Monday Clinton.com Round Up

Second State employee refuses GOP questions on Clinton server

A State Department staffer who oversaw security and technology issues for Hillary Clinton is refusing to answer Senate investigators’ questions about the former secretary of state’s use of a private email server — marking the second time an ex-State employee has declined to talk to lawmakers.

John Bentel, a now-retired State employee who managed IT security issues for the top echelon at the department, declined to be interviewed by GOP staff on the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO.

The chairmen of both committees, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), are now threatening to consider other ways to compel him to discuss the matter.

“We are troubled by your refusal to engage with the committees even after repeated overtures of accommodation,” the letter to Bentel and his lawyer reads. “We need to speak with you. … We would, of course, prefer that you meet with us in a voluntary and informal manner, but we will consider other options if faced with a continuing lack of cooperation.”
. . .
According to his LinkedIn profile, Bentel joined State in 1974. He served as director of information resources management in the office of the executive secretariat, which includes the secretary and top staff as well as the deputy secretary and undersecretaries. The office also handles State’s relations with the White House, National Security Council and other agencies.

His position, according to the letter, would have made him responsible for Clinton’s information management and information technology needs, including perhaps her BlackBerry use.

Why it's almost like there's an administration wide conspiracy to keep the facts from getting out.

Smitty at The Other McCain has found some pages of George Soros' diary floating about:

13 Mary 2016

There are few joys in life like a long-term plan coming together.

Especially when the plan involves having your enemies cheerfully support, even DEMAND!, a plan that is destroying them.

The Bushes thwarted me in 2004, but the joy of setting my tool in the White House in 2008 was worth it. Sure, Hillary hated to be told to wait, but, hey, I told her: hatred ages like wine, if the plotting and timing right. My skill and patience since the demise of the Reich have paid off in ways that Hitler never could have dreamed.

But the shrew is greedy, which may yet prove her undoing. Of course I knew she had the email server, and told her it was a risk. Fortunately our people at State are keeping that particular email fully redacted. It’s also been cute to see the arrogant hussy try to run a few games on the side, to hustle some cash from the Davos crowd, as though they don’t fear me far more than her. . .

Speaking of those side games, Hillary Pays Herself $250,000 From Campaign Coffers. She's the only presidential candidate doing it.

A Federal Elections Commission rule change in 2002 allowed for candidates to pay themselves using campaign funds, however, this was allowed explicitly for candidates without means who quit their jobs to seek office.

“The salary must not exceed the lesser of the minimum annual salary for the federal office sought or what the candidate received as earned income in the previous year,” according to the FEC.

Also from Smitty: Bill the Conqueror Fought at Hastings in 1066 to Equalize Wages for Oppressed Women #HistoryByHillary. Speaking of history, somebody snooping around in her past found a Golden oldie Clinton video: “There is no way to legislate against outsourcing”

Here’s the money quote:

“It is an inevitability. There is no way to legislate against reality, so I think the outsourcing will continue.”

That’s a rather convenient position to take, since her husband really kicked off the job outsourcing glut to begin with. But the duplicitous nature of Clinton’s approach was on display when she addressed a group of labor leaders in Detroit at the same time. Here’s how it was described in the Toledo Blade after the fact:

Speaking from the heart of automotive manufacturing, Hillary Clinton on Friday called for a federal minimum wage boost and tax penalties against companies that outsource jobs.
“I do want to send a clear message to every boardroom and executive suite — if you cheat your employees, you exploit your customers, you pollute our environment or rip off the taxpayers, we will hold you accountable,” she said, in a speech to about 200 supporters. “If you desert America, you’ll pay a price.”

Hillary promises to put coal miners out of work: Hillary Boasts to Liberal Audience: “We’re Going to Put a Lot of Coal Miners and Coal Companies Out of Work”, and then put them back to work in government subsidized jobs in "sustainable energy" which have never really worked yet. JVW at Patterico's is having a contest to find the best (of many reasons) Why Hillary! Is Even Worse Than Her Husband and starts it off with:

Hillary! is worse than her husband because she shares his penchant for lying, paranoia, self-aggrandizement, attraction to the sleaziest of political operators, and unshakable belief that no matter what corners are cut and what legal lines are crossed it is all done in the name of making sure that someone so important and indispensable rises to the top, but she combines all that with the ugly and vile identity politics of Baby Boomer feminist victimhood entitlement.

I think he cheated by combining more than one.

The new, new, new, newest Hillary! Hillary Clinton takes new tack to boost her image. Recommendations from Dick Cheney and the KKK? Sure, that'll help. From Althouse: Hillary said she's "receiving messages" from foreign leaders asking "if they can endorse me to stop Donald Trump", but she doesn't list them. I'm guessing the President of Mexico and North Korea.

In the Media watch department, Althouse also notices CNN Town hall debate "moderators"  Jake Tapper and Roland Martin giving Hillary kisses. Just politeness? Would they have kissed Sarah Palin? Watch this CNN anchor have a panic attack when Ohio GOP chairman Matt Borges points out it was Hillary's minions (it's good to have minions) first raised the "birther" argument against Obama.

Mixing Obamacare Schadenfreude, and Clinton.com antics, Hillary stepped in it a bit, when she asked where Bernie was in '93 and '94 when she was stumping for Hillarycare, and it turned out photos showed him literally standing right behind her. Hillary also told this woman concerned about the high costs of Obamacare to keep shopping.

The American Spectator reviews OBAMA’S LIBYA SH*T SHOW. You might recall that Hillary! had some small role in that.

Dueling predictions: From the Chicago Tribune,  Hillary can't win. She's the establishment candidate in year of insurgency. But Ace:

We are going to get our asses kicked unholy by Hillary Clinton in November. Those of you who think that this act is going to be super-popular and attract all of these "new voters"... I know you want to think that, but at some point, your theories really ought to begin evidencing their reality in the polls.

Instead, Hillary's lead continues to grow. It will keep on growing.

Because America does not like authoritarians. And yes, Hillary is herself an authoritarian. But she's pretending to not be one, and Trump is... well, Trump is "authentic" on that score I guess.

Fear the worst, and work towards the best.

And from the Hillary Health Watch: Clinton has another coughing fit during speech. One ENT thinks it's acid reflux. I think it's reflex to cover lying.

Some speculation from TaxProf blog in the daily IRS scandal watch:  Would A President Hillary Use IRS To Punish Political Foes?

The Clintons are spiteful people. They have a history of crushing those who get in their way: ...

The infrastructure for IRS persecution is already in place for Clinton, as the tax agency’s targeting of conservative groups continues to this day, more than two years after the practice was exposed. ...

“If the Clintons get back into the White House, it will be retribution time, like the Corleone family consolidating power in ‘The Godfather,'” said Newsweek. “Just think of all the scores to settle, the grievances to indulge.”

Given Clinton’s record, there can be no doubt that she will use the IRS and any other federal agency to intimidate, harass and ruin her political opponents if she is elected president.

Indeed, the Clintons already know how to use the IRS for retribution. This was confirmed by former IRS official Paul Breslan.

And since the Clintons know that there will be no consequences for their actions, given that no one is going to be held accountable in the IRS scandal, there will be no holding back. The IRS will have to hire new agents just to keep up with the Clintons’ dirty work.

Count on it.