The Patriot Post - Alexander's Column 8-26-2015

[nChrist]

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The Patriot Post - Alexander's Column 8-26-2015
From The Federalist Patriot
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Hillary Clinton's Record of Malfeasance
From Little Rock to Chappaqua — Will Any Scandal Stick?

By Mark Alexander

Aug. 26, 2015

    “[She] who permits [herself] to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and a third time, till at length it becomes habitual; [she] tells lies without attending to it, and truths without the world’s believing [her]. This falsehood of the tongue leads to that of the heart, and in time depraves all its good disposition.” —Thomas Jefferson (1785)

Long before the Great Prevaricator Bill Clinton1 and his chief administrator Hillary duped their way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, their tenure in Arkansas was defined by relationships with radicals, real-estate shenanigans, drug dealing associates, Ponzi schemes and “lucky investment returns” such as Hillary’s one-in-31-trillion cattle futures profits. However, none of that corruption stuck to the Teflon couple.

What follows is a concise record of Hillary and Bill Clinton’s deceptions, obfuscations and subterfuges, from Little Rock to Chappaqua. Given that Hillary is (for the moment) the national frontrunner for the 2016 Democrat presidential nomination, I’ve compiled some of the more ignoble examples of her abject corruption from the Clintons' White House “co-presidency” years (recall that Bill promised “You get two for the price of one”) — and the years since. (For a complete chronological listing of our Clinton campaign coverage, check out the Clinton tags2.) But don’t delay — the terminus of Hillary’s political aspirations may come sooner than she expected — if her email server lies3 results in felony indictments.

If I had to choose just one quote that best defines the Clintons' philosophy on governing, it would be these recent words from Hillary: “I don’t believe you change hearts. I believe you change laws, you change allocation of resources, you change the way systems operate.” This is the re-warmed doctrine of Karl Marx and the mantra of today’s Democratic Party4 statists.

1993: After the suicide of Hillary’s longtime friend and White House counsel Vince Foster, files “disappear” from his office, impeding the investigation into his death — files that would most assuredly have shown the Clintons' fingerprints to be on various nefarious enterprises. (Sound familiar?)

1993-94: The Clintons' White House “security director,” Craig Livingstone, a former bar bouncer and Clinton political hack, is caught with more than 900 classified FBI background files that he’d requested on leading Republicans from the Reagan and Bush administrations. Hillary lied in her testimony about the files.

1993-96: Hillary convenes illegal secret panels to create a socialized health care plan, which was exposed by Republican House investigators and subsequently went down in flames. Her ClintonCare proposal was thus shelved until Barack Obama became president, but she is without question the grande dame of what eventually became ObamaCare5.

1993-97: The Clintons turn the IRS into their personal attack dog, and the agency went after every major conservative group in the nation, including The Heritage Foundation, the National Rifle Association, Concerned Women of America, the National Center for Public Policy Research, the American Policy Center, American Cause, Citizens for Honest Government, Progress and Freedom Foundation, and Citizens Against Government Waste. Not even conservative publications such as National Review and American Spectator were spared. In 1996, The Washington Times researched the targeting of these organizations and could not identify a single liberal advocacy organization that had been audited during Bill’s first term. (Sound familiar?)

1994: Hillary’s Rose Law Firm billing records related to the 1980s Whitewater Development bankruptcy mysteriously disappear — but then inexplicably reappear a year later after having been “scrubbed” of any incriminating evidence linking Hillary with key partners in that fraud. (Sound familiar?)

1995: Bill Clinton signs legislation making it easier for minority constituents with ubgone21 to obtain mortgages. His Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, rewrote the lending rules for the ill-conceived Community Reinvestment Act (which had been signed into law by none other than Jimmy Carter), opening the floodgates of Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association) and Freddie Mac (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation) subprime loans. Clinton’s legislation applied affirmative action to the lending industry, sowing the seeds for the massive deflation of home prices and for the near-total collapse of the American financial markets6 10 years later. Bill Clinton admitted in 2008, “I think the responsibility that the Democrats have may rest more in resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress … to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.” Indeed.

