Clinton scandal sets dangerous precedent

Let me ask you a tough question: Do you think Washington elites and political insiders should get to live under a different set of rules than every other American? Of course not.

Somehow in Washington those friendly with the Obama Administration get special exemptions. This became brutally obvious this week when presented with clear and unbiased facts, both the FBI and the Department of Justice decided to give former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a free pass in her grave mishandling of sensitive information that put our national security at risk, and likely compromised information that was deemed to be the highest classification our nation has.

What’s worse? These announcements came just a week after the country’s top attorney Loretta Lynch met with Bill Clinton aboard a private plane, raising serious concerns over conflicts of interest, and just days after Hillary publicly said she was considering keeping Lynch in office should she become President.

Now let me clear something up right off the bat—Hillary Clinton intentionally used multiple email servers in an elaborate attempt to cover up or destroy politically damaging information – likely regarding huge conflicts of interest with the Clinton Foundation. In doing so she put our U.S. military and intelligence community at grave risk.

Intelligence officials and military personnel agree that in the vast majority of cases, mishandling classified information should result of a loss of security clearance at the very least. At the worst, those who violate those policies could face federal prosecution and even prison time, neither of which Secretary Clinton will endure. Literally because she’s a Clinton.

That’s flat out unfair and just plain wrong.

In 2009 I was one of only two Senators who opposed Clinton’s nomination to be Secretary of State. At the time I warned of a multi-billion dollar minefield of conflicts of interest with her and the Clinton Foundation. Since then I’ve been fighting for transparency at the State Department and for them to turn over Hillary Clinton’s records from her private email server. That includes emails involving the Foundation and also emails regarding Hillary Clinton’s decision against designating Nigeria’s dangerous Boko Haram terror group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) after conflicts of interest arose between Clinton, the Clinton Foundation, her position as Secretary of State, and her ties to Nigerian politicians and dictators. That’s just one example of the explosive conflicts of interest I warned against.

All public servants in the United States should be held to the highest standard of scrutiny—even beyond their employees—especially those seeking the highest office in the land. This week’s events give me serious concerns about the future of American politics, and by not holding Secretary Clinton responsible for her actions, the FBI and Justice Department sets a dangerous percent for holding politicians accountable in the future.

By running for President, Hillary Clinton is asking the American people to entrust her with the responsibility that goes along with the title of Commander in Chief. But how can Secretary Clinton expect us to trust her as the chief representative of the United States when we can’t even trust her to keep the nation’s secrets? I am proud to announce that I have joined my Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to revoke her security clearance, and you can rest assure I’ll keep fighting to make sure that lawmakers and bureaucrats are required to live under the same rules they require of everyone else.

Secretary Clinton has proved time and time again that she is more concerned with preserving her own image – and her own title – than with keeping America safe and serving her country. The American people are sick and tired of the Washington elite insiders living under a different set of rules than everyone else, and the FBI and DOJ’s decisions not to indict her sets a dangerous precedent moving forward. •