Guest post by Christopher Collins
Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton email scandal and having the FBI investigating her while she campaigns is not the only federal agency she has issues with.
While the FBI investigates as many as 30 separate email accounts were included in messages on Hillary Clinton’s private server that have been classified highly secretive, one other federal agency has a huge problem with her and that is, the National Security Agency (NSA).
John R. Schindler, a security expert and former National Security Agency analyst and counterintelligence officer, of the Observer reported that when the FBI issues charges against Clinton and the DOJ fails to act, not only will the FBI be angry, but Clinton will continue to remain on the bad side of NSA who appears to have no love for her.
Schindler stated that Hillary has been on the bad side of NSA for several years according to just-released State Department documents obtained by Judicial Watch (JW) under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Judicial Watch, in part reported that in pursuant of information of Clinton’s use of her Blackberry, we just obtained State Department documents revealing that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton repeatedly sought to obtain “Blackberry-like communications,” but was rebuffed by the National Security Agency due to security and cost concerns. The National Security Agency’s Information Assurance Directorate response was “shut up and color.”
Judicial Watch continued and stated that in an email dated February 13, 2009, Senior Coordinator for Security Infrastructure, Bureau of Diplomatic Security Donald R. Reid reveals that the request to obtain secure Blackberry technology for Clinton was denied.
When Clinton aides sought to compel the NSA’s cooperation by asking about the security arrangements for President Obama’s Blackberry, the exchange apparently became heated.
NEWLY RELEASED EMAILS SHOW A 2009 REQUEST TO ISSUE A SECURE GOVERNMENT SMARTPHONE TO THEN-SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON WAS DENIED BY THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY.
A MONTH LATER, SHE BEGAN USING PRIVATE EMAIL ACCOUNTS ACCESSED THROUGH HER BLACKBERRY TO EXCHANGE MESSAGES WITH HER TOP AIDES.
Moreover, the new State records included a March 2, 2009, internal memorandum from Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security Eric Boswell entitled “Use of Blackberries on Mahogany Row,” in which he strongly advised that the devices not be allowed. According to the Boswell memo, sent to then-Secretary of State Clinton and her Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills, “the vulnerabilities and risks associated with the use of Blackberries in Mahogany Row [seventh floor executive offices] considerably outweigh their convenience.” Clinton has admitted she used a Blackberry during her early days in office despite Boswell’s memo with explicit written objections.
Schindler stated in his report in January 2016, one of the most controversial of Ms. Clinton’s emails released by the State Department under judicial order was one sent on June 8, 2011, to the Secretary of State by Sidney Blumenthal, Ms. Clinton’s unsavory friend and confidant who was running a private intelligence service for Ms. Clinton.
This email contains an amazingly detailed assessment of events in Sudan, specifically a coup being plotted by top generals in that war-torn country. Mr. Blumenthal’s information came from a top-ranking source with direct access to Sudan’s top military and intelligence officials, and recounted a high-level meeting that had taken place only 24 hours before.
“To anybody familiar with intelligence reporting, this unmistakably signals intelligence, termed SIGINT in the trade, “Schindler said. “In other words, Mr. Blumenthal, a private citizen who had enjoyed no access to U.S. intelligence for over a decade when he sent that email, somehow got hold of SIGINT about the Sudanese leadership and managed to send it, via open, unclassified email, to his friend Ms. Clinton only one day later.”
“There are many questions here about what Hillary Clinton and her staff were up to. These are the questions being asked by officials at the NSA and the FBI right now. All of them merit serious examination. Their answers may determine the political fate of Hillary Clinton…and who gets elected our next president in November, “said Schindler.
Crossposted from Conservative Firing Line
Editors Note: On Sunday Charlie Gasparino wrote in the NY Post that the FBI seems to be preparing to move against Hillary Clinton over her handling of a private email server.
“FBI chief James Comey and his investigators are increasingly certain presidential nominee Hillary Clinton violated laws in handling classified government information through her private e-mail server,” .
(…) Just how close Comey is to any recommendation — whether to indict or exonerate Clinton — is difficult to know. But agents believe the probe is nearing an end. A State Department staffer who set up Clinton’s email server, for instance, was recently granted immunity from prosecution to provide Comey’s team with evidence.
“You don’t start granting people close to Clinton immunity unless you are seriously looking at charges against your target,” one former official told me.