There are “no consequences’ for Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of classified emails, House Oversight Chair Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) declared Thursday – so the State Department reopened its probe of Clinton staffers, now that the private server mastermind has been cleared.
“There does seem to be two standards. There does seem to be no consequence,” Chaffetz told FBI Director James Comey in Thursday’s hearing regarding Comey’s recommendation Clinton not be charged in the scandal.
“I didn’t say there’s no consequence for someone who violates the rules regarding classified information. There are often severe consequences in the FBI involving employment, involving their pay, involving their clearances,” Comey replied.
So, later that day, the State Department decided to apply one set of standards to those who worked for Clinton when she was devised and implemented the private email server scheme as Secretary of State.
Former Clinton aides will be investigated for their “involvement” in Clinton’s server scheme, the New York Times reports:
“Among those drawing the most intense scrutiny are Cheryl Mills, Huma Abedin and Jake Sullivan, onetime aides who could face difficult questions in pursuing security clearances for diplomatic or national security posts because of their involvement with Mrs. Clinton’s emails.”
But, due to a double-standard, high-profile figures like Clinton remain immune from punishment, Virginia lawyer John V. Berry, who specializes in security clearance cases, explains in The Washington Post:
“The higher-profile the individual, the less likelihood, in most circumstances, of sanctions relating to security issues. In short, current security clearance policy factors in the importance of an individual in deciding whether to revoke a security clearance. Basically, lower-profile individuals get treated differently than those at the top of the political food chain facing the same concerns.”
The State Department said it does not have a timetable for getting to the bottom of things or taking action.
So, it appears the State Department will, eventually, have some “consequences” to show Chaffetz.