Absence of Malice?

[barmar]

"Clinton emails are on the Weiner computer"

 

What does this mean? It's not eentirely obvious.. My email messages at kenbecky are somewhere. In the cloud maybe, but not on my computer. Of course I can download material and place it in a file on my computer. is that what is being said? Downloaded from where? It matters, at least some. I have been trying to think this through.

Unless you use a web-based mail reader, the computer automatically downloads all the messages from the server to your PC when you read your mail. It might also leave them on the server (this generally depends on the mail access protocol being used -- with IMAP they're kept on the server, with POP they're often deleted).

[kenberg]

Unless you use a web-based mail reader, the computer automatically downloads all the messages from the server to your PC when you read your mail. It might also leave them on the server (this generally depends on the mail access protocol being used -- with IMAP they're kept on the server, with POP they're often deleted).

 

Thanks. I had thought just about all email was web based these days. Long ago I had something that resided on the computer, but that was long long ago.

 

So maybe it is directly into his email.

 

But that's weird. As mentioned above, someone might send me a message at krb 9bad choice, it might be a week before i read it) or they might send it to kenbecky. But a message to me at Becky's email address? Hard to see why they would do that.

[Al_U_Card]

Apparently there are 100s of thousands of e-mails so it might well include cc's as well as bc's of everything that made the rounds of Abedin's sphere of influence....which was seemingly quite large.

[kenberg]

I may just give up on trying to make sense of this for a while.

I was reading

http://abcnews.go.co...ory?id=43190589

 

Here is part of it

 

It's unclear exactly how the emails now being reviewed by the FBI ended up on a personal device used by Abedin and Weiner. During her interview with FBI agents in April, Abedin said she had used three non-government email accounts: the account associated with Clinton's private server, a Yahoo account, and an account tied to Wiener's political campaign.

 

The emails being reviewed could be from one or more of those accounts.

 

According to a summary of Abedin's interview released by the FBI, she would use the Yahoo account and the private-server account "if her [government] account was down or if she needed to print an email or document."

 

Abedin "routinely forwarded emails from her state.gov account to either her clintonemail.com or her yahoo.com account so that she could print them," the summary said. "ABEDIN [sic] stated that she would typically print the documents without reading them."

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am pretty sure Abedin said earlier that she had no idea how these emails ended up on the other computer. The above remarks might be a clue if she is interested in figuring it out. In Post 45 I said " Presumably Abedin did not forward the messages to Weiner." I was not being sarcastic, I really did presume she would not forward them to Weiner. And she didn't, not exactly. She just forwarded them to the computer she shared with Weiner so she could print them. And then she didn't erase them. Arrggh. Maybe I have it wrong. I must have it wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

As I say, I think I have to stop thinking about this for a while. I wish us all well on this Halloween. There was this cartoon of a child in a Hillary costume holding a Halloween bag and saying "I got a 2 million dollar donation". A little grim humor may be needed about now.

[shyams]

According to a summary of Abedin's interview released by the FBI, she would use the Yahoo account and the private-server account "if her [government] account was down or if she needed to print an email or document."

 

Abedin "routinely forwarded emails from her state.gov account to either her clintonemail.com or her yahoo.com account so that she could print them," the summary said. "ABEDIN [sic] stated that she would typically print the documents without reading them."

Seriously, does anyone who works in sensitive functions really transfer their office emails to public mailboxes like this? I mean, I can understand if something like this occurred in the late 90s or early 00s. How can any organisation not reinforce the risks associated with such transfer of emails?

 

In one of my previous firms (an investment bank) we were all repeatedly told never to download or transfer sensitive files to personal email IDs. We were told of a real-life example of a M&A deal that was compromised because an analyst decided to zip his 'due diligence' files and attach them to a personal server in order to work offline from home. The client found the weblink using a simple google query on the deal codename! And all hell broke loose.

[mycroft]

Clinton and the democrats continue to show their power to destroy Comey. They continue to attack his honor and integrity. .

 

Harry Reid accuses Comey of being a criminal, a lack of honor and integrity and in violation of the Hatch Act.

 

Welcome to clinton being President as she destroys those that cross her.

