Republicans, who obviously "want to influence the election."
In addition, Painter cited another law on the use of public office for private gain. Painter refers to the following section of the United States Code:
2635.702 Use of public office for private gain.
"An employee shall not use his public office for his own private gain, for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise --
Comey's actions have the direct effect of endorsing the Trump campaign "enterprise." Trump has insisted again and again that the email case be reopened. Comey reopened it on the flimsiest of grounds. The net effect of his actions props up the Trump campaign just when it looked like the enterprise was finished.
Comey's Reports to " ?
Comey's actions serve the Trump campaign and its donors. It wasn't an easy form of service by the FBI Director. Comey had to ignore established policies, common sense, his superior, the Attorney General, and the Hatch Act in order to send his very high impact letter.
Will it be worth it?
If Comey acted on his own without any outside inducements or threats, we should all pause and say a short prayer for him. In that scenario, he is an utter fool playing in a league way above his skill set and doing great and memorable damage to the political process.
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