Courage & Virtue in Short Supply

(My editorial published 7/7/16 in local Democrat Chronicle)


For me, there can be only one reason why FBI Director Comey opted not to justifiably and responsibly recommend indictment of Hillary for gross negligence, aka "extreme carelessness", in her handling of classified emails.

Since Hillary is a presidential candidate with millions of followers, my guess is that Comey feared--yes, feared--being the guy who scuttled Hillary's candidacy. I also think he feared inciting tumult among enraged liberal voters and going down in  history as the guy who did it.

Of this we can all be certain: Courage, Honor, Virtue are in dangerously short supply in D.C

Going forward, no amount of shameless obfuscation and both political and lawyerly spin on the left can eliminate a justifiably widespread and perfectly reasonable belief that the Rule of Law is, in truth, d-e-a-d.

My questions: Now that the two-tiered system of justice is exposed for all to clearly see, what is left for the People to do? That's a very serious question we must carefully and dutifully weigh. And what relief should be extended to those lesser Americans out there, both civilian and military, who have suffered horrendous life-altering punishments for committing the same level of gross negligence/"extreme carelessness" exhibited by Hillary?

POSTSCRIPT: An important takeaway from this morning's painfully tedious congressional hearing was Comey's observation that, to paraphrase, in the event a person commits the same level of negligence in their handling of classified materials as did Hillary, and after a disciplinary review, s/he should either suffer appropriate administrative penalties, that being "termination, suspension, reprimand," or lose his/her security clearance.

To measure the level of Hillary's culpability in this matter, we should remain focused on 18 USC Sec 793: "...Whoever, being entrusted with or having lawful possession or control of a any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, note, or information, relating to the national defense, (1) through gross negligence permits the same to be removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of his trust, or to be lost, stolen, abstracted, or destroyed...Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both." 

Under this statute, "intent" IS utterly irrelevant. And how is "gross negligence" defined? "A conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care, which is likely to cause foreseeable grave injury or harm to person, property, or both." At the very least, therefore, Hillary--or ANYONE who similarly mishandled classified materials--should lose her clearance and be appropriately disciplined. And just who's going to do that? That wasn't asked nor was the answer provided.

After carefully listening to and trying to empathize with Mr. Comey, whom I believe is probably a decent man, I remain completely flummoxed and demoralized by his inability or unwillingness to recommend AT LEAST a misdemeanor charge. 

Very importantly, Hillary's violation of this statute and her serial lying to the American public on this matter clearly render her completely unfit for office, and her election would most surely lead to the tumult Mr. Comey may have been trying to avert. Of that I'm certain. And, if  there is no such justifiable outrage or tumult, Americans should practice kneeling because they no longer citizens in a nation of laws and justice, but subjects of an all-powerful political aristocracy.