So. Harry Reid. Oh, and "the chief White House ethics lawyer for George W. Bush" (his words). Damn those Democrats.

[Al_U_Card]

Now, if only Hil had followed Michael Mann's advice to Phil and Eugene Wall to "destroy all e-mails" so as to hide their efforts to subvert the scientific method...

[Winstonm]

It occurred to me that Comey even used his July press conference to smear Clinton. His announcement was no criminal activity found; but he went over the line by adding his opinion that her handling of classified information was "incredibly sloppy, etc". At the time, everyone thought he was going overboard to support Clinton when in looks now like he was using his office as FBI director to make her look untrustworthy to hold high office. More than anything, it seems now this was why Clinton was at first against making an apology - I would bet her first instincts were to fight back against the inflammatory language used by Comey.

 

There was never any need for Comey to say anything about the investigation; his job was to forward his findings to the Justice Department and let the DOJ make any announcement that needed to be made.

 

That he said anything at all is a very bad sign for the FBI as well as for We the People. A politicized FBI is a step for our country in the opposite direction from that which we want to go.

[cherdano]

For once, I can't resist "I told you so!"

It occurred to me that Comey even used his July press conference to smear Clinton. His announcement was no criminal activity found; but he went over the line by adding his opinion that her handling of classified information was "incredibly sloppy, etc". At the time, everyone thought he was going overboard to support Clinton when in looks now like he was using his office as FBI director to make her look untrustworthy to hold high office. More than anything, it seems now this was why Clinton was at first against making an apology - I would bet her first instincts were to fight back against the inflammatory language used by Comey.

 

There was never any need for Comey to say anything about the investigation; his job was to forward his findings to the Justice Department and let the DOJ make any announcement that needed to be made.

 

That he said anything at all is a very bad sign for the FBI as well as for We the People. A politicized FBI is a step for our country in the opposite direction from that which we want to go.

I told you so, here on BBF.

 

It's not just that he said something at all, it is also what he said beyond discussing whether to bring criminal charges. Read the statement again:

https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/statement-by-fbi-director-james-b-comey-on-the-investigation-of-secretary-hillary-clinton2019s-use-of-a-personal-e-mail-system

[kenberg]

When things go wrong, it is usually best to look to oneself. It is one's own actions that a person has the most control over.

 

I will be voting for Clinton. No choice, which is fortunate for her. Comey is a nasty man? Well, I don't think so. But even if it is so, it's a whine. As the news unfolds, I am thinking "Huma Abedin is one of her most trusted advisors? Will she have a big role in a Clinton administration?"

 

"Back through the years I go wandering once again",or so Dolly Parton sings. In 1952 Adlai Stevenson was running against Dwight Eisenhower. I was 13. It was a very good year.

[alok c]

Weird,how mere speculation can generate so much biased conviction.

[cherdano]

As the news unfolds, I am thinking "Huma Abedin is one of her most trusted advisors? Will she have a big role in a Clinton administration?"

What, exactly, did Huma Abedin do wrong?

If you think "marrying someone who subsequently turns out not to be faithful, and indeed turns out to have bad judgement about such matters, including affairs with much younger women" is disqualifying for a high office in the Hillary Clinton administration, then...well I don't think I need to say more.

[kenberg]

What, exactly, did Huma Abedin do wrong?

If you think "marrying someone who subsequently turns out not to be faithful, and indeed turns out to have bad judgement about such matters, including affairs with much younger women" is disqualifying for a high office in the Hillary Clinton administration, then...well I don't think I need to say more.

Well, you definitely have countered a view that I don't hold.

 

Here is an objection to her. She has stated that she does not know how this material ended up on Weiner's computer. I think it would be good if a trusted advisor did know how this material ended up on a shared computer, whomever the computer was shared with. The news is coming out in dribbles, but it appears that it got there because she put it there. It is the logical explanation. If I were given to conspiracy theories, which I believe I am not, I could come up with other ideas. Weiner hacked into her computer and did it. An FBI agent hacked into her computer and did it. No, probably she did it.

 

Watching PBS last night I saw that Amedin was not seen in places where she would have been expected to be seen. No, she wasn't abducted by the Clinton team that rubbed out Vince Foster. But some in the Clinton team might be rethinking her role.

