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FBI shuts down request for files on Hillary Clinton by citing lack of public interest

Bringing Down America

The FBI is declining to turn over files related to its investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s emails by arguing a lack of public interest in the matter.

Ty Clevenger, an attorney in New York City, filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in March of 2016 asking for a variety of documents from the FBI and the Justice Department, including correspondence exchanged with Congress about the Clinton email investigation.

But in a letter sent this week and obtained by Fox News, the head of the FBI’s Records Management Division told Clevenger that the bureau has “determined you have not sufficiently demonstrated that the public’s interest in disclosure outweighs personal privacy interests of the subject.”

"You must show that the public interest sought is a significant one"

“Therefore, records regarding your subject are withheld pursuant to FOIA exemptions,” David M. Hardy of the FBI’s Records Management Division told Clevenger.
Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016, was investigated by the FBI for using a private email address and server to handle classified information while serving as secretary of state.
In July 2016, then-FBI Director James Comey famously called Clinton’s email arrangement “extremely careless” though he decided against recommending criminal charges.
HILLARY CLINTON'S BOOK RELEASE HAS DEMS WORRIED, IRRITATED
Though Clinton lost the election, Clevenger is still attempting to obtain documents related to the investigation. He's seeking to prove she committed perjury, the Washington Times reported.
He specifically asked for all documents resulting from a September 6, 2016 referral to the Justice Department from then-House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican.
At the time, Chaffetz asked the department to “investigate and determine whether Secretary Clinton or her employees and contractors violated statues that prohibit destruction of records, obstruction of congressional inquiries, and concealment or cover up of evidence material to a congressional investigation.”
On Aug. 8, the FBI asked Clevenger to detail why the public would be interested.
“If you seek disclosure of any existing records on this basis, you must demonstrate that the public interest in disclosure outweighs personal privacy interests,” the letter stated. “In this regard, you must show that the public interest sought is a significant one, and that the requested information is likely to advance that interest.”
Clevenger expressed disbelief at the request.
“Frankly, I am stunned I should have to explain why my request pertains to a matter of public interest,” Clevenger wrote in an Aug. 11 letter to the FBI.
He cited how Clinton was the Democratic nominee for president of the United States, a former secretary of state and a former senator.
Fox News’ Jake Gibson contributed to this report.

Feinstein stuns San Francisco crowd: Trump 'can be a good president'

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., stunned a San Francisco audience Tuesday when she said that if President Trump "can learn and change," he could “be a good president.”

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Feinstein made the comments during a sold-out Herbst Theater interview. She was onstage with Ellen Tauscher, a former Bay Area congresswoman.

The paper described the event as a “political lovefest” — pointing out that Feinstein is wildly popular in San Francisco, where she served as mayor for a decade. She was first elected to the Senate in 1992, after a failed bid for governor of California.
Toward the end of the evening, Feinstein reportedly shocked the crowd when she declined to say that Trump should be impeached and then told the audience that they should be prepared to see Trump complete his four-year term.
Feinstein serves on both the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, both of which are investigating Russia’s alleged involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
“The question is whether he can learn and change. If so, I believe he can be a good president,” she said.

"The question is whether he can learn and change. If so, I believe he can be a good president.”

The report said, “the crowd reacted with stunned silence, broken only with scattered “No’s and a few hisses and some nervous laughter.” The article said that kind of talk is “never heard in Democratic circles.”
Feinstein has been a tough critic of Trump. She recently slammed his decision to pardon Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona, saying Trump's action shows a “flagrant disregard for the rule of law in this country.”
She asserted that the pardon sent a message to police departments across the United States “that racial profiling is OK.”
On the topic of a border wall with Mexico, Feinstein said she believes Americans would rather send aid to Texas flood victims than pay for a border wall.
She has also criticized Trump’s transgender military ban and called the nature of Trump’s immigration policies “cruel and arbitrary.”
The conversation touched on many subjects, but the 84-year-old did not say whether she’ll seek re-election next year.
Still, Feinstein stood by her comments about Trump, saying, “We have to see if he can forget himself enough and have the type of empathy and direction the country needs.”
She said if he doesn't, "there are things that can be done."
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Edmund DeMarche is a news editor for FoxNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @EDeMarche.

Illinois Gov. Under Fire For Signing Bill Protecting Illegal Immigrants

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner greets supporters before he takes the stage at a Republican Day rally at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Ill. Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017. (Rich Saal/The State Journal-Register via AP)

The governor of Illinois is under fire after signing a bill to protect illegal immigrants.
Governor Bruce Rauner passed the “Trust Act” Monday, which prohibits authorities from arresting or detaining a person based solely on their immigration status.
He claims this will help law enforcement keep the state safer, but many see this as an attempt to defy the president’s tough stance against illegal immigration.
Some are accusing Rauner of making Illinois a sanctuary state.
Others believe the move is an attempt by the governor to strengthen his base in order to win reelection in 2018.

Pres. Trump Says ‘All Options Are On The Table’ After N. Korea Missile Launch

South Korean army soldiers aim their machine guns during the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise in Yongin, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. In a first, North Korea on Tuesday fired a midrange ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload that flew over Japan and splashed into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said.  (Hong Gi-won/Yonhap via AP)

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President Trump doubles down on his warning to North Korea saying, “all options are on the table.”
In a White House statement Tuesday, the president said threatening and destabilizing actions only increase North Korea’s isolation from all nations.
This comes after the rogue nation fired an intermediate range ballistic missile over Japan that landed in the Pacific Ocean.
Earlier this month, the president warned Pyongyang the U.S. military will unleash “fire and fury” if an attack is launched.
The U.S., Japan, and South Korea requested an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting.
Meanwhile, South Korea sent a powerful response to North Korea’s missile launch.
The country’s Air Force conducted a live fire drill involving powerful bombs Tuesday morning.
President Moon Jae-in ordered the strike as a display of the country’s ability to punish Pyongyang if it were to attack.
The country also threatened to exterminate North Korea’s leadership as annual joint-drills between South Korea and the U.S. continue.
Following the launch, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and South Korea’s foreign minister agreed to consider tougher sanctions against Pyongyang.