[arcseco]

The Secret Service is not the principal federal law enforcement agency of the United States. The SS cannot take fabricated political hit pieces and massage them into a form of intelligence documentation from which they garner subpoenas from. And not just any subpoena, an administrative subpoena in the form of a National Security Letter under title V of the Patriot Act. From there they can review all email/search communications and telephone communications for as long as the NSA has been collecting records, and potentially use that information to manipulate an incoming president. I think you may underestimate the power of the intelligence community. Senior individuals in these institution I would suggest may be more influential than the sitting politicians that they work for.

"Show me the man and I'll find you the crime." -Lavrentiy Beria