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Judge Nap: Kennedy's FBI Offer 'So Clinton Couldn't Be Blamed For Exposing Security Secret'

Fox News senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano reacted on The Kelly File to revelations that a friend of Hillary Clinton's, then an undersecretary of state for John F. Kerry, offered a "quid pro quo" to an FBI agent to change the classification marking on a document accumulated in the Clinton email scandal investigation.
"An FBI agent who was in charge of handling documents...in the Clinton investigation was approached by Patrick Kennedy [not the former Rhode Island Congressman]-- he makes the offer--'can you change the markings on this document?'." Napolitano told Megyn Kelly.
"Markings on documents are changed all the time," Napolitano said, explaining that changes are made so that lower-level bureaucrats can read them if they have reason to.
"They are never... lawfully changed after they've been subpoenaed, and when they've been accumulated in a criminal investigation," he said.
The FBI agent reported the offer to his superiors, Napolitano said, and did not change the classification of the document.
"The offering of the carrot," Napolitano said, describing the quid pro quo, "[was] an attempt to commit bribery."
"The FBI didn't see it that way. They didn't charge him with anything...[but] the evidence is there in the FBI document...he offered [them] something of value if [they] would alter evidence. So, that's an offer to bribe."
Napolitano and Kelly said Kennedy likely wanted the document's classification changed so that it could not be used as part of the email investigation and "[Clinton] could not be blamed for exposing a national security secret."

JournoCash: Media gives $382,000 to Clinton, $14,000 Trump, 27-1 margin

Donald Trump slams media for 'rigged' election

Already accused of "rigging" the election to help Hillary Rodham Clinton beat Donald Trump, America's journalists have reinforced that perception of bias by handing Clinton nearly $400,000 in donations so far, according to an explosive new report.
The watchdog Center for Public Integrity on Monday said that journalists favored Clinton 27-1 over Trump, who got a tiny $14,000.
Some 430 in the media business donated to Clinton compared to 50 to Trump.
Journalists from the ESPN, Vogue, Elle, the New Republic, Facebook, and many others coughed up cash for Clinton in record form. Even the Pulitzer Prize winning media critic for the New Yorker wrote a check for the Democrat.

'Quid pro quo': FBI files show top State official tried to 'influence' bureau on Clinton emails

A senior State Department official proposed a “quid pro quo” to convince the FBI to strip the classification on an email from Hillary Clinton’s server – and repeatedly tried to “influence” the bureau’s decision when his offer was denied, even taking his plea up the chain of command, according to newly released FBI documents.
Fox News first reported Saturday that the FBI interview summaries and notes, known as 302s, contained allegations of a quid pro quo. Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who initially told Fox News of the claim, called it a “flashing red light of potential criminality.”
Documents published Monday morning confirm the account. Notes from an interview with an unnamed FBI official reveal the State Department Undersecretary for Management Patrick Kennedy tried to horse-trade with the FBI, offering additional slots for the bureau overseas if they would de-classify a particular email marked “SECRET.”
According to the documents, an unnamed individual said he was “pressured” to “change the classified email to unclassified.”
“[Redacted] indicated he had been contacted by PATRICK KENNEDY, Undersecretary of State, who had asked his assistance in altering the email’s classification in exchange for a ‘quid pro quo,’” the 302 states. “[Redacted] advised that in exchange for marking the email unclassified, STATE would reciprocate by allowing the FBI to place more Agents in countries where they are presently forbidden.”
At a subsequent meeting at the State Department regarding the classification review of Clinton’s materials where Kennedy presided, someone asked whether any of the emails in question were classified.
“Making eye contact with [redacted] KENNEDY remarked, ‘Well, we’ll see,’” the document says. The official, according to one account, was “attempting to influence the FBI to change its markings.”
Kennedy allegedly asked at that point who else he could speak with and was referred to Michael Steinbach, then a top official with the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. Kennedy “continued to pressure the FBI to change the classified markings on the email to unclassified,” the document says. “STEINBACH refused to do so.”
The document says Kennedy then asked about whether the FBI would be making a public statement and was told they would not. Shortly afterward, the story about the email contents broke in the press and Clinton publicly denied having sent classified emails on her server.
In the wake of the document release, House Oversight Committee Chairman Chaffetz and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., have written letters to Secretary of State John Kerry and Inspector General Steve Linick seeking Kennedy’s removal and a misconduct investigation.
"We find Under Secretary Kennedy's actions extremely disturbing. Those who receive classified intelligence should not barter in it - that is reckless behavior with our nation's secrets,” they said in a statement. “Someone who would try to get classification markings doctored should not continue serving in the State Department or retain access to classified information. Therefore, President Obama and Secretary Kerry should immediately remove Under Secretary Kennedy pending a full investigation."
State Department spokesman Mark Toner on Monday denied the “quid pro quo” allegation.
At a press briefing, he said, “[Kennedy] contacted the FBI to understand what their rationale was for requesting an upgrade of this particular information.”
A spokesperson at the FBI provided a lengthy statement to Fox News on Saturday night ahead of the document release -- disputing Chaffetz's characterization and stating that, while the conversation did happen, the two issues discussed were not connected.
The FBI account is as follows:
“The FBI determined that one such email was classified at the Secret level. A senior State Department official requested the FBI re-review that email to determine whether it was in fact classified or whether it might be protected from release under a different FOIA exemption. A now-retired FBI official, who was not part of the subsequent Clinton investigation, told the State Department official that they would look into the matter. Having been previously unsuccessful in attempts to speak with the senior State official, during the same conversation, the FBI official asked the State Department official if they would address a pending, unaddressed FBI request for space for additional FBI employees assigned abroad. Following the call, the FBI official consulted with a senior FBI executive responsible for determining the classification of the material and determined the email was in fact appropriately classified at the Secret level.”
According to the FBI, “The classification of the email was not changed, and it remains classified today. Although there was never a quid pro quo, these allegations were nonetheless referred to the appropriate officials for review."
The FBI documents fueled GOP allegations about Clinton’s handling of classified material.
“These documents further demonstrate Secretary Clinton’s complete disregard for properly handling classified information. This is exactly why I called on DNI Clapper to deny her access to classified information,” House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement. “Moreover, a senior State Department official’s attempt to pressure the FBI to hide the extent of this mishandling bears all the signs of a cover-up.”
Kennedy appears in other sections of the FBI documents as well. According to another FBI interview, Kennedy wanted some information changed to an obscure code known as B9 to “allow him to archive the document in the basement of DoS [Department of State] never to be seen again.” 
The State Department inspector general also told the FBI Kennedy’s “tone and tenor were definitely not positive when dealing” with their office.

