White House docs were stored in Trump's personal Mar-a-Lago suite

[kpete]

In his carefully-crafted statement confirming the National Archives (NARA) was forced to transport 15 cartons of White House documents and other items from Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump claimed discussions had been "collaborative and respectful"and the "papers were given easily and without conflict and on a very friendly basis."

A CNN report published Friday evening reveals that's false.

.................

Also startling, CNN reports "a top official in the former President's orbit warned his aides last fall: Do not touch those boxes" that "were being stored at the time in Trump's personal suite at his Florida" Mar-a-Lago club.

"The senior official in Trump's inner circle did not want to risk exposing sensitive materials to aides who may have lacked the appropriate security clearances," apparently meaning classified documents were sitting, at least somewhat accessible, in Trump's rooms.


MORE:
https://www.alternet.org/2022/02/trump-mar-a-lago/

[Samrob]

1. The fact that he didn't burn them indicates his intelligence. nt

[Scrivener7]

2. I guess we at least have the silver lining that they weren't

stored in Log o' Merde's roach-filled kitchen walk-in.


On the other hand, what if one of the aids ignored that warning. Lots of money to be made with secret information, and they're just the kind of people to make it.

[gab13by13]

3. Those 15 boxes were probably gone over by Trump lawyers,

reporters are claiming there are more documents in Trump's possession, no hurry to retrieve them I guess until they are gone over.

I am resigned to the fact that DOJ isn't going to investigate, the National Archives should do its own investigation.

[Historic NY]

4. In the toilet paper closet?

[Blue Owl]

11. The biggest walk-in closet of the whole compound

It’s gotta be, for the amount tRump’s fat ass requires

[North Shore Chicago]

5. Each and every day

we awaken to a new atrocity. Outrage fatigue anyone?

[moonscape]

35. Outrage fatigue the day of his election. n/t

[Irish_Dem]

6. Apparently Trump can claim he declassified all of these docs.

Which a POTUS has a right to do.

So it will be hard to charge him with a crime.

[mopinko]

8. i've heard that, but

tho allegedly he only has to wave his hand, BUT if they werent relabeled, does that count?
if not a single one of them has been relabeled, i dont think that flies.

[Irish_Dem]

9. No one will bring charges for mislabeling a box of declassified docs.

Basically it looks like we just use the honor system for a POTUS.

[mopinko]

15. maybe. depends on the secrets and

if they stayed secret.
i mean, there's a lot tof stuff that would freak out 'the deep state'.

[Irish_Dem]

16. Doesn't matter, if he declassified top secret material, legally it is no longer top secret.

Charges will not stand up in court the legal experts say.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. He never did and he can't. Biden is President. tRump is not President. . . . nt

[Irish_Dem]

23. It must stand up on court. And Trump can argue the charge away.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

25. He can argue all you want. But you are wrong. tRump is not president. . . . nt

[Volaris]

22. That's all fine and good, but aren't those declassified docs still supposed to

Go to the archives? Pretty sure it still isnt legal for him to just up and decide they're souvenirs now, and no longer PUBLIC PROPERTY.

[Irish_Dem]

24. No one is going to charge him for not getting some docs to the Archives.

It looks petty.

[Volaris]

36. Awright, that tracks.

[Dave says]

14. Can we see evidence ...

… that he officially declassