Hillary Clinton could soon be facing charges as the FBI and State Department continue to conduct investigations into her email. It is highly inconvenient for the Democratic Party, but could they find a way to use the timetable to their advantage and prevent Bernie Sanders becoming the nominee?

Hillary Clinton has not been honest at all in describing her emails troubles. The FBI has been conducting an investigation the whole time, not a “security review” and not an “inquiry,” but a real investigation, suggests an article by the Augusta Chronicle editorial staff.

The State Department explained as carefully as possible that all the benign reports downplaying Clinton’s email scandal are false. The only conclusion anyone could reach is that Hillary lied on numerous occasions, according to Jonah Goldberg. The editor of the National Review, Goldberg could not resist giving his honest opinion in this Baltimore Sun article.

“By setting up a secret email server in her home in Chappaqua, N.Y., without proper authorization from any legal or security official, Ms. Clinton displayed a cavalier disregard for national security and an outrageous desire to hide her doings from Freedom of Information Act requests, government archivists, Congress, the press and, ultimately, the American people.”

Hillary Clinton’s situation was described plainly by Dan Metcalfe, the former director of the Justice Department’s Office of Information and Privacy, in an article he wrote for Law Newz. Dan is now retired, but he served in the Justice Department for over 25 years. Mr. Metcalfe dispels the half-truths told in the media concerning Hillary’s email.

“No, her self-serving email set-up was not ‘allowed’ under the State Department’s rules. No, she was not ‘permitted’ to use a personal email system exclusively as she did. No, what she did was hardly just a matter of her ‘personal convenience.’ No, there is no evidence that any State Department attorney (other than perhaps Secretary Clinton herself) ever gave ‘legal approval’ to any part of her special email system. No, everything she did was not ‘fully above board’ or in compliance with the ‘letter and spirit of the rules,’ far from it. Yes, she was indeed required by the FRA to maintain all official emails in an official system for proper review, delineation, and retention upon her departure. Yes, her private server equipment was in fact the subject of multiple attempted intrusion attempts (i.e., hacks), including by foreign nations. The list goes on and on.”

(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Hillary Clinton really is in a lot of trouble, according to Mr. Metcalfe. The emails were negligently handled in clear violation of State Department regulations. Then, half the emails were deleted and the account allegedly hacked. The FBI was able to save the emails with hard drive forensics, and so the FBI is now reading her emails.

This leaves three potential issues. First of all, the potential to be charged with criminal negligence for her careless treatment of classified information. The second issue is the likelihood that the emails were hacked by foreign powers. The third issue involves the contents of the emails themselves. What will the FBI find? What was Mrs. Clinton hiding?

Ron Johnson, Committee Chairman for Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, spoke on CBS’s Face the Nation. His statements are reported by the Hill.

“You have to assume that our enemy and adversaries had to have had access to every email that ever went over her private server.”

Hillary Clinton’s emails are a source of tremendous curiosity but also dread, at least for some. There is a lot of speculation about what has been revealed in the content of the emails, including some allegations they might be proof of racketeering over Memorial Day weekend, but nothing like that has been substantiated yet.

.Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama [Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images]

Dan Metcalfe continued to describe Hillary’s situation.

“Ms. Clinton did not just violate such laws inadvertently or even only occasionally — she did so systemically. In other words, her very email scheme itself appears to have been a walking violation of criminal law, one with the mens rea prosecution standard readily met.”

Hillary Clinton’s email case is being investigated by one of the finest FBI directors in history, according to Mr. Metcalfe. He firmly believes this man will hold Clinton responsible for her actions, regardless of the political mess it could make.

“The ongoing investigation of Ms. Clinton’s misconduct is being conducted by the FBI, under the leadership of FBI Director James Comey. Those of us who worked under him when he was the deputy attorney general during the George W. Bush Administration know him to be an exceptional man of utmost integrity, one who can be counted on to recommend a criminal prosecution when the facts and the law of a case warrant it, regardless of political circumstances. Given that the facts and law are so clear in Ms. Clinton’s case, it is difficult to imagine her not being indicted, unless Jim Comey’s expected recommendation for that is abruptly overruled at ‘Main Justice.'”

Hillary Clinton is likely to go down with James Comey at the helm of her investigation. Mr. Metcalfe then poses an interesting question: At which time would be most advantageous to Democratic Party leaders for Hillary’s indictment to happen?

“Sometime between now and, say, (a) the time of the convention at the end of July; (b) the time of the general election in early November; or (c) Inauguration Day in January. Which possibility would you prefer?”

Hillary Clinton’s email situation will be used in some way by the Democratic Party and other movers and shakers in the political scene, according to Dan Metcalfe. He postulates on how government and business figures will deal with the situation in order to maintain the status quo for four more years. He admits his further speculations are fanciful, but is there a thread of logic in what he says? Considering the man’s vast experience, he certainly has a unique perspective on insider politics.

“(1) Clinton gets indicted as she ought to, but not until shortly after the convention; (2) the evidence presented in the indictment (as well as that proffered to her and her attorney privately) overwhelmingly proves to her that she in fact has bigger concerns in the coming months than running for the presidency; (3) Clinton is thereby forced to step down as the nominee (a difficult prospect to conceive of, to be sure); (4) the Democratic Party (translation: President Obama, as its leader) declares an ‘unprecedented’ emergency and asks everyone to rally around a replacement ticket; and (5) slyest of all, the Democratic Party asks Senator Sanders to please not fight this, which he could not so easily do anyway once his ‘clout’ is dissipated upon the convention’s conclusion.”

Hillary Clinton is going to have to resign right after the convention, but not before, speculates Dan Metcalfe. If she were to be forced to resign prior to the convention, then Sanders would become the nominee, and that is not what the Democratic Party or big donors want. Those in power want to rid themselves of the outsiders, both Trump and Sanders. Mr. Metcalfe’s theory is that once Hillary has named a VP, that person would become the candidate and then the U.S. President. He predicts that either Joe Biden or John Kerry would be likely choices for vice president, and then eventually the Democrat candidate if Hillary is unable to continue. Donald Trump echoes the same idea in the video below. It is, of course, simply speculation on the part of Dan Metcalfe, but it will be interesting to see if he is correct.

If Hillary Clinton is going down, it would probably be in the best interest of democracy and the will of the American people for her to step down as soon as possible.

[Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images]