XPost: alt.drugs.methadone, alt.law-enforcement, alt.politics.org.fbi   
   XPost: az.politics   
   From: investigate.pelosi@cnn.com   
      
   Clinton Scandals: Donald Trump now says he won't pursue Hillary   
   Clinton on criminal charges for her email and Clinton Foundation   
   scandals — despite pledging during the campaign to name a   
   special prosecutor to investigate her possible crimes and, if   
   she were found guilty, to "lock up" the Democratic nominee.   
      
   It's a smart move by the president-elect. In a sharply divided   
   America, a personal vendetta is no way to start a presidency.   
      
   During the second presidential debate in October, Trump was   
   blunt about what he intended to do: "If I win, I am going to   
   instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look   
   into your situation because there has never been so many lies,   
   so much deception."   
      
   Now, he's having second thoughts. Just a week ago, he hinted on   
   "60 Minutes" that he wouldn't pursue an investigation: "I don't   
   want to hurt them. They're good people," he said of the Clintons.   
      
   He virtually repeated that Tuesday to the New York Times,   
   saying, "I don't want to hurt the Clintons, I really don't. She   
   went through a lot and suffered greatly in many different ways."   
      
   He also said a possible prosecution would be "very, very   
   divisive for the country."   
      
   Very statesmanlike and generous, though the media won't treat it   
   that way. Besides Trump, as Hillary Clinton's opponent in the   
   last election, would be unwise to spearhead an investigation of   
   her. It's inappropriate for an elected official to pursue   
   charges against a vanquished political foe who is now a private   
   citizen, especially for what could be construed as political   
   reasons.   
      
   Doing so would set a nasty precedent of victors in presidential   
   elections charging their political foes with crimes — which is   
   Banana Republic kind of stuff, not worthy of a great republic   
   such as our own, which has prided itself on over 200 years of   
   mostly smooth presidential transitions.   
      
   But that said, that doesn't mean we think Hillary and Bill   
   Clinton should go scot-free if crimes are found to have been   
   committed. We have written extensively about the possible   
   criminality in both Hillary's email server scandal and the   
   Clinton Foundation's own scandal. There is ample evidence of   
   criminal wrongdoing in both.   
      
   Yet, while we agree Trump shouldn't himself do it, there are   
   already investigations ongoing — and they definitely should not   
   be halted.   
      
   The FBI and several U.S. Attorneys are looking into the   
   possibility that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and   
   the Clinton Foundation engaged in a kind of pay-for-play   
   arrangement, in which those who gave money to the foundation got   
   access and favors from Hillary's State Department. If true,   
   that's called graft, and it's a felony.   
      
   So, yes, it would be unseemly and frankly foolish for Trump to   
   enter office and immediately focus on a criminal investigation   
   when there's far more important stuff on his agenda, ranging   
   from tax and regulatory reform to the repeal of ObamaCare and   
   closing our porous borders. He'll have his hands full.   
      
   As we noted, there's already an ongoing investigation into the   
   Clintons. It began under President Obama, not Trump, and it   
   should not be shut down. Just because you run for president   
   doesn't give you a get-out-of -jail free card. Meanwhile,   
   Congress has also pledged to look into the allegations against   
   the Clintons, which at minimum warrant a far deeper   
   investigation, even if no criminal charges are forthcoming.   
   Those who sell access to the federal government, no matter who   
   they are, do not deserve clemency.   
      
   As of now, however, neither Bill nor Hillary Clinton has been   
   charged with a crime. They deserve, as all citizens do, the   
   presumption of innocence. Still, the investigations already   
   underway should be allowed to take their course — and when   
   they're completed, let the chips fall where they may.   
      
   http://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/clinton-scandals-   
   let-the-investigations-continue/   
                                        
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)