>>3247480 (lb)

Found this - reading through materials footnoted..

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44260.pdf

An FBI investigation - if done right - will also look into the chain of possession of Ford's letter, those involved in advising her and events leading up to her "reporting" the alleged incident.

The FBI can't prosecute or determine if charges are going to be brought forth as a result of their investigation (unless Comey is doing it - but he isn't) but it CAN submit information that implicates others who are outside of the parties that are subject to the investigation.

It's really not much different than the FBI using a "contract murderer" to implicate the person who actually hired them. That person is charged equally even though they didn't commit the actual murder.

It can also uncover persons involved and knowingly aiding the person who is committing a criminal act. Like someone who is embezzling money and an accountant knows money is being embezzled but says nothing - or worse - helps cover the crime.

This is particularly interesting: ”53 “[O]ther high crimes and misdemeanor[s]”

are not limited to indictable offenses, but apply to “serious violations of the public trust.”54

Congressional materials indicate that the term “Misdemeanor … does not mean a minor criminal

offense as the term is generally employed in the criminal law,” but refers instead to the behavior

of public officials.55 “[H]igh Crimes and Misdemeanors” are thus best characterized as

“misconduct that damages the state and the operations of government institutions.