He’s right, and the State Department’s defense is basically, “Well, no one accepted the bribe”. Doesn’t have to be, the attempt is still a crime.
Via Free Beacon:
Former George W. Bush administration member John Bolton said Tuesday that senior State Department official Patrick Kennedy could be prosecuted for attempted bribery after his reported offer of a quid pro quo to the FBI over declassifying one of Hillary Clinton’s emails.
According to newly released FBI notes from the Clinton email investigation, Kennedy “pressured” an unnamed FBI official into declassifying one of Clinton’s private server emails. He offered a deal where the department would approve FBI agents being placed in countries where they were currently forbidden. However, they ultimately did not strike such an agreement.
Bolton, in a clip flagged by The Right Scoop, called the allegation “extraordinarily serious,” noting the quid pro quo not taking place did not make the conversation any less wrong.
“Attempted bribery is just as much a crime as actual bribery,” he said.