Trump under investigation for potential violations of Espionage Act

[Scott]

A search warrant newly unsealed on Friday reveals that the FBI is investigating Donald Trump for a potential violation of the Espionage Act and removed classified documents from the former president’s Florida estate earlier this week.

A receipt accompanying the search warrant, viewed by POLITICO in advance of its unsealing, shows that Trump possessed documents including a handwritten note; documents marked with “TS/SCI,” which indicates one of the highest levels of government classification; and another item labeled “Info re: President of France.”

Also among the items taken from Mar-a-Lago this week: An item labeled “Executive grant of clemency re: Roger Jason Stone, Jr.,” a reference to one of Trump’s closest confidants who received a pardon in late 2020.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/12/search-warrant-shows-trump-under-investigation-for-potential-obstruction-of-justice-espionage-act-violations-00051507

[ozimoron]

here's the warrant

 

https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3598688-read-dojs-warrant-against-trump/

[Jingthing]

If this is what finally sinks the insurrectionist grifter it will be like getting another mob boss Al Capone on taxes. We'll take it.

Edited August 12, 2022 by Jingthing

[pegman]

 It just boggles the mind to see some Republican congressmen and Rupert Murdoch's Fox News personalities show more loyalty to that disloyal clown than to their own country 

[simple1]

*Deleted post edited out*

 

trump administration increased the penalty to five years in prison for the illegal removal of clasified documents. trump cannot just declare documents unclassified, he must adhere to the processes. If found guilty, hopefully the maximum sentence will be applied. Aside from being unable to contest the Presidency, one major benefit would be not to have his and his followers incessent whining in the media.

[Thailand]

I hope this does not cause any problems for the nice Mr Trump and his insiders.

[bamnutsak]

32 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Sounds as serious as an overdue library book

For some, Sandy Berger, David Patraeus and Reality Winner, it's a bit more serious than an overdue library book.

 

But it is amusing that you associate a library book with Trump, who famoulsy said his favorite book was the bible, like he's ever been inside a library, or read a book.

 

And props on playing the "victim" card, awesome look for the strong and powerful former President.

 

For example, a recent case...

 

Hawaii Woman Gets 90 Days in Jail in Embassy Documents Case

 

HONOLULU (AP) — A Honolulu woman who pleaded guilty to taking classified documents while working at the U.S. Embassy in Manila was sentenced Thursday to 90 days in jail.

 

Asia Janay Lavarello pleaded guilty last year to one count of knowingly removing classified information, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

 

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/hawaii/articles/2022-02-10/hawaii-woman-gets-90-days-in-jail-in-embassy-documents-case#:~:text=HONOLULU (AP) — A Honolulu,the U.S. Department of Justice.

 

 

[pomchop]

39 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

So he didn't steal nuclear secrets as the msm asserted yesterday? Now it's some vague espionage stuff. Sounds as serious as an overdue library book, and the storming of President Trumps house an epic overreach.

 I'm sure "no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case" if you know what Im saying.

Troll Much?

[Scott]

Troll post and reply removed. Stay on topic.

 

[SunnyinBangrak]

11 minutes ago, simple1 said:

trump administration increased the penalty to five years in prison for the illegal removal of clasified documents. trump cannot just declare documents unclassified, he must adhere to the processes. If found guilty, hopefully the maximum sentence will be applied. Aside from being unable to contest the Presidency, one major benefit would be not to have his and his followers incessent whining in the media.

deleted

 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by SunnyinBangrak

[2baht]

Lock him up!

[Thailand]

Oh dear, it just gets worse.

"A New York judge just DENIED the motion to dismiss the criminal fraud and tax evasion case against the Trump Organization!"

[Tippaporn]

Wake me up when this story pans out.

[Bkk Brian]

Looks like this is his defense.........

 

On Friday night, Mr Trump's office issued a statement maintaining that he had used his authority while president to declassify the documents.

 

"The idea that some paper-pushing bureaucrat, with classification authority delegated by the president, needs to approve of declassification is absurd."

 

This is the reality:

 

If Trump did in fact order the declassification, he still needed to make sure his staff took the necessary next steps to modify the classification markings on the documents before he could actually handle and store the records (as a private citizen) as if they were unclassified. Under security classification rules, a classification marking on a document has to be treated as valid and binding unless and until a subsequent marking replaces it. Appropriate government staffers would have needed to cross out the classification markings in the headers and footers, and stamped “declassified” on the record noting when it was declassified, by whom and under what authority. Since that does not appear to have been done with the classified documents reportedly identified to date, the documents remain classified and had to be treated as classified for handling and storage purposes. 

 

https://www.justsecurity.org/82619/expert-explainer-criminal-statutes-that-could-apply-to-trumps-retention-of-government-documents/

[pegman]

9 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Looks like this is his defense.........

 

On Friday night, Mr Trump's office issued a statement maintaining that he had used his authority while president to declassify the documents.

 

"The idea that some paper-pushing bureaucrat, with classification authority delegated by the president, needs to approve of declassification is absurd."

 

This is the reality:

 

If Trump did in fact order the declassification, he still needed to make sure his staff took the necessary next steps to modify the classification markings on the documents before he could actually handle and store the records (as a private citizen) as if they were unclassified. Under security classification rules, a classification marking on a document has to be treated as valid and binding unless and until a subsequent marking replaces it. Appropriate government staffers would have needed to cross out the classification markings in the headers and footers, and stamped “declassified” on the record noting when it was declassified, by whom and under what authority. Since that does not appear to have been done with the classified documents reportedly identified to date, the documents remain classified and had to be treated as classified for handling and storage purposes. 

 

https://www.justsecurity.org/82619/expert-explainer-criminal-statutes-that-could-apply-to-trumps-retention-of-government-documents/

Classified or not those documents  were not his. 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, pegman said:

Classified or not those documents  were not his. 

I bet the "President of France" would also like to know why Trump had information on him in a document at his private residence.

[Chomper Higgot]

22 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

Wake me up when this story pans out.

Like we didn’t know you don’t want to hear it.

[Chomper Higgot]

21 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Looks like this is his defense.........

 

On Friday night, Mr Trump's office issued a statement maintaining that he had used his authority while president to declassify the documents.

 

"The idea that some paper-pushing bureaucrat, with classification authority delegated by the president, needs to approve of declassification is absurd."

 

This is the reality:

 

If Trump did in fact order the declassification, he still needed to make sure his staff took the necessary next steps to modify the classification markings on the documents before he could actually handle and store the records (as a private citizen) as if they were unclassified. Under security classification rules, a classification marking on a document has to be treated as valid and binding unless and until a subsequent marking replaces it. Appropriate government staffers would have needed to cross out the classification markings in the headers and footers, and stamped “declassified” on the record noting when it was declassified, by whom and under what authority. Since that does not appear to have been done with the classified documents reportedly identified to date, the documents remain classified and had to be treated as classified for handling and storage purposes. 

 

https://www.justsecurity.org/82619/expert-explainer-criminal-statutes-that-could-apply-to-trumps-retention-of-government-documents/

But but but…. How can he declassify documents that were ‘planted by the FBI’?

 

Oh I get it, Trump admitted to taking the documents.

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

Alarm bells started ringing in my head when he wrapped himself in the flag and accused others of treachery.

 

 

 

 

[Excel]

6 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Alarm bells started ringing in my head when he wrapped himself in the flag and accused others of treachery.

 

 

 

 

Maybe he thought he had picked up a French Flag ? ????

[ThailandRyan]

Can we compare him to Snowden now...

[DezLez]

43 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

Wake me up when this story pans out.

You will probably need a "handsome Prince" to do that!

[ballpoint]

If Trump is indeed convicted of espionage, then every long term appointment he made while president, including, but not limited to, Supreme Court justices, should be immediately rescinded.  A purge of potential moles put in place by a high ranking traitor is customary, if not mandatory, in such a case.

[300sd]

Insanity rules

[Chomper Higgot]

I wonder how this news is being received in the capitols of America’s enemies.

 

Either their spies got hold of this information while it was deposited at Mar-a-Largo or they need to answer for why they did not.

 

Certainly US Defense and Intelligence need to assume that whatever has been recovered has also been seen by America’s adversaries.

 

What a right Trump mess this is.

 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Chomper Higgot

[placeholder]

2 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

For some, Sandy Berger, David Patraeus and Reality Winner, it's a bit more serious than an overdue library book.

 

But it is amusing that you associate a library book with Trump, who famoulsy said his favorite book was the bible, like he's ever been inside a library, or read a book.

 

And props on playing the "victim" card, awesome look for the strong and powerful former President.

 

For example, a recent case...

 

Hawaii Woman Gets 90 Days in Jail in Embassy Documents Case

 

HONOLULU (AP) — A Honolulu woman who pleaded guilty to taking classified documents while working at the U.S. Embassy in Manila was sentenced Thursday to 90 days in jail.

 

Asia Janay Lavarello pleaded guilty last year to one count of knowingly removing classified information, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

 

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/hawaii/articles/2022-02-10/hawaii-woman-gets-90-days-in-jail-in-embassy-documents-case#:~:text=HONOLULU (AP) — A Honolulu,the U.S. Department of Justice.

 

 

One of the looniest arguments that Trump supporters make, and that's saying a lot, is that if they can do it to the President then they can do it to you. 

Actually the accurate way to phrase this is, if they can do it you, why shouldn't they be able to do it to the President?

Although, to be accurate, despite what so many Trump supporters still believe, Trump is actually the ex-President. 

If I had my way, the convention of calling ex-Presidents "President" as an honorary title, should be discontinued. That would make clear that they're just ordinary citizens now with no reason to expect special consideration.

Edited August 13, 2022 by placeholder

[LarrySR]

Waterboard him.

Maybe he will tell the truth for once.

[Tippaporn]

6 hours ago, ozimoron said:

here's the warrant

 

https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3598688-read-dojs-warrant-against-trump/

This warrant is useless for shedding any light on the reason for the raid as it doesn't include any predicate.

[Excel]

Just now, LarrySR said:

Waterboard him.

Maybe he will tell the truth for once.

Force feed him with McDonalds cheeseburgers, his favourite, that food will finish him off eventually

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, Tippaporn said:

This warrant is useless for shedding any light on the reason for the raid as it doesn't include any predicate.

The warrant is the lawfully approved basis for the raid.

 

Evidence of extremely serious crimes has been recovered.

 

Next step, Grand Jury.