Democrat Rep. Artur Davis was a bit more direct: “Like a lot of my Democratic colleagues, I was too slow to appreciate the recklessness of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In retrospect I should have heeded the [Republican] concerns in 2004. Frankly I wish my Democratic colleagues would admit that, when it comes to Fannie and Freddie, we were wrong.”

1995-96: Hillary confidant John Huang is appointed to the DNC and raised large illegal donations from foreign sources. (Sound familiar?) Charlie Trie also raised major illegal donations from foreign sources. His $450,000 contribution to Clinton’s legal defense fund was a pass-through from Asian special interests. According to Judicial Watch founder Larry Klayman, those interests included the Red Chinese government.

1996: The Clintons trade Commerce Department positions and Lincoln Bedroom lodging for big campaign donations. Then-Vice President Al Gore repeatedly and infamously insisted, “There is no controlling legal authority,” after it was determined that the Clintons were operating a major fundraising call center in the White House.

1997: Six years into Bill Clinton’s tenure of national security malfeasance, one of Osama bin Laden’s well organized al-Qa'ida terrorist cells7 crafts a plan to settle into American suburbs and prepare a strike on our homeland. Four years had passed from the time of the first World Trade Center attack under Clinton’s watch until preparations began for the devastating attacks of September 11, 20018. In 1998, the Clinton administration refused an FBI field agent’s efforts to open a case file on Arab nationals who were, curiously, training to fly commercial aircraft, but not training for takeoffs or landings. The stated reason for the case file denial was to avoid the appearance of any presumption of an Islamic threat9 — precisely why, to this day, Democrats refuse to use the words “Islamic” and “terrorism” in the same context. During his eight years in office, Clinton had numerous opportunities to capture or kill bin Laden, but refused. Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Patterson, who carried the “nuclear football” codes for the Clinton administration, notes, “We could have prevented the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole, we could have prevented 9/11 and we could have prevented the bombings of the embassies in Africa if President Clinton had taken one of these opportunities. … We had eight chances at least to either nab bin Laden or to kill him.” Michael Scheuer, former CIA chief of the team responsible for hunting bin Laden, confirmed that prior to 9/11 SpecOps had two opportunities when Osama was literally in their sights, but Clinton pulled the plug10 on both operations.

[nChrist]

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The Patriot Post - Alexander's Column 8-26-2015
From The Federalist Patriot
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1998: Bill Clinton is impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice after falsely insisting he “did not have sexual relations” with a 22-year-old female White House intern. Hillary had established a long record of defending her husband against charges ranging from sexual impropriety to rape (in order to ensure her own political aspirations), including but not limited to charges brought by Juanita Broaddrick, Gennifer Flowers, Kathleen Willey and Paula Jones. Hillary perfected the practice of “blaming the victim,” and she insisted that the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal was fabricated by a “vast right-wing conspiracy that has been conspiring against my husband since the day he announced for president.”

Americans learned a lot about DNA evidence, and the Clintons should be credited with the popularity of all the cold case and forensic file TV shows that followed. We also learned that, unlike Richard Nixon, who had the decency to resign instead of putting the nation through an impeachment proceeding, the Clintons knew that Senate Democrats would never join with Republicans to achieve the two-thirds majority vote required to convict the Philanderer in Chief.

2000: Bill Clinton issues executive pardons to big donors and other convicted felons, some doing time related to Clinton scandals. Recall that among all those last-minute political pardons, one was for his former CIA director, John Deutch, who, it was discovered in 1996, stored classified documents on an unsecure laptop at his residence.

2001: According to Hillary, she and Bill depart the White House “dead broke” after vandalizing the executive residence before the Bush family arrived and loading up $190,000 in gifts and furnishings. However penniless (despite six-figure taxpayer-funded salaries and an $8 million book deal), they managed to buy a Chappaqua, New York, country house for $1.7 million in 1999 in order to establish residency for Hillary’s carpet-bagging Senate run in 2000. They also acquired a seven-bedroom house in DC for $2.85 million so Hillary would have a place to stay while the Senate was in session.

So, what are the two most notable lessons from the Clinton White House years?