Melania Trump calls husband's comments 'offensive,' says attacks on Bill Clinton 'justified'

Melania Trump, wife of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, spoke out for the first time Monday since a videotape was released of her husband making lewd comments about women in 2005, saying, "we are moving on."
Trump made the comments to Fox News' Ainsley Earhardt in an interview to air in full Tuesday morning on "Fox & Friends."
“Those words, they were offensive to me and they were inappropriate,” Trump told Fox News. “And he apologized to me. And I expect -- I accept his apology. And we are moving on.”
She also said that it's fair for the media and her husband to bring up former President Bill Clinton's infidelities amid his wife's presidential campaign.
“They're asking for it. They started,” Trump said, referring to nude images from the 1990s published by the New York Post earlier this year. “They started from the beginning of the campaign putting my picture from modeling days."
"That was my modeling days and I'm proud what I did. I worked very hard,” she added.

Trump says FBI records on Clinton reveal 'criminal act,' State Dept. official should resign

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Monday night at a campaign rally in Wisconsin that newly released FBI records reveal "a criminal act" he claims is worse than Watergate while calling for a senior State Department official to resign.
"This is one of the great miscarriages of justice in the history of our country," he said.
Newly released FBI documents revealed Monday that a senior State Department official proposed a “quid pro quo” to convince the FBI to strip the classification on an email from Hillary Clinton’s server – and repeatedly tried to “influence” the bureau’s decision when his offer was denied, even taking his plea up the chain of command.
Fox News first reported Saturday that the FBI interview summaries and notes, known as 302s, contained allegations of a quid pro quo. Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who initially told Fox News of the claim, called it a “flashing red light of potential criminality.”
Documents published Monday morning confirm the account. Notes from an interview with an unnamed FBI official reveal the State Department Undersecretary for Management Patrick Kennedy tried to horse-trade with the FBI, offering additional slots for the bureau overseas if they would de-classify a particular email marked “SECRET.”
Trump accused the State Department Monday night of "trying to cover up Hillary's crimes of sending classified information on a server our enemies could easily access."

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He also blasted Kennedy, saying his actions were a sign of a "cover-up."
"The FBI documents show that Under-Secretary of State Patrick Kennedy made the request for altering classification as part of a 'quid pro quo,' in other words a deal," Trump told supporters. "This is felony corruption. Under-Secretary Kennedy needs to resign."
Before his rally, Trump described the actions by the State Department to Fox News' Carl Cameron as "a criminal act," while also hurling criticisms at fellow Republicans.
"It's a crime, and I hear the Republicans are going to hold hearings after the election, why would you hold them after the election? We want to hold those hearings before the election," Trump said. "It's a criminal act and it's incredible that they can do this and get away with it."
When asked if he was taking shots at Republicans again, Trump pushed back as to why hearings should be held sooner.
"I mean, you'd think you'd hold these hearings frankly immediately, this is serious stuff," Trump told Fox News. "This is big stuff. This is Watergate."
When asked further by Cameron about his recent public hostility with Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, who represents Wisconsin, Trump said he was "trying to unite the party."
"I mean every once in a while Paul will stand up and say he disagrees with this or that," he told Fox News. "For instance when I talked about a rigged election, when I talk about the press taking people with no case whatsoever and putting them on the front pages."
Before Trump took the stage at his rally, the crowd broke into chants of "Paul Ryan sucks," the Associated Press reported.
The man introducing Trump on Monday, Wisconsin GOP Chairman Brad Courtney, was reportedly briefly drowned by the chant.
While continuing to discuss his plan to reform government, the Republican nominee claimed he'll "end government corruption" if he's elected to the White House.
Trump said he wants to ban executive branch officials from lobbying the government for five years after they leave the White House -- and wants Congress to do the same for members and their staffs.
He also wants to expand the definition of lobbyist and is calling for a lifetime ban on senior executive branch officials lobbying on behalf of foreign governments.