Trump under investigation for potential violations of Espionage Act

[JCauto]

1 minute ago, xylophone said:

Words straight out of the orange liar's mouth, and spoken more than once.........yet here he is a few years later taking the Fifth Amendment. 

 

It is to laugh.

The only consistent platform within the Republican party since Trump's takeover (and for a while prior to that) has been one of projection. If you wish to know what they're up to, just listen to what they accuse others of because it's only a matter of time.

[animalmagic]

2 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

I highlighted the important part of your post.  Why is there no mention of the fact that Trump was fully cooperating with the National Archives and therefore why a raid was necessary?  Any takers on answering that question?

Would that cooperation be similar to the submission of tax returns in terms of speed and full cooperation?

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There is no evidence that goes in Trump’s favor.

Do you have a link for that?

[Thailand]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

If Trump were fully cooperating, there would be no documents at his residence, he would have already returned them to their rightful custodian.

Or destroyed them.

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, Tippaporn said:

As far as I know, and correct me if I'm wrong, but all former Presidents hold security clearances for life.  If that is indeed true then that would destroy the theory of your post.

Nope. It's a privilege typically granted to ex-Presidents and ex-high ranking officials but not  something they're legally entitled to. 

 

White House Reviewing Whether To Revoke Trump’s Access To Intelligence Briefings

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed Monday that the Biden Administration is weighing whether to strip former President Donald Trump of his access to intelligence briefings—a luxury typically granted to former presidents—after some outside officials expressed concern that Trump will exploit the information and use it to his personal advantage. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2021/02/01/white-house-reviewing-whether-to-revoke-trumps-access-to-intelligence-briefings/?sh=2feadbb8579c

[Chomper Higgot]

4 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Do you have a link for that?

A link to something that doesn’t exist?

[vandeventer]

5 hours ago, Thailand said:

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

Just more leftist BS, it will be so nice to see him back as President again! Russia, Russia, Russia never worked and all the other leftist made up BS never worked so why should this.

[Chomper Higgot]

4 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Or destroyed them.

Destroying government documents is in itself a crime.

[placeholder]

Just now, vandeventer said:

Just more leftist BS, it will be so nice to see him back as President again! Russia, Russia, Russia never worked and all the other leftist made up BS never worked so why should this.

Well, for one thing, Trump isn't currently in the White House so his ability to obstruct justice is greatly curtailed. Not in his gift to offer pardons to those who could potentially incriminate him.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

You're speculating.  Good luck to you.

Your speculations are far more outlandish than mine.

It's not speculation anymore that Trump has retained Top Secret documents in an unsecure location despite repeated requests to return them.  While it may be speculation what he intended to do with them, there's no speculation about what the Espionage Act says in the circumstances.

[newnative]

Lock him up already.   

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, Lacessit said:

Be careful what you wish for. I'm predicting Trump as President again would spark a second  American Civil War. As for world politics, he would be giving Putin, Xi and the NK fat boy everything they want.

Trump as President is everything they want,

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, Gecko123 said:

The rumors about the types of classified top secret documents recovered are very disturbing. If true, it is difficult to imagine what would have motivated Trump to take those documents with him after he left the presidency. It sounds like the primary value of that type of info would be to foreign adversaries. What use files of this nature would have had for Trump personally is hard to fathom.

 

If I can speculate for just one second.....which President would sell nuclear secrets to Saudi Arabia for $10 billion?

Biden--Nope 

Obama--Nope

Bush I and II--Nope

Clinton--Nope

Reagan--Nope

Carter--Nope

Nixon--Probably not.

 

Trump?

You bet your ass.

[newnative]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The Republicans had four very sound opportunities to put distance between themselves and Trump.

 

Two impeachments.

Certification of the election result.

Condemnation of the J 6 attack.

 

They chose Trump every time.

 

 

 

 

Yes, and that's what I find most disturbing.

[Walker88]

25 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Do you have a link for that?

One needs a link for that just as much as one needs proof that the sun is going to rise in the East.

 

45 had zero right to hold any of the classified documents he held at an unauthorized location. Zero.

 

He has neither a right nor a reason to hold such material.

 

Also, he cannot unilaterally declassify classified material, especially 18 months after leaving office in disgrace. The mere presence of the classified material is proof of guilt. Jack Ruby had a better defense, despite shooting Oswald on live TV.

 

Declassification has a protocol to make sure sources and methods are not revealed. This is particular true of TS/SCI classification data, as SCI involves intel gained via clandestine or surreptitious means.

 

Also, if there is material classified as RD (Restricted Data), not even a POTUS has the authority to declassify RD. RD is governed by the AEA.

[Walker88]

28 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Just more leftist BS, it will be so nice to see him back as President again! Russia, Russia, Russia never worked and all the other leftist made up BS never worked so why should this.

Yes, those pesky leftists, who believe in such tired and threadbare concepts like:

 

Rule of Law

Support for the FBI and intel community

That ALL are equal under the law

Democracy...that quaint idea that the one with the most votes wins

National Security, including such things as maintaining control over classified documents

And sedition/insurrection are crimes that should be punished

Individual freedom

 

if left to those leftists, the US would go back to being that shining light on the hill, an example to the entire freedom-loving world, supporting democracy over autocrats and fascists.

[Walker88]

3 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

It will only Triger a civil war if you leftist cheat at voting again, and Putin and Xi feared Trump, that's why they waited for the soft on everything President to come in.

Oh my, a believer in the Big Lie !

 

Are you also a QAnonist?

 

45 lost. Badly. It was the worst drubbing an incumbent repub took ever.

[vandeventer]

34 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Destroying government documents is in itself a crime.

Tell it to Hillary as she destroyed 33000.

[DaiHard]

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

You have lost the plot.  Was he truly cooperating or was he obstructing and delaying? Better yet was he in possession of items he was not allowed to have in his possession.  Why do you not try and remove items from the Archives which are sealed and kept from the public as they are documents marked as classified.  Do you believe he was allowed by law to keep documents such as he had in his possession?  Many people have gone before him and been prosecuted for the mishandling of Government classified documents.  Why should he be treated any differently.

Hilary had 30,000 plus classified emails she shouldn't have had but she skated. Hunter Biden has broken the law in many occasions and ... The US can't lecture anyone about the rule of law in future.

[vandeventer]

6 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

Yes, those pesky leftists, who believe in such tired and threadbare concepts like:

 

Rule of Law

Support for the FBI and intel community

That ALL are equal under the law

Democracy...that quaint idea that the one with the most votes wins

National Security, including such things as maintaining control over classified documents

And sedition/insurrection are crimes that should be punished

Individual freedom

 

if left to those leftists, the US would go back to being that shining light on the hill, an example to the entire freedom-loving world, supporting democracy over autocrats and fascists.

Doctor's hours are from 8.00am to 5.30pm.

[DaiHard]

6 minutes ago, Walker88 said:

Oh my, a believer in the Big Lie !

 

Are you also a QAnonist?

 

45 lost. Badly. It was the worst drubbing an incumbent repub took ever.

Lol, enjoy your IRS audits.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, simple1 said:

If found guilty, hopefully the maximum sentence will be applied

What's he been charged with?   Oh, yes...nothing!

[placeholder]

8 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

It will only Triger a civil war if you leftist cheat at voting again, and Putin and Xi feared Trump, that's why they waited for the soft on everything President to come in.

"cheat at voting again"? can you please share with us what state government or or even just a state legislature that found evidence to overturn the election results of 2020? 

[Srikcir]

5 hours 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/

For those documents marked Top Secret - Sensitive Compartmental Information, they cannot be declassified by the POTUS. Period.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, 2baht said:

Lock him up!

Can't lock up someone who hasn't been charged with anything!

[placeholder]

2 minutes ago, DaiHard said:

Lol, enjoy your IRS audits.

So Walker88 earns over $400,000 per year? I want to be his best friend.

[vandeventer]

1 minute ago, placeholder said:

"cheat at voting again"? can you please share with us what state government or or even just a state legislature that found evidence to overturn the election results of 2020? 

2000 mules movie have a look at it.

[candide]

5 minutes ago, DaiHard said:

Hilary had 30,000 plus classified emails she shouldn't have had but she skated. Hunter Biden has broken the law in many occasions and ... The US can't lecture anyone about the rule of law in future.

But but...

[2baht]

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

Can't lock up someone who hasn't been charged with anything!

Did'nt the same clown want to lock Hillary up without charge?

[Lacessit]

16 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

It will only Triger a civil war if you leftist cheat at voting again, and Putin and Xi feared Trump, that's why they waited for the soft on everything President to come in.

Leftist? Moi? I'm just a rational non-American, wondering how Trump has managed to con a rump of Americans into accepting his alternative facts as gospel.

IMO it would be a fascinating social experiment to compare the average IQ of Trump supporters who believe Trump won or was cheated, against that of the people who voted for Biden.

Putin feared Trump? You must have missed Trump kissing Putin's butt in Helsinki.