FBI decision about Hillary Clinton email scandal is a crime

Posted on by alexb2448
This vintage typwriter is our featured image.

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, when I was gainfully employed as a reporter at a weekly newspaper in the New York City suburbs, some rumors surfaced about Bill and Hillary Clinton.

The newsroom scuttlebutt was that the former president and his wife were thinking about buying a house somewhere in Westchester County so Hillary could pursue her own political ambitions. And because the publisher’s husband was an ex-big wig in state politics, I had to drop everything else I was doing and chase the Clinton “story.”

Alexandra Bogdanovic
Founder/owner of In Brief Legal Writing Services, Alexandra Bogdanovic. Photo by N. Bogdanovic

Things went from bad to worse when the Rye Brook police got involved. From what I understand, there was some kind of hoax involving Bill and Hillary’s house hunt. And because I just happened to cover the Rye Brook police, I had to write about that, too.

Eventually, Bill and Hillary Clinton bought a house in Chappaqua. That’s when the rumors (about the house hunt) finally stopped and the jokes started. “Oh yes,” people said with a wink. “Isn’t that interesting… Chappaqua… Chappaquiddick!”

I am sure some of you are too young to understand the joke. And I am sure there are some of you who have learned revisionist history at one of our country’s wonderful academic institutions that don’t get it, either. Well, I will try to make it a little easier for you. The people who made the joke were drawing parallels between the Clintons and another powerful political family — the Kennedys.

You can read more about the incident that has convinced critics and conspiracy theorists the late Senator Ted Kennedy got away with murder here.

Yes, rumors, innuendo and scandal have dogged members of the Kennedy clan over the years. The authorities have even had the audacity to charge two of its members who were accused of criminal wrongdoing in the past. First there was William Kennedy Smith who was charged with rape but acquitted in the early 1990s. More recently, there was Michael Skakel, another Kennedy cousin. He was actually convicted of murdering Martha Moxley in Greenwich, Connecticut back in the 1970s and spent some time in prison. But a judge has since ruled that he didn’t get a fair trial and he has been free on bail ever since.

Hmmm…. Are you beginning to see a pattern here? If you’re from a rich and powerful political family in the United States of America, you can get away with — well — just about anything.

Which brings me back to the Clintons. The rumors and allegations about Bill Clinton’s sexual “indiscretions” are legendary. And then there was the little matter of the “inappropriate relationship” he once had with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Don’t even get me started about the Clinton Foundation. You can read everything you need to know about that online, but I won’t make you do all of the heavy lifting. You can click here for an article about some of the allegations leveled against that “fine” organization.

And then there’s Hillary. Oh, Hillary. Where do I begin? Should I start with Benghazi and the U.S. ambassador killed on her watch? Or should I begin with her conduct and  testimony before the Select Committee on Benghazi? Perhaps I should just forget about all of that and rehash the whole email server debacle?

Never mind. For brevity’s sake I won’t go there. After all, her constituents think it’s all  just a political witch hunt, anyway. And apparently FBI lackey… er… Director James B. Comey doesn’t think her conduct with regards to her email server warrants much attention.

In a statement issued yesterday, Comey said in pertinent part:

“Although we did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of classified information, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.”

He also said:

“I know there were many opinions expressed by people who were not part of the investigation—including people in government—but none of that mattered to us. Opinions are irrelevant, and they were all uninformed by insight into our investigation, because we did the investigation the right way. Only facts matter, and the FBI found them here in an entirely apolitical and professional way.”

Well, with all due respect, Mr. Comey, here’s what I think. I think you are full of fecal excrement. I think one day, when your ambition is no longer a factor and your career is no longer at stake, you may actually find the intestinal fortitude necessary in order to share the truth about this whole situation.

And perhaps someday, someone with more courage and integrity than you could ever dream of having will hold Hillary Clinton accountable for her actions. But somehow I doubt it…

NYPD rookies face the most thankless job in America

Posted on by alexb2448
This vintage typwriter is our featured image.

One thought crossed my mind as I read a New York Daily News story about the latest crop of rookies to join the New York Police Department. Why the hell would anyone in his or her right mind want to do that?

Don’t get me wrong. The New York Police Department is the single greatest urban law enforcement agency anywhere on the face of the planet. Most of New York’s Finest are honest, decent, hard-working men and women who risk their lives to keep Gotham safe.

Black and white photograph of New York Police Department barriers taken by Alexandra Bogdanovic
NYPD barriers. Photo by Alexandra Bogdanovic

But that’s not to say the NYPD is a perfect agency. Far from it. There are thousands of cops on the job. So of course there are some bad apples in the bunch. Sadly, the NYPD — like all large urban police departments in the United States and elsewhere — has its share of bullies, racists and thugs. At the moment, it seems that the NYPD also has its share — or perhaps more than its share — of corruption.

To make matters worse, Police Commissioner William J. “Bill” Bratton is so busy kissing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s butt, he doesn’t seem to care. For Bratton to tell more than 1,200 new cops who just graduated from the academy not to ensconce themselves in a “blue cocoon that isolates you from the community” is laughable.