 

As I confessed before, my knowledge of her is scant. What I see so far, I don't much like.

[Winstonm]

For once, I can't resist "I told you so!"

 

I told you so, here on BBF.

 

It's not just that he said something at all, it is also what he said beyond discussing whether to bring criminal charges. Read the statement again:

https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/statement-by-fbi-director-james-b-comey-on-the-investigation-of-secretary-hillary-clinton2019s-use-of-a-personal-e-mail-system

 

Perhaps we have become so polarized that Comey's partisanship seems inconsequential.

[cherdano]

Here is an objection to her. She has stated that she does not know how this material ended up on Weiner's computer. I think it would be good if a trusted advisor did know how this material ended up on a shared computer, whomever the computer was shared with. The news is coming out in dribbles, but it appears that it got there because she put it there. It is the logical explanation. If I were given to conspiracy theories, which I believe I am not, I could come up with other ideas. Weiner hacked into her computer and did it. An FBI agent hacked into her computer and did it. No, probably she did it.

What is "this material"? I suppose you don't know, either? Then why pass judgement?

 

Meanwhile, how confident are you that you never violated IT and FOIA guidelines? Note that as a Professor of Mathematics at University of Maryland, you are bound to follow departmental, University and state guidelines. And note that this concerns not just information that is obviously confidential (grades), such regulations concern anything that might be subject to FOIA, i.e. probably anything work-related. Are you sure you've never checked your department email in a way such that your web browser cached them on the hard disk, leaving them on a computer where they weren't, technically, supposed to be?

 

If you are confident, you'd be the first mathematician I know who could be confident (and either you never accessed your work email from out of your office, or your computer skills exceed mine).

[andrei]

Phew, good thing Ken is not Hillary’s exact sciences adviser.

[Al_U_Card]

Hmmmmn Doctor(those documents) Podesta says to dump those e-mails and Hillary deletes 30,000 e-mails. Quite the prescription....

[cherdano]

Posted without comment:

FBI's Comey opposed naming Russians, citing election timing: Source

[kenberg]

What is "this material"? I suppose you don't know, either? Then why pass judgement?

 

Meanwhile, how confident are you that you never violated IT and FOIA guidelines? Note that as a Professor of Mathematics at University of Maryland, you are bound to follow departmental, University and state guidelines. And note that this concerns not just information that is obviously confidential (grades), such regulations concern anything that might be subject to FOIA, i.e. probably anything work-related. Are you sure you've never checked your department email in a way such that your web browser cached them on the hard disk, leaving them on a computer where they weren't, technically, supposed to be?

 

If you are confident, you'd be the first mathematician I know who could be confident (and either you never accessed your work email from out of your office, or your computer skills exceed mine).

 

I am not sure that this will be exactly responsive, but it seems at leas sort of so.

 

For five or six years, starting in 2008, I was running a summer program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The idea was to bring in students from HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as you and probably everyone knows) and give them some research experience. This was complex in a variety of ways. Of course there was a staff person who helped with the administrative ins and outs. Let's call her Rhyneta, since that was her name. A year or so ago, Rhyneta moved up to a higher level position in the University, and there was a wine and cheese gathering attended by many. I said a few words. For example (quote approximate) : "Sometimes Becky would ask my how I handled such and such a problem. It was easy. I asked Rhyneta what I was supposed to do, and then I did it". There were quite a few people there who had worked with Rhyneta and they knew exactly what I was saying.

 

It doesn't always work that way, but with Rhyneta it did. As I read about this email stuff, it seems to me they needed Rhyneta.

[cherdano]

Clearly you are avoiding my questions. Do you have something to hide, Ken?

 

Seriously, in the case of Clinton, whatever she does is proof that she is guilty. She deleted emails? She has something to hide! She didn't delete email? She was extremely careless with government secrets! The investigation (Whitewater/Benghazi/...) found no wrong-doing? Just goes to show the Clintons are so good at hiding their tracks, we need to investigate further!

[hrothgar]

I am not sure that this will be exactly responsive, but it seems at leas sort of so.

