New FBI release on Clinton email probe refers to 'Shadow Government'
Everett Rosenfeld | @Ev_Rosenfeld
31 Mins AgoCNBC.com
Melina Mara | The Washington Post | Getty Images
Hillary Clinton
A new trove of interview summaries and notes from the FBI'sinvestigation into Hillary Clinton's emails lays out a series of interviewee allegations that could prove fodder for future political attacks on the Democratic nominee.
The 100-page document, released Monday morning, includes claims that Clinton "blatantly" disregarded protocol, a group of powerful State Department employees attempted to coordinate a document release, and a State official asked for a "quid pro quo" related to the former Secretary of State's emails.
The document, part four of four to be released by the FBI, includes notes and interview summaries that may illuminate more about the bureau's decision not to recommend Clinton be prosecuted for her actions.
Many Republicans have criticized that decision, but FBI Director James Comey has repeatedly insisted the move was apolitical.
"I want the American people to know we really did this the right way. You can disagree with us, but you cannot fairly say we did it in any kind of political way," Comey said in July. "We don't carry water for anybody. We were trying to do what the right thing is."
One interesting revelation in the document came from an interview with an unnamed individual, who suggested that Freedom of Information Act requests related to Clinton went through a group sometimes called "the Shadow Government."
"There was a powerful group of very high-ranking STATE officials that some referred to as 'The 7th Floor Group' or 'The Shadow Government.' This group met every Wednesday afternoon to discuss the FOIA process, Congressional records, and everything CLINTON-related to FOIA/Congressional inquiries," the FBI's interview summary said.
That group, according to the interview summary, argued for a Clinton document release to be conducted all at once "for coordination purposes" instead of on a rolling basis as would normally be the case. But the "Shadow Government" did not get its way, and the agency in charge decided for a rolling release, the FBI summary said.
Another claim from the documents is that one unnamed interviewee said that Undersecretary of State Patrick Kennedy pressured the FBI to unclassify certain emails from Hillary Clinton's private server that were previously deemed classified.
The interviewee said Kennedy contacted the FBI to ask for the change in classification in "exchange for a 'quid pro quo.'"
A representative for the State Department categorically denied that claim...
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/17/fbi-releases-100-new-pages-on-clinton-email-probe.html
Everett Rosenfeld | @Ev_Rosenfeld
31 Mins AgoCNBC.com
Melina Mara | The Washington Post | Getty Images
Hillary Clinton
A new trove of interview summaries and notes from the FBI'sinvestigation into Hillary Clinton's emails lays out a series of interviewee allegations that could prove fodder for future political attacks on the Democratic nominee.
The 100-page document, released Monday morning, includes claims that Clinton "blatantly" disregarded protocol, a group of powerful State Department employees attempted to coordinate a document release, and a State official asked for a "quid pro quo" related to the former Secretary of State's emails.
The document, part four of four to be released by the FBI, includes notes and interview summaries that may illuminate more about the bureau's decision not to recommend Clinton be prosecuted for her actions.
Many Republicans have criticized that decision, but FBI Director James Comey has repeatedly insisted the move was apolitical.
"I want the American people to know we really did this the right way. You can disagree with us, but you cannot fairly say we did it in any kind of political way," Comey said in July. "We don't carry water for anybody. We were trying to do what the right thing is."
One interesting revelation in the document came from an interview with an unnamed individual, who suggested that Freedom of Information Act requests related to Clinton went through a group sometimes called "the Shadow Government."
"There was a powerful group of very high-ranking STATE officials that some referred to as 'The 7th Floor Group' or 'The Shadow Government.' This group met every Wednesday afternoon to discuss the FOIA process, Congressional records, and everything CLINTON-related to FOIA/Congressional inquiries," the FBI's interview summary said.
That group, according to the interview summary, argued for a Clinton document release to be conducted all at once "for coordination purposes" instead of on a rolling basis as would normally be the case. But the "Shadow Government" did not get its way, and the agency in charge decided for a rolling release, the FBI summary said.
Another claim from the documents is that one unnamed interviewee said that Undersecretary of State Patrick Kennedy pressured the FBI to unclassify certain emails from Hillary Clinton's private server that were previously deemed classified.
The interviewee said Kennedy contacted the FBI to ask for the change in classification in "exchange for a 'quid pro quo.'"
A representative for the State Department categorically denied that claim...
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/17/fbi-releases-100-new-pages-on-clinton-email-probe.html
