FBI Director James Comey is testifying in front of a House committee right now (watch) about his decision not to recommend charges against Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified information. With calls already by Republicans for an independent counsel and Speaker Ryan exploring ways to deny Clinton the classified briefings afforded to major party nominees for President (Trump would still get his briefings in Ryan’s world), the story is quickly losing its grounding in the legal/national security realm and moving entirely into the political realm.
Today’s hearing will be a chance for Republicans to treat Comey like a piñata, but I expect you’ll also see them testing new themes that will let them keep the flame burning on this so-called scandal through November, if not beyond. New prosecutors, new committee probes, new conspiracies. There’s too much invested already, and too much ginned-up expectancy within the GOP base to see Clinton criminally charged, and frankly too much political value to let this end here.
