A newly released timeline from FBI investigators highlights the political obstacles faced by agents probing potential corruption involving Hillary Clinton and her family foundation during the 2016 election. This timeline, provided by a Republican senator, reveals how interventions from senior officials and the Justice Department hindered investigations aimed at uncovering wrongdoing related to the Clinton Foundation.
• Obstruction by DOJ and FBI Leadership: The timeline shows that FBI agents were consistently obstructed by higher-ups in the FBI and the Justice Department, who did not allow investigations into the Clinton Foundation to proceed. In one excerpt, field agents expressed frustration, stating they had been told by FBI Headquarters not to move forward with their inquiries.
• Prior Investigations and Findings: Previous records indicate that investigations into the Clinton Foundation’s activities, especially regarding foreign donations, were initiated as early as 2010. Key figures, including Clinton allies such as Cheryl Mills and Huma Abedin, were mentioned yet never thoroughly investigated.
• Political Interference: The timeline details how various officials, including former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, actively hampered investigations. Yates was quoted directing teams to “shut it down,” reflecting the favoritism displayed towards Clinton's political standing.
• Consistent Delays: Despite the submission of evidence and leads indicating possible misconduct, the DOJ frequently blocked any progress on investigations. Reports from field offices in New York, Little Rock, and Washington documented instances where requests for investigative actions were denied or delayed.
• Comparison to Trump Investigations: Senator Chuck Grassley criticized how the DOJ handled the Clinton investigations compared to the thorough inquiries into Donald Trump’s campaign. He emphasized that the DOJ should not engage in picking "winners and losers" when enforcing the law.
• Timeline of Events: The timeline chronicles events from 2010 through 2020, showcasing a pattern of investigations being initiated but never advancing, often due to directives from FBI Headquarters. For instance, agents expressed disappointment as leads were ignored, and investigations were prematurely closed or stalled indefinitely.
• Internal Struggles: Reports reveal an ongoing struggle within the FBI, where agents felt pressure from the top down to abandon legitimate leads. This culminated in several agents feeling that their careers were jeopardized as they tried to pursue corruption allegations against the Clinton Foundation.
Overall, the new timeline provides a comprehensive view of the challenges faced by the FBI in their attempts to investigate the Clinton Foundation. It raises significant concerns about political interference in justice processes and how such obstacles can influence accountability and transparency at high governmental levels. The evidence indicates a clear disparity in how investigations were conducted depending on the political affiliation of the individuals involved.
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