While the nation focuses on the 2016 elections, the frustration over FBI Director Jim Comey’s handling of the Hillary Clinton server investigation still rages, now with calls for a different person to spearhead the probe.
“Do you know what it’s time for? A special counsel,” said former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Victoria Toensing, who is also a former federal prosecutor.
Toensing notes that such a move must come from the attorney general. And while Loretta Lynch has reportedly hindered the FBI’s investigation into Clinton, Toensing says public pressure can accomplish big things.
“There should be such an outcry that she has no choice,” said Toensing, who believes the push for a special prosecutor could be bipartisan.
“Republicans and Democrats alike should welcome a special counsel,” she said.
“It’s, in concept, an independent prosecutor or an independent investigator. It should be somebody like a retired federal judge, who doesn’t have any political affiliations, hasn’t come on TV and said, ‘I’m for Trump or I’m for Hillary. Somebody who could be entirely neutral. That person would then conduct the investigation. I think that’s the only way we can have faith in what’s going on in this matter,” said Toensing.
She says impartiality was standard operation procedure during her time at the Justice Department.
“The whole time I was in the Justice Department, there was never anybody protected or gone after because of their political affiliation,” said Toensing.
Toensing points to a high-profile case involving her husband, former U.S. Attorney Joseph diGenova, during the Reagan years.
“When my husband, Joseph diGenova, was the U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia, he indicted Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Thayer. He indicted a number two person in a Republican government. This is unheard of,” said Toensing.
On Sunday, Comey sent word to lawmakers that review of emails found on a newly discovered device, believed to be from a probe into the actions of former Rep. Anthony Weiner, did not change his recommendation that Clinton should face no charges for her handling of classified information. Reports suggest there were 650,000 emails to review.
“He’s just a miracle worker, isn’t he? Six hundred fifty thousand emails in just a few days when the State Department says it can’t go through a thousand a month. You have to wonder or scratch your head. The FBI must really be good,” mused Toensing.
While also referring to Comey as a “clown,” she believes Comey is simply in over his head.
“I don’t think he knows what he’s doing. It doesn’t make any kind of sense. He must have gotten political pressure. And, of course, it gives us no confidence in anything else he’s going to decide,” said Toensing.
Toensing points out Comey’s reputation has “ping-ponged” multiple times this year depending on people’s views on Clinton innocence or guilt. She says Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s secret meeting with Bill Clinton on the airport tarmac in Arizona back in the summer, shows she cannot be trusted either.
“So we have an FBI director that we don’t have any confidence in. We have an attorney general, who met with the husband of the person that she was investigating,” said Toensing.
Toensing also points out that another FBI investigation into the Clintons seems to be proceeding at full speed concerning pay-to-play allegations at the Clinton Foundation.
