By Britt Nelson

Editor’s note: The views expressed by guest columnists are not necessarily those of The Costa Rica Star, its advertisers, or its staff

What’s the difference between “gross negligence” and “extremely careless?” United States voters will decide the answer to that question during the national election on Nov. 8.

FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday announced that Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will face no criminal charges in connection with her handling of top-secret information on her private email server located in her New York home while she was Secretary of State during President Obama’s first term.

“Although there is evidence of potential violation of the statutes regarding the handling of classified information, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case,” he said. “Although we did not find clear evidence that Secretary Clinton or her colleagues intended to violate laws governing the handling of the classified information, there is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information … no charges are appropriate in this case.”

Based on Comey’s statement, the elements of the offense for a violation of 18 U.S.C. 793(f) were all met, yet no prosecution will commence. This law regards the handling of top-secret information with “gross negligence.”

Republican challenger New York billionaire Donald Trump was quick to respond to Comey’s announcement.

“The system is rigged … Very unfair! As usual, bad judgment. FBI director said crooked Hillary compromised our national security. No charges. Wow!,” Trump said. “She’s guilty … Comey laid out a detailed case of how Hillary Clinton compromised the safety of the American people. She lied when she said that she did not send classified information” over her private system.

Comey, in his statement, said the FBI investigation found 110 emails within 52 email chains that contained top-secret information contrary to Clinton’s continuing denials that she did not send or receive classified information on her private email server.

Republican reactions to Comey’s statement show outright disbelief while Democrats expressed relief that no charges will be filed against Clinton.

“It is hard to believe that a mid-level official could have engaged in similar conduct and gotten off scot-free,” said U.S. Congressman Ron De Santis, R-FL, 6th Congressional District. “This business of applying two different sets of rules — one for the elite, one for everyone else — undermines the constitutional system and corrodes the nation’s political fabric. The American people deserve better.”

During a joint campaign appearance in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Tuesday only hours after Comey’s statement, neither President Obama nor Clinton made any mention of the FBI’s final report on Clinton’s email investigation.

There is no doubt that the FBI’s findings will hurt Clinton’s campaign especially in the areas of trust, honesty and ethics because of the appearance of a double standard for the establishment candidate verses everyone else.

For Dan Gibson, a retiree living near Jaco Beach, Costa Rica, the FBI’s statement on the Clinton email investigation represents a discredited FBI.

“It’s a very sad day in the history of the United States of America. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been reduced to nothing more than a rubber stamp for the establishment,” Gibson said. “Any man or woman working for the FBI has to be ashamed and embarrassed; however, any sane person already knew what was going to happen. As I have said before nothing less than a revolution by the American citizens will put us back on track – strong words for very sad times!! God bless the United States of America!!”

Meanwhile, for Democrats, Clinton’s email investigation is over.

In a statement released Tuesday by the Democratic National Committee they said, “We are pleased that this matter has been concluded.”

Another reaction by a Democrat — “Most voters will see this as Secretary Clinton doing 67 mph in a 65 mile zone and the officials say, ‘No ticket,’ ” said Bob Mulholland, a Chico, California-based Democratic consultant and convention super-delegate for Clinton.

Post-FBI announcement polling has yet to be released, but a recent nationwide poll by Rasmussen Reports gives Trump the lead with likely voters, 43 percent to Clinton’s 39 percent. Other polls also show Clinton’s nationwide lead is shrinking, according to Real Clear Politics.

It’s all up to the voters now that Clinton will face no criminal charges related to her use of private email, but she may have just boarded the Titanic.

About the author

Britt Nelson relocated to Costa Rica in 2011 from Florida, where he served as news editor for thePalatka Daily News, a newspaper owned by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group (NYT-RNG) for 20 years.

Nelson served the NYT-RNG for 18 years in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida as a correspondent, reporter, staff writer, senior staff writer training new reporters, copy editor, page designer, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editorial board member.