First, never select an old establishment Republican like George Bush or Bob Dole to run against a young, charismatic narcissist. (Apparently Republicans forgot that lesson in both 2008 and 2012.)

Second, virtually nothing sticks to the Teflon Clintons. They have perfected the art of the BIG Lie11 and the basic tenets of obfuscation: Admit nothing, deny everything and make counter-allegations.

2001-2009: Bill and the then-junior senator from New York amass hundreds of millions of dollars in personal wealth from fees charged to those who were betting on Hillary’s political future. What she did not amass, however, is any record of accomplishment as a senator — no piece of legislation was advanced under her name.

2009: After Hillary’s unsuccessful 2008 presidential primary bid against Barack Obama, he hushes her up and keeps her close with an appointment as secretary of state, an office she held from 2009-2013. While Bill and their “family foundation” continued to amass millions in speaking fees and donations, Hillary compiled an even less impressive but much more lethal record as secretary of state than she had as a senator. She visited 112 countries, and, though she falsely claimed having been shot at by snipers in at least one of them, she can claim no treaty, no accord or even a meaningful summit success. Hillary does claim that she “restored America’s reputation,” but what she actually did was advance Obama’s failed foreign policies to the extent that America now suffers its weakest world standing since the Jimmy Carter era.

2012: Hillary crafts and propagates the Benghazi cover-up12 after the death of four Americans, including our ambassador to Libya. She lied about the attack13, claiming it was inspired by an obscure Internet video rather than a well-planned and executed al-Qa'ida assault on the anniversary of 9/118. She did so to protect Obama’s 2012 election, thus ensuring her own 2016 ambitions. Recall that at that time Obama was continuously crowing about how al-Qa'ida was “on the run.” Given that his domestic economic and social policies had been an abject failure, all he had to frame his 2012 campaign upon were the patently false claims of victory in Iraq14 and the defeat of al-Qa'ida9.

2014: While Hillary was secretary of state, the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation took in hundreds of millions of dollars from foreign governments, corporations and individuals, who were currying favor with Hillary as secretary of state and as a potential future president. Peter Schweizer’s book, “Clinton Cash,” provides a sobering outline of the abuse15.

2015: In March, Hillary admits that she illegally maintained a “private email server16” for official State Department communications — in violation of federal law, and had failed to acknowledge those records in congressional testimony regarding the Benghazi attack and cover-up. In April, Clinton officially announces her presidential candidacy. But Clinton’s self-spun web of lies about keeping her communications out of the public record may yet ensnare her, and end her 2016 presidential aspirations. It’s not likely that she’ll withdraw without a fight, but she is, clearly, in trouble. (Read our comprehensive account of Clinton’s email cover-up lies3.)

Thus far, from Little Rock to Chappaqua, Hillary’s non-stick surface has proven effective at avoiding criminal charges. Indeed, she learned a lot from her slippery spouse. But she may have finally met her match in South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy17, a former federal prosecutor who now heads the House Select Committee on Benghazi18.

If he pins Clinton with felony charges related to her email server subterfuges, those charges will stick.

Indeed, it is now increasingly likely that Clinton, having deleted more than 30,000 emails from her communications server, will face criminal charges. Those charges range from perjury and felony possession and dissemination of classified documents to obstruction of justice. The latter could result in felony charges, as Clinton directed the erasure of all those emails even though she was fully aware that all documents pertaining to her tenure as secretary of state were subject to subpoena by the House Select Committee on Benghazi.

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The Patriot Post - Alexander's Column 8-26-2015
From The Federalist Patriot
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Though Clinton claimed, “I’ve never had a subpoena,” Rep. Gowdy corrected the record19, noting, “She was personally subpoenaed the moment the Benghazi Committee became aware of her exclusive use of personal email and a server, and that the State Department was not the custodian of her official record. For more than two years, Clinton never availed herself of the opportunity, even in response to a direct congressional inquiry, to inform the public of her unusual email arrangement designed to evade public transparency.”

