The FBI is full of surprises. It delivered one of the biggest more than a week ago, when Director James Comey officially reopened the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email outrage. Six hundred fifty thousand messages later, the same agency is dropping the blockbuster case and refusing to file criminal charges over the former Secretary of State’s reckless handling of classified information (which, we now know, includes having her maid print off top secret messages!).

Comey, who was applauded by most for having the nerve to pursue the leads against the Democratic nominee, sent a letter to members of Congress Sunday afternoon, notifying them, “The FBI investigative team has been working around the clock to process and review a large volume of emails from a device obtained in connection with an unrelated criminal investigation. During that process, we reviewed all of the communications that were to or from Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State. Based on our review, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July with respect to Secretary Clinton.”

It was a sudden (and suspicious) end to one of the most appalling cases of political corruption in modern history. And while Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook was quick to say the scandal was “behind us now,” most people aren’t so sure. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) is just one of the leaders on Capitol Hill who know the roots to this wrongdoing run deep. “Regardless of this decision,” he fired back Sunday, “the undisputed finding of the FBI investigation is that Secretary Clinton put our nation’s secrets at risk and in doing so compromised our national security. She simply believes she’s above the law and always plays by her own rules. This is a pattern with the Clintons, and the American people should not have to endure four more years of their scandal and baggage. Fortunately, the American people have the opportunity to ensure Secretary Clinton never gets her hands on classified information again.”

Unfortunately, this is why some conservatives (FRC included) were wary of the probe when Comey announced they were reopening it. This is, after all, the Obama administration. After eight years of lawlessness, we had no reason to believe that the FBI would pursue these charges honestly. There may be people with integrity at the agency (at least 100 of them reportedly threatened to resign unless Comey pursued the new leads), but we know that President Obama is heavily invested in suppressing any evidence against Clinton. He knows that her election is the only way to preserve his legacy! Since the Obama-Clinton Justice Department and FBI have proven they can’t investigate Hillary impartially, it’s time to convene a grand jury that will. Americans deserve an honest and transparent investigation into a politician that has not only put national security at risk — but countless U.S lives.

At a rally in Michigan, Donald Trump promised that Comey’s announcement was far from the end of the story. “The investigations into her crimes will go on for a long, long time,” he said. “Right now she’s being protected by a rigged system!” If Americans want to clean up the State Department, DOJ, and FBI, they’ll need a new administration to do it. In case you couldn’t find enough reasons to get out there and vote, here’s another one!

Originally published here.

On Marriage, I Call Them Like Aussie Them

So much for the worldwide movement to redefine marriage! Remember when liberals tried to paint people who believe in natural marriage as backwards and out of touch? Of course you do — they’re still trying. Well, they’ll have a tougher time of it now after the global pushback. A month after tens of thousands marched against same-sex marriage in France, Australia is protesting in an even more important way: legislatively. After 14 long months of debate, the Aussies defeated a push to legalize the idea [yesterday]. Despite the usual LGBT propaganda, the Australian Senate voted down the effort to hold a referendum on same-sex marriage 33-29, dealing an enormous blow to the liberals Down Under. “If the Labor Party wants to block [it] then there will not be a vote on same-sex for this term, and I anticipate that will probably be our policy heading into another term of government,” said leader Andrew Broad.

Unfortunately for Americans, our country would have almost certainly had the same result if voters had the benefit of representative government on the issue! Instead, the Left pressed the courts to decide the issue until ultimately, five unelected justices did. Over time, liberals — with the help of the media — managed to create this phony impression of support — even when the ballot boxes and state laws told a different story. As House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) admitted this spring, “Legislatively, we couldn’t really succeed, but from the courts … that victory has been won.”

The Left finally owned up to the fact that they had to force the redefinition of marriage on the country illegitimately. And that proves a powerful point: The reason same-sex marriage is legal in America is not because the people or their elected officials demanded it. It’s because the courts forced it on an unwilling country — finding in the invisible ink of the Constitution a “right” to destroy the most stable institution in the history of civilization. Congratulations to Australia for deciding the issue the way it was intended: democratically!

Originally published here.

This is a publication of the Family Research Council. Mr. Perkins is president of FRC.