XPost: rec.arts.tv.news.oreilly-factor, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, a   
   t.vietnam.veterans   
   XPost: soc.culture.soviet   
   From: multiple.felonies@hillaryclinton.com   
      
   As a former Justice Department official, I have, of late, been   
   asked by both Democratic and Republican friends whether Hillary   
   Clinton could be indicted for her email related actions. The   
   simple answer is yes — she, and perhaps some of her senior   
   staff, could be indicted for violating a number of federal   
   criminal statutes. But for reasons that will be discussed later,   
   it is unlikely that she will be.   
      
   Nevertheless, it is well worth discussing the various criminal   
   provisions of federal law that she and others may have been   
   violated based on mainstream news reports. Remember that news   
   reporting can be incorrect or incomplete — and that Hillary   
   Clinton, and anyone else involved, deserves every presumption of   
   innocence. Also keep in mind that an indictment is not a   
   conviction but rather the informed opinion of a grand jury that   
   probable cause exists to believe one or more violations of   
   federal criminal statutes have transpired.   
      
   This intellectual and legal research exercise should commence   
   with a brief review of the basics of criminal jurisprudence:   
   There are two elements of a criminal offense: the prohibited   
   conduct as defined in statute; and the mens rea or mental intent   
   of the individual or individuals engaging in the prohibited   
   conduct. Thus, to gain a conviction on a criminal count in an   
   indictment, a prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt   
   that: (1) the prohibited conduct occurred, (2) the prohibited   
   conduct was undertaken by the defendant, and (3) the defendant   
   had the requisite mens rea or intent at the time.   
      
   1.) 18 U.S. Code § 793 – Gathering, transmitting or losing   
   defense information   
   18 U.S. Code § 798 – Disclosure of classified information   
      
   A federal prosecutor would naturally focus first on the most   
   serious allegations: willfully transmitting or willfully   
   retaining Top Secret and Compartmented (TS/SCI) material using a   
   private server system. The individual who transmits and the   
   individual who receives and retains TS/SCI information on a   
   private server jointly share the culpability for risking the   
   compromise and exploitation of the information by hostile   
   intelligence services. The prosecutor’s charging document would   
   likely include felony counts under 18 U.S. Code § 793 and under   
   18 U.S. Code § 798 against each transmitting individual as well   
   as separate counts against each receiving and retaining   
   individual. Violation of either provision of the U.S. Code cited   
   above is a felony with a maximum prison term of ten years.   
      
   The prohibited conduct is the insecure transmission of highly   
   classified information, as well as the receipt and retention of   
   highly classified information in an unapproved manner. The   
   requisite mens rea is the willful commission of the prohibited   
   conduct and the knowledge that compromised information could   
   result in prejudice or injury to the United States or advantage   
   to any foreign nation. Proof of intent to disclose the   
   classified information is not required.   
      
   2.) U.S. Code § 1924 – Unauthorized removal and retention of   
   classified documents or material   
      
   If the federal prosecutors are of a charitable disposition and   
   an accused person has been cooperative, the felony charges under   
   18 U.S. Code § 793 and 18 U.S. Code § 798 may be “pled-down” to   
   a single or to multiple misdemeanor counts under 18 U.S. Code §   
   1924. A misdemeanor conviction would probably result in a period   
   of probation and a less significant fine. The prohibited conduct   
   is the unauthorized removal of classified information from   
   government control or its retention in an unauthorized location.   
   The mens rea required is the intent to remove from government   
   control or the intent to store the classified information in an   
   unauthorized location.   
      
      
   3.) 18 U.S. Code § 2071(b) — Concealment, removal, or mutilation   
   generally   
      
   To sustain a charge under 18 U.S. Code § 2071(b), a federal   
   prosecutor need only prove that the accused transferred and held   
   the only copies of official government records (whether   
   classified or not), the very existence of which was concealed   
   from government records custodians. The mens rea required is   
   that an accused knows that official government records were   
   transferred or removed from the control of government records   
   custodians. Violation of 18 U.S. Code § 2071(b) is a felony with   
   a maximum prison term of three years.   
      
   4.) 18 U.S. Code § 641 – Public money, property or records   
      
   Again, if the federal prosecutors are of a charitable   
   disposition and accused has been cooperative, the felony charges   
   under 18 U.S. Code § 2071(b) can be “pled down” to a misdemeanor   
   under 18 U.S. Code § 641. The prohibited conduct is the   
   conversion of official records (whether classified or not) to   
   the accused’s exclusive use and the mens rea is simply the   
   intent to do so. Conviction on the lesser misdemeanor charge   
   would likely result in a period of probation and the imposition   
   of a fine.   
      
   5.) 18 U.S. Code § 1505 – Obstruction of proceedings before   
   departments, agencies, and committees   
      
   If it can be proven that an accused destroyed, withheld, or   
   concealed the existence of official records being sought under   
   subpoena by a committee of Congress, the accused can be   
   convicted of obstruction under 18 U.S. Code § 1505. The   
   prohibited conduct includes destruction, concealment and   
   withholding of documents, thereby impeding or obstructing the   
   committee’s rightful pursuit of information. The mens rea is   
   knowledge of the committee’s interest in obtaining the official   
   records in the accused’s custody or control. Violation of 18   
   U.S. Code § 1505 is a felony with a maximum prison term of five   
   years.   
      
   6.) 18 U.S. Code § 1519 — Destruction, alteration, or   
   falsification of records in federal investigations   
      
   If it can be proven that an accused knowingly concealed the   
   existence of official records being sought by the Department of   
   State Inspector General (DOS/IG) or by the Federal Bureau of   
   Investigation (FBI), such accused can be convicted of   
   obstruction. The prohibited conduct is the concealment and   
   withholding of documents that impede or obstruct an   
   investigation. The mens rea is the intent to conceal or   
   withhold. Violation of 18 U.S. Code § 1519 is a felony with a   
   maximum prison term of twenty years.   
      
   7.) 18 U.S. Code § 1031 — Fraud against the United States   
   18 U.S. Code § 1343 – Fraud by wire, radio or television   
   18 U.S. Code § 1346 — Definition of “scheme or artifice to   
   defraud”   
   18 U.S. Code § 371 – Conspiracy to defraud the United States   
      
   If it can be proven that an accused arranged for the Department   
   of State to hire an Information Technology (IT) specialist to   
   primarily administer and maintain a private server system owned   
   by the accused, then the accused can be convicted of conspiracy   
   to commit honest services fraud and probably wire fraud. The   
   prohibited conduct is having the United States pay an employee   
   salary and/or official travel funds for performing private   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)