FBI: Yes, Our Probe Into Hillary's Email Scheme is a Criminal Investigation

With the media understandably focused on the hottest story in politics this week, Hillary Clinton's email troubles have continued to spiral. Lie after provable lie has been exposed over recent weeks, with Team Clinton deflecting, distorting and lashing out with each development. Their latest hobby horse has been flogging the New York Times for 'erroneously' reporting that the Inspectors General-referred federal investigation into Mrs. Clinton's unsecure email scheme is criminal in nature. The Times botched the story, the Clinton camp says, because (a) the probe isn't "criminal," and (b) it's not technically investigating her -- but rather her email arrangement.  The latter point is a distinction without a meaningful difference.  She ordered the secret server to be set up.  She ordered it to be culled.  Her inner circle destroyed evidence without supervision.  And she's personally made demonstrably false claims about the entire imbroglio at every step.  Earlier this week, the New York Post tossed cold water on the former point as well:

The FBI investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s unsecured email account is not just a fact-finding venture — it’s a criminal probe, sources told The Post on Wednesday. The feds are investigating to what extent Clinton relied on her home server and other private devices to send and store classified documents, according to a federal source with knowledge of the inquiry. “It’s definitely a criminal probe,” said the source. “I’m not sure why they’re not calling it a criminal probe. “The DOJ [Department of Justice] and FBI can conduct civil investigations in very limited circumstances,” but that’s not what this is, the source stressed. “In this case, a security violation would lead to criminal charges. Maybe DOJ is trying to protect her campaign.” Clinton’s camp has downplayed the inquiry as civil and fact-finding in nature. Clinton herself has said she is “confident” that she never knowingly sent or received anything that was classified.

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