In regard to felony possession and dissemination of classified documents, recall if you will the recent prosecution of Gen. David Petraeus20, Obama’s former CIA director. Gen. Petraeus admitted to security violations after he inadvertently made classified material available to his biographer, with whom he was having an adulterous affair. Though that biographer, former Army Major Paula Broadwell, held security clearances and none of the classified material was compromised, it was still a serious breach of security protocols. Petraeus avoided a felony conviction by pleading guilty, and he was sentenced to two years' probation and required to pay a $100,000 fine.

And regarding the statute pertaining to obstruction of justice, 18 U.S.C. § 151921, it specifies felony charges for anyone who “knowingly alters, destroys, mutilates, conceals, covers up, falsifies, or makes a false entry” in any official account or record “with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence the investigation or proper administration of any matter.” Notably, it further specifies, “or in relation to or contemplation of any such matter or case,” which is precisely why Clinton maintained that private server.

That statute, part of the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act22, for which then-Senator Hillary Clinton voted “yes,” includes penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

Felony counts may be coming, despite her claims that “I did not email any classified material to anyone on my email,” and “There is no classified material,” now that another 300 emails have been recovered from “lost” State Department servers that appear to have classified content.

As for where the Benghazi investigation13 will lead, Clinton concludes, “We’ll see how this all plays out.”

Indeed we will… At present, the best evidence that felony charges will be filed is Obama’s pseudo-endorsement of Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential candidacy23, by way of his spokesman Josh Earnest.

According to Earnest, “The president has indicated that his view that the decision that he made … to add Joe Biden to the ticket as his running mate was the smartest decision that he has ever made in politics. And I think that should give you some sense into the president’s view into the vice president’s aptitude for the top job.” Earnest added, “The vice president is somebody who has already run for president twice. So I think you could probably make the case that there is no one in American politics today who has a better understanding of exactly what is required to mount a successful national presidential campaign.”

While Earnest also expressed Obama’s “appreciation, respect and admiration” for Hillary Clinton, it’s hard to overestimate the importance of his statements on Biden in light of Hillary’s mounting troubles.

And that statement came a day after Biden met with Sen. Elizabeth “Honest Injun” Warren24. No doubt that meeting was to reach an accord that he would serve one term with her as his veep, if she stayed out of the 2016 primary. Indeed, a Biden/Warren ticket would be far more competitive than either Clinton or Sanders at the top of a ticket.

Recall that in February, Biden advocated25 for an Obama third term: “I call it sticking with what works!” By “what works,” he must have meant duping voters in presidential campaigns, because in both the 2010 and 2014 midterm elections26, Obama’s Democratic Party policies4 suffered resounding defeat. That notwithstanding, in July, Obama himself asserted: “I cannot run again. I actually think I’m a pretty good president. I think if I ran I could win. But I can’t.”

Make no mistake, a Biden/Warren ticket is a third Obama term!

And I noted that Bill Clinton was vacationing with the now-rich and famous27 Obamas at their exclusive Martha’s Vineyard in mid August. The White House press corps released photos of Bill and Barack golfing — which I’m sure Clinton hoped would be a subtle shot over Biden’s bow to keep clear of Hillary’s ‘16 campaign.

Or… perhaps he was cutting a deal for another executive pardon similar to the one he gave John Deutch in 2000, as noted above. However, in this case, it would be Hillary who was keeping classified documents on an unauthorized server in her home.

(For a complete chronological listing of our Clintons campaign coverage see the Clinton tags2. For our comprehensive account of her email cover-up lies, click here3.)


Links

1    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/24356
2    http://patriotpost.us/tags/Hillary%20Clinton
3    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/37088
4    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/9235
5    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/22065
6    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/3150
7    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/4051
8    http://patriotpost.us/pages/277
9    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/23474
10    http://youtu.be/CTtoHx-ia8A
11    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/22209
12    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/35989
13    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/25527
14    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/29028
15    http://patriotpost.us/articles/34763
16    http://patriotpost.us/articles/33793
17    https://gowdy.house.gov
18    https://benghazi.house.gov
19    http://patriotpost.us/posts/36289
20    http://patriotpost.us/posts/32297
21    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1519
22    http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00192
23    http://patriotpost.us/articles/37199
24    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/27654
25    http://patriotpost.us/posts/33124
26    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/30689
27    http://patriotpost.us/alexander/18752