State Department Hid Dysfunction, Corruption of Hillary Years

 

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Corruption: State Department investigators were apparently pressured to cut parts of a report that would hurt Hillary Clinton's presidential hopes. ServerGate may be followed by InspectorGate.

From 2009 to 2013, she traveled to more nations than any top U.S. diplomat in history. But U.S. foreign policy today is in a shambles, from a destabilized Middle East on the threshold of a nuclear arms race to a backfired Russian "reset" with ex-KGB officer Vladimir Putin becoming more aggressive to America than any time since the Cold War.

Now that incompetence is compounded by more scandal. Richard Higbie, a senior criminal investigator at State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, gave the Washington Examiner early drafts of a 2013 investigation into the department's policies and effectiveness.

Among the passages purged from the final version was one noting that "Inspectors learned in conversations with Department employees . .. that in some cases superiors in (diplomatic security) and in senior levels of the State Department have prejudiced the commencement, course and outcome of (special investigations)."

Another found that "rising stars" at State were protected "from criminal charges or from embarrassing revelations that could harm a promising career," including "allegations that a Regional Security Officer engaged in serious criminal conduct including sexual abuse of local embassy staff during a series of embassy postings."

Additionally, "some agents on the Secretary's Detail" were shielded "from investigations into misbehavior while on official trips."

But that may not be the worst of it. The draft notes: "Sources reported that a senior '7th Floor' Department official ordered (diplomatic security) to stop the investigation of an ambassador accused of pedophilia," the Examiner reported.

Clinton, her deputy secretary and undersecretaries are all on Foggy Bottom's 7th floor.

And in what may be its oddest passage, the draft reports that investigators "pointedly carry their own firearms constantly" within the State Department building, fearing "a nasty elevator confrontation" with those under investigation. The inspector general even recommended moving the special investigations division to avoid "the threat of violent confrontations."

Calling such activities dysfunctional is an understatement. The IG slot was officially empty from January, 2008 to June, 2013, filled during Hillary's time by interim IG Higbie, whose integrity and independence are now in question.

And these are not new charges. Former State IG investigator Aurelia Fedenisn in February 2013 told CBS the IG report had been heavily redacted. A few weeks later the Dallas law firm representing her was broken into and computers containing info on her case stolen.

Also, not only did Clinton hide and destroy numerous work-related emails, but during her stint at State it "lost" $6 billion, posing a "significant financial risk" and demonstrating "a lack of internal control," the IG said.

If corruption, intimidation and financial mismanagement — or worse — characterized Hillary's years as secretary of state, what would a Hillary presidency be like?