PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

I’ll let the national commentators write about the predictable development – the FBI and its national director, James Comey, recommend no indictment of Hillary Clinton for her use of a private e-mail system while she was Secretary of State.

The decision has set off a huge controversy as Clinton continues to run for President while evidencing at least a “careless disregard” for policy and protocol, not to mention dishonesty that should, to some (me included), disqualifor her to be President.

For now, just consider this quote from Comey which ran in the Wall Street Journal’s lead editorial (including the Wall Street Journal’s words):

“For our money, the most revealing words in FBI Director James Comey’s statement Tuesday explaining his decision not to recommend prosecuting Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified information were these: ‘This is not to suggest that in similar circumstances, a person who engaged in this activity would face no consequences. To the contrary, those individuals are often subject to security or administrative sanctions.’”

How’s that for candor?

According to Comey, Clinton gets off. Others face sanctions. Which means there is a new standard, the “Clinton Standard.”