What are they supposed to do, Bill? It’s not as if they’ll get any meaningful support from you or the mayor. All they’ll get from either one of you is a whole bunch of lip service.

Speaking of which, for de Blasio to be  at Madison Square Garden for the graduation, much less say anything to the rookies is beyond laughable. It is disgusting. After all, this is a man who has never hidden his contempt for law enforcement. In 2014, he didn’t exactly encourage New Yorkers to attack cops during anti-police protests — but he didn’t exactly discourage it, either.

Yes, it’s all well and good for de Blasio to tell the rookies about the supportive community that will embrace them. I am sure there are a few law-abiding New Yorkers who do respect and support the NYPD. But in reality,  anti-police rhetoric promoted by de Blasio, President Obama and some so-called “civil rights” groups has stoked hostility across the country.

All of this leads me back to my original question. Why would anyone in their right mind want to join the NYPD?

They’re not doing it for the money, that much is for sure. A rookie cop with the NYPD makes almost $46,000, which does not include overtime. After five-and-a-half years on the force, he or she makes almost $92,000 (not including overtime).

Now that may sound like a lot — and it is a decent amount of money for one person. It’s a great salary for one person who doesn’t have to live in or around New York City, where the cost of living is astronomical.

Having said that, de Blasio is right about one thing. He told the rookies they didn’t make “the easy choice,” but that they made the “noble choice.”

I just hope they don’t regret it.

The restoration of American greatness has nothing to do with Donald Trump

Posted on by alexb2448
This vintage typwriter is our featured image.

My Fellow Americans —

As I write this, most of you are no doubt counting the hours until the long holiday weekend. I am sure you are preoccupied with travel plans and dreading the drive to the beach or the lake or the mountains. I am sure you are looking forward to hanging out with family and friends. I have no doubt you are also looking forward to pool parties, parades, barbecues, and fireworks.

Old Glory. American Flag. Photo taken at Memorial Day Ceremony by Alexandra Bogdanovic
American Flag. As seen at Memorial Day ceremony in Warrenton, Virginia. May 2011. Photo by Alexandra Boganovic

As I write this, I am pondering the wisdom of writing a “political” blog on my business site, especially given the political climate in the United States these days. To do so would be professional suicide.

So it’s a good thing this has absolutely nothing to do with politics. It has to do with us.

You see the true measure of American greatness has nothing to do with Donald Trump — or Hillary Clinton, for that matter. It has nothing to do with Bernie Sanders or anyone else who wants to be president. It has nothing to do with who is in the White House or who is in Congress or who is in charge of each state.

It has nothing to do with Republicans or Democrats, or liberals or conservatives. It doesn’t matter if our leaders are progressives or populists.  It has nothing to do any political label or political philosophy.

The true measure of American greatness lies in its people. It lies in each and every one of us. Whether we like it or not. Whether we care to admit it or not.

We The People Of The United States…

The undeniable link between American greatness and its people can be traced through history. In fact, it can be traced to a time before the United States as we know it even existed.

It can be traced back to the time when a bunch of colonists, fed up with British tyranny and oppression, decided to do something about it. They decided to fight back.

In the Declaration of Independence, dated July 4, 1776, they said:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed (emphasis added), — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People (emphasis added) to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

Red, White and Blue Umbrella. Pictured on Memorial Day, 2011. Photo by Alexandra Bogdanovic
Patriotic Colors. Memorial Day Ceremony in Warrenton, Va., May 2011. Photo by Alexandra Bogdanovic

A similar sentiment is conveyed in the Preamble to our Constitution, which reads:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Note how these documents are written. They do not begin with “We, the leaders of the United States of America.” Nor do they say anything about “we, the politicians of the United States of America.”

Gee, I wonder why?

Together, We Can Make America Great Again

Wreath. Shot at Memorial Day Service in Warrenton, Virginia in 2011. Photo by Alexandra Bogdanovic
Memorial Day Wreath. Warrenton, Va., 2011. Photo by Alexandra Bogdanovic

But seriously, putting all sarcasm and snarfiness aside, what does this really mean?

In the simplest terms, it means that as Americans we are in charge of our own destiny. It also means that our future will be shaped not by the decisions our leaders make, but the key decisions we all make every day. They are:

  • How to react to hateful political rhetoric
  • Whether to embrace politicians that engage in hateful rhetoric
  • How to handle our political differences
  • Whether to let those differences tear us apart
  • How to regard compromise (as a sign of strength or weakness)
  • How to react to the things we don’t understand
  • How to react to the things that scare us
  • How to handle disagreements
  • How to express ourselves
  • Whether to exercise our right to vote
  • Whether to do our due diligence so we are fully informed when we cast our ballots
  • Whether to let the mainstream media, educators and pop culture dictate what we think
  • Whether to let others dictate how we behave

When all is said and done, what we choose to do determines not only how others view us, but how we see ourselves. After all, it is easy to blame our leaders for everything that is wrong with our country. It is much harder to look in the mirror.