Clinton escapes indictment, but not the e-mail controversy

FBI Director James Comey yesterday announced that presumed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton will not be indicted for mishandling classified information on her home-based private e-mail system. But as Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post observes, she's likely to continue to be haunted by this issue:

Hillary Clinton’s email problems might be even worse than we thought

FBI Director James B. Comey dismantled large portions of Clinton's long-told story about her private server and what she sent or received on it during a stirring 15-minute news conference, after which he took no questions. While Comey exonerated Clinton, legally speaking, he provided huge amounts of fodder that could badly hamstring her in the court of public opinion.

Most importantly, Comey said the FBI found 110 emails on Clinton's server that were classified at the time they were sent or received. That stands in direct contradiction to Clinton’s repeated insistence she never sent or received any classified emails. And it even stands in contrast to her amended statement that she never knowingly sent or received any classified information....

FBI Director James B. Comey dismantled large portions of Clinton's long-told story about her private server and what she sent or received on it during a stirring 15-minute news conference, after which he took no questions. While Comey exonerated Clinton, legally speaking, he provided huge amounts of fodder that could badly hamstring her in the court of public opinion.

Most importantly, Comey said the FBI found 110 emails on Clinton's server that were classified at the time they were sent or received. That stands in direct contradiction to Clinton’s repeated insistence she never sent or received any classified emails. And it even stands in contrast to her amended statement that she never knowingly sent or received any classified information.

Clinton's poll numbers typically reveal she fares poorly on whether she is honest or truthful, and it's not clear whether there are many more voters who might be swayed by this - it could already be "baked in the cake," as it were. But it's likely that at least some voters haven't yet paid much attention to this issue, and there is little doubt that Comey's statements are going to be a staple of attack ads throughout the rest of the election season. All in all, it's hard to look at yesterday's announcement as a "win" for Clinton, at best it's avoidance of a total loss.