It was only a matter of time before we figured out who Anthony Weiner would screw next.
Who foresaw Hillary Clinton’s campaign landing on his list of conquests?
No doubt or question that Hillary has been roiled by the disgraced former New York City congressman. Subject to an FBI investigation for -- it seems -- knowingly sending pornographic messages across state lines to a fifteen-year-old girl, he might face a long prison sentence.
Now cooperating with federal authorities, Weiner has seen his computer devices seized and searched. While combing through his archives, data were discovered which concern the thought-to-be-concluded investigation over whether Clinton intentionally mishandled classified emails.
How did such things find their way onto Weiner’s computer? His estranged wife. Huma Abedin, is Clinton’s star confidant; she enjoys a relationship with her boss going back to Bill’s White House heyday. In an ironic twist, it was because of Abedin’s work for Hillary that she and Weiner got together.
Talk about destiny.
Although every one of Weiner’s scandals involved his use of computers, Abedin accessed as many as 660,000-plus emails from Hillary on the same device her Hubby utilized. Furthermore, Abedin testified -- under penalty of perjury -- that all emails concerning Clinton were divulged to law enforcement.
Just 11 days before our general election, FBI Director James Comey informed Congress that his agency’s Clinton inquiry was back on. His words came on Friday; by Sunday, Abedin’s lawyers were in communication with FBI officials. That night, the Bureau was issued a search warrant for their newfound emails.
While I am no lawyer, it does appear that Weiner and Abedin are more concerned about their freedom than any career in Democratic politics. If Comey did not expect to discover something major in Abedin’s communications with Hillary, why make an announcement to Capitol Hill?
Making matters worse for Clinton are reports that her scandal-plagued foundation is under scrutiny from four separate FBI field offices.
Needless to mention, the big winner here is Donald Trump. Immediately after the investigation relaunched, his numbers began an upward trend. He not only comes out on top by being someone other than Hillary Clinton, but because of a comment made last year.
“Who is Huma married to?” Trump asked during a Massachusetts stump speech. “One of the great sleazebags of our time: Anthony Weiner...think of it, so Huma is getting classified secrets, she’s married to Anthony Weiner, who’s a perv...Now if you think that Huma isn’t telling Anthony, who she’s probably desperately in love with...do you think there’s even a 5 percent chance that she’s not telling Anthony Weiner -- now of a public relations firm -- what the hell is coming across? Do you think there’s even a little bit of a chance? I don’t think so.”
When Abedin separated from Weiner this past summer, Trump said that she was “making a very wise decision. I know Anthony Weiner well, and she will be far better off without him. I only worry for the country in that Hillary Clinton was careless and negligent in allowing Weiner to have such close proximity to highly classified information. Who knows what he learned and who he told? It’s just another example of Hillary Clinton’s bad judgment. It is possible that our country and its security have been greatly compromised by this.”
Can this man call a situation, or can this man call a situation?
With Hillary’s ‘wise judgment’ argument -- the cornerstone of her appeal to swing voters -- reduced to dust in the wind, she is left to motivate Democratic base voters whose hatred of Trump and, perhaps, love for handouts exceeds any interest in a comprehensive evaluation of public policy.
With Clinton under criminal investigation, her claim to be the steady hand in Washington politics is epically refuted.
With the Clinton Foundation receiving substantial attention from federal agents, Hillary’s self-styled humanitarian status is revealed to be a garish pretense.
It is difficult to encompass a more thoroughly repulsive ‘public servant’ than this woman -- and I use the term ‘woman’ because she certainly is no lady.
So, taking all of this into account, are you, as the Clinton campaign asks, “Ready for Hillary”?
Joseph Cotto is a historical and social journalist, and writes about politics, economics and social issues. Email him at joseph.f.cotto@gmail.com