FBI ‘Handing Out Immunity Deals Like Candy’ To Clinton Staff
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been “handing out immunity deals like candy” to the staff of Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and ex-Senator for New York, according to the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Friday.
Clinton’s former chief of staff at the Department of State, Cheryl Mills, has received such an immunity deal, per the report by Politico. Writers Josh Gerstein and Nick Gass quoted Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz.
“No wonder they couldn’t prosecute a case. They were handing out immunity deals like candy.”
But Mills is not the only Clinton staff member to get such a sweet immunity deal. Those also receiving such FBI assurances now number five individuals, per the report from Sarah Westwood of the Washington Examiner. Besides Cheryl Mills, Clinton staff immunity deals have also been granted to John Bentel, Heather Samuelson, Bryan Pagliano, and Paul Combetta (IT person who may be “Stonetear” from Platte River Networks, per article by an attorney, Jeffrey Marty, posted at Daily Caller).
Another account of the FBI getting Clinton staffers immunity deals comes from Bob Eschliman in his post which can be viewed at Charisma. Mills’ apparently was given the deal so that the FBI could gain access to her personal laptop to see if any classified emails were on it, per the story. Chairman Chaffetz states he has “lost confidence” in the investigation.
“This is beyond explanation. I’ve lost confidence in this investigation and I question the genuine effort in which it was carried out. Immunity deals should not be a requirement for cooperating with the FBI.”
A statement of interest in the case of Clinton staffer Bryan Pagliano, and the concern of the immunity deal made with him previously, can be seen at Scribd online. A report written by Julian Hattem in The Hill explains more on the immunity deal worries. It seems that Pagliano’s lawyers advised him to “plead the Fifth.” They believe that the immunity agreements would “… protect him only from risk of criminal prosecution based on his testimony in the FBI’s investigation — not what he says in the separate open records case, filed by conservative organization Judicial Watch,” per Hattem.
“The potential for self-incrimination here is sufficient to justify Mr. Pagliano’s intention to assert his Fifth Amendment rights.”
The investigators were concerned about finding whether classified information was mishandled through the “use of Clinton’s private server,” per the report. And apparently the deal made did “… not provide blanket protection from criminal prosecution.” Pagliano’s attorneys are quoted further, however.
“The DOJ has not authorized a grant of immunity for Mr. Pagliano in connection with any other matter, including this civil case.”
The Clinton immunity deals are a problem perhaps, in light of other information coming forth. Per the Judicial Watch organization which is responsible for patiently filing and waiting for Freedom of Information Act requests to be released, is the news that the State Department has admitted 5,600 of 15,100 emails recovered by the FBI “were government records and not personal,” as previously claimed by Clinton.
“The State Department admitted that it has 5,600 Clinton emails recovered by the FBI that were government documents and not personal emails as she claimed. The public deserves to know what is in those emails, well before November 8, and the State Department should not continue dragging its feet on producing them.”
Clinton staff immunity may be questioned by curious voters before the general election this November, as the former Secretary of State has already told the FBI she has issues with memory and has lost 13 mobile devices which cannot be forensically investigated.
[Featured Image By Susan Walsh/AP Images]
