The FBI’s decision not to recommend an indictment on Hillary Clinton’s unlawful conduct is absolutely outrageous and sends a message that what matters is not what you do but who you are.

The editorial in The Durango Herald (July 5) states that the FBI shouldn’t bring charges against “the presumptive nominee of either party” without nebulously defined “solid evidence” of a “serious crime.” Why should presidential candidates be held to a lower standard than any other government official?

The bottom line is that if anyone else had done what Clinton had done, he or she would have been punished.

Instead, we see Clinton continue campaigning without any legal repercussions.

However, that doesn’t mean she got off scot-free. The trial of the court of public opinion is still in session, and although the FBI refused to take legal steps against the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, it handed the jury, the American people, hard evidence into the wrongdoings of Secretary Clinton.

She carelessly mishandled more than 100 emails that were at the time classified.

The column suggests that too many documents are labelled classified, but to think that justifies Clinton’s actions is foolish to the core. The reality is just among work-related emails that Clinton’s lawyers did not destroy, top secret and above classified emails were found on the server, potentially making them available to hostile actors.

If a document is labelled classified or top secret, whether or not you think it’s justified, it needs to remain secured and private. Clinton should have known that, but, then again, the regular rules don’t seem to apply to the Clintons.

Even more concerning, should Clinton justly lose her security clearance at the hands of the State Department or Congress for her reckless actions, how could she be a capable commander-in-chief?

Would the vice president have to exclusively handle national security matters? Such questions are not unreasonable in light of this email scandal.

Coloradans of both parties see this. When they see Hillary Clinton, they see a corrupt, lying, career politician who will do whatever it takes to get into office.

We look forward to beating her in November.

Steve House

Denver

Editor’s note: Steve House is chairman of the Colorado Republican Committee.