During a Tuesday press conference, FBI Director James Comey recommended that Hillary Clinton not be charged for mishandling classified information while serving as secretary of state. Comey argued that based on “the strength of the evidence, especially regarding intent… and how similar situations have been handled in the past,” “no reasonable prosecutor” would even consider bringing a case like Clinton’s to court. Only, that isn’t exactly accurate. Less than one year ago, Assistant US attorneys Jean M. Hobler and Lee S. Bickley successfully prosecuted Naval Reservist Brian Nishimura in a strikingly similar case. Like Clinton, Nishimura admitted to destroying “a large quantity of classified materials.” Like Clinton, the FBI investigation into his actions “did not reveal evidence that Nishimura intended to distribute classified information to unauthorized personnel.” Unlike Clinton, he was sentenced to two years of probation, a $7,500 fine, and forfeiture of personal media containing classified materials. He was also “ordered to surrender any currently held security clearance and to never again seek such a clearance.”
Flashback: DOJ Prosecutes A Naval Reservist For Mishandling Classified Info WITHOUT MALICIOUS INTENT
