Hillary Clinton’s email scandal is back in the news:
The State Department has opened a formal inquiry into whether former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her aides mishandled classified information while she was the nation’s top diplomat, Fox News has learned. Despite being under investigation, Clinton and her staffers still have security clearances to access sensitive government information.
The department’s investigation aims to determine whether Clinton and her closest aides violated government protocols by using her private server to receive, hold and transmit classified and top-secret government documents. The department declined to say when its inquiry began, but it follows the conclusion of the FBI’s probe into the matter, which did not result in any actions being taken against Clinton or any of her aides.
Depending on the outcome of the current State Department inquiry, Clinton and her aides could have their access to sensitive government documents terminated.
Read Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign. Hillary and Bill thought the email scandal was a literally a joke. They couldn’t believe people actually took the violation of the law seriously. Even their closest aides urging them to take it seriously was just ignored. I think they are so accustom to breaking the law, and getting away with it, that they can’t fathom why it was considered an issue.
They should be in jail (at least, a case might be made that the death penalty might be applicable). But it will be at least a minor vindication if they permanently lose their security clearances.
If I had to guess, I’d say that IF (and that’s a big “IF”) the Clintons are ever prosecuted and convicted it will be only after they’ve died of old age. Dementia and other health complications, along with public scorn from their own side, will be their only comeuppance in the meantime.
They’re still capable of mischief though and they will make the best of that ability, such as it is. It’s what they do.
Why does anyone who no longer has need to know secure information retain a security clearance?
There is a difference between having access and having a clearance. You can retain your clearance as long as the periodic reviews are done. Someone has to pay for them, usually this is your employer but you can pay from them yourself if you want. You might do this if you plan to get a job/contract to work with classified material in the future.