Emailgate Is One "Executive Privilege" Away from Becoming Watergate (Part 1)

"I can see clearly now... that I was wrong in not acting more decisively and more forthrightly in dealing with Watergate." (President Nixon, a TV interview after resigning the presidency.) ~~~~~ “I can tell you that this is not a situation in which America's national security was endangered.” (President Obama on CBS 60 Minutes in October as the Hillary email scandal heated up.) ~~~~~ President Nixon didn't know about and had no part in the criminal political burglary, but he was forced to resign when it became clear he had participated in the burglary cover-up to protect his presidency. ~~~~~ President Obama didn't know about and had no part in the creation of Hillary Clinton's unauthorized private email server and initial criminal retention and distribution of classified documents, but it is clear he may be participating in a later cover-up by letting the violation continue and now publicly denying it poses a security risk, to protect his presidency. ~~~~~ Both presidential cover-ups became/will become criminal investigations by Congress, the FBI and the Justice Department. In each, the President's lawyer - the Attorney General - has a key role. John Mitchell went to prison. Loretta Lynch now feels the Emailgate spotlight on her. She will be pulled into the Hillary email probe by the FBI. If the FBI recommends criminal prosecution, Lynch’s DOJ will have to decide whether to go ahead. If no prosecution is recommended, Clinton’s critics will not take the word of Lynch, an Obama appointee, and will ask if justice has been subverted. Already, Republicans are calling for a special prosecutor to provide independent legal evaluation. No. 2 Senate Republican John Cornyn has called for a special counsel to be appointed “because of the conflict of interest by asking Attorney General Lynch to investigate and perhaps even prosecute somebody in the Obama administration.” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley agrees Lynch should consider a special counsel to reassure the country that decisions are made “without regard to any political considerations.” The Justice Department has thus far refused the request. DOJ spokeswoman Melanie Newman said in recently : “This matter is being reviewed by career attorneys and investigators and does not meet the criteria for the appointment of a special prosecutor." ~~~~~ The FBI is investigating Clinton’s private email arrangement, in which classified information was mishandled. Lynch’s critics don't believe she can be neutral. They also point to the October CBS 60 Minutes interview in which Obama dismissed concerns about Clinton’s private server. Cornyn said : “It might appear that he’s trying to influence the conduct of the investigation. That’s a real problem.” ~~~~~ Washington knows how advanced the FBI investigation is. It is now clear that Hillary deliberately mishandled classified information on her private, unsecured e-mail system as Secretary of State. It is also now clear that some of the emails contained “top secret/SAP” information (special access programs) -- defense secrets of the highest order, the compromise of which can destroy vital intelligence programs, get covert agents killed, and imperil national security. The State Department’s refusal to release 18 emails that passed between Obama and Clinton through her unsecured home server : (1) creates a conflict of interest for Obama; (2) raises the likelihood that the President violated national security laws, an impeachable offense. State Department spokesman John Kirby hasn't denied the 18 emails contain classified information, he just says they “have not been determined to be classified,” but are being withheld to preserve confidentiality between the President and his aides. ~~~~~ Dear readers, this is executive privilege said softly. Obama and Clinton discussed foreign leaders and policy on an unsecured private server in violation of an Obama executive order regarding dissemination of foreign intelligence, including conversations with foreign officials and leaders -- all born classified. Emailgate approaches Watergate.