Reddit users have produced plenty of circumstantial evidence linking Hillary Clinton aide Paul Combetta to a Reddit account by the name of “stonetear” that asked for help in erasing and editing a “VERY VIP” client’s archived email messages.
Now Congress is taking notice, because if Reddit user “stonetear” is really Paul Combetta, the dates and requests may demonstrate a concerted effort on the part of Team Clinton to delete emails, evade searches and avoid producing documents requested by the House Benghazi Committee.
SMOKING GUN: "BleachBit" Paul Combetta ASKED TO STRIP OR REPLACE VIP's EMAIL ADDRESS! https://t.co/nz13MqzWth #MAGA pic.twitter.com/qQII96JI76
— Katica (@GOPPollAnalyst) September 19, 2016
Reddit users have shown that “Stonetear’s” history looks suspicious. For starters, the posts coincide with dates Clinton was using a private server. “Stonetear’s” requests also match up with certain policy changes instituted at the State Department under Clinton’s watch—as well as important dates in the House Benghazi Committee investigation.
7-23-14, Committee reaches agrmnt with State on production of records.
7-24-14, Paul Combetta requesting tech help to strip “VIP’s emails”
— Utesbyfive (@Utesbyfive) September 19, 2016
Further, Combetta seemed to use the name “stonetear” elsewhere—on Internet craft site Etsy, on Google Mail and on Slashdot forums.
The reddit username stonetear" is Paul Combetta's username on Etsy, as well as his email: stonetear@gmail.com
— Alcoholic (@austin_klavins) September 19, 2016
As Reddit users revealed the puzzle pieces, “stonetear” seemed to realize the invasion in real time, deleting hundreds of posts from his or her Reddit account—but not before Reddit users archived the most consequential.
Combetta admits that he was responsible for deleting Clinton’s emails with BleachBit software program, but the Justice Department had granted him immunity in return for cooperating with their investigation, meaning House Republicans likely couldn’t ask further questions about Combetta’s server-erasing expertise. Clinton’s campaign said that the FBI had investigated and cleared Combetta for his involvement.
This new information, however, if it proves to be true, might mean that Clinton and her team actively obstructed justice, the DOJ, and the Congressional investigations. Rep. Mark Meadows, a member of the oversight committee, says he and his team are looking into the Reddit revelations.
“The Reddit post issue and its connection to Paul Combetta is currently being reviewed by OGR staff and evaluations are being made as to the authenticity of the post,” Meadows told The Hill late Monday. They’ll discuss the Reddit posts during a planned Thursday meeting on State Department record keeping.