 

For five or six years, starting in 2008, I was running a summer program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The idea was to bring in students from HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as you and probably everyone knows) and give them some research experience. This was complex in a variety of ways. Of course there was a staff person who helped with the administrative ins and outs. Let's call her Rhyneta, since that was her name. A year or so ago, Rhyneta moved up to a higher level position in the University, and there was a wine and cheese gathering attended by many. I said a few words. For example (quote approximate) : "Sometimes Becky would ask my how I handled such and such a problem. It was easy. I asked Rhyneta what I was supposed to do, and then I did it". There were quite a few people there who had worked with Rhyneta and they knew exactly what I was saying.

 

It doesn't always work that way, but with Rhyneta it did. As I read about this email stuff, it seems to me they needed Rhyneta.

 

What makes this amusing is that Huma is Hillary's Rhyneta...

[kenberg]

Clearly you are avoiding my questions. Do you have something to hide, Ken?

 

Seriously, in the case of Clinton, whatever she does is proof that she is guilty. She deleted emails? She has something to hide! She didn't delete email? She was extremely careless with government secrets! The investigation (Whitewater/Benghazi/...) found no wrong-doing? Just goes to show the Clintons are so good at hiding their tracks, we need to investigate further!

 

OK, you have a point. I would not want wikileaks going through my email. The program I was speaking of involved more than noe instructor and I can recall email discussions among us about which students were doing well and which were not, for example. If the FBI went through these things I doubt they would prosecute me, but I would just as soon they didn't browse. Also, a little over a year ago my home computer flashed a message saying that the hard drive was in danger of flak up all my stuff. How to do that? Ah, I can send files using VPN to my university account. I did that, the hard drive did crash, I bought a new computer, I moved the files back from my university account to my new computer. I moved a lot of stuff back and forth i have no idea what is in it all, I would not want anyone going through it. I had no illegal intent in any of this, I doubt I broke any law, but I did not consult a lawyer. I take some pride ni going through life with very little need for lawyers.

 

Along the same lines, I really do not like all of this browsing through people's history. In a every practical way, I think it keeps good people out of politics. Early on in this campaign, so that might be a couple of years ago now, I recall reading that Rubio's wife really did not want him to run. It's not that she was having a wild or illegal life, it's that she just didn't want intrusive scrutiny. This makes sense to me.

 

In my comments about Abedin's computer usage, I was not looking at illegality. If I were to bet, I would bet that there is none. It was more that I was stunned by what seemed like a very makeshift arrangement. When we got my new computer we also got a new printer, and Becky could no longer print stuff directly from her computer. So she would email an attachment to me and I would print it from my computer.This was crazy, and I went to work to fix it so that she could print directly from her computer. No privacy issues were involved, she wasn't printing government documents for her eyes only. But having to send it t me so that I could print it seemed like a really klutzy arrangement, so I fixed it. It was this klutziness of the arrangement Abedin had, moving things to a Yahoo account on a shared computer, that got my attention. That and the fact that she said she had no idea what was in the documents. What she was doing seemed more like what you might hire a student worker to do, although probably you would first set the accounts up so that all of this transferring wasn't necessary.

[cherdano]

Finally, someone has written a thorough take explaining the official cherdano stance on the email "scandal".

 

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/11/4/13500018/clinton-email-scandal-bullshit

[cherdano]

Phew, good thing Ken is not Hillary’s exact sciences adviser.

That's not my point. I think everyone on BBF would agree that Ken's character is beyond criticism, and that this is true whether he at some point violated Maryland FOIA record-keeping regulations or not. (He didn't have Rhyneta around for everything.) The point is that if the "ethical" standards to be a public servant are so high that even Ken would fail them (or if he'd turn the job down because he didn't want people combing through his emails), then we are definitely setting the bar too high and turning away highly qualified people from public service. That's the real shame of the Clinton email scandal.

 

Of course, if the recent behaviour by the FBI causes the public to lose some of its trust in the FBI, then that would be about high time...

[kenberg]

Finally, someone has written a thorough take explaining the official cherdano stance on the email "scandal".

 

http://www.vox.com/p...candal-bullshit

 

I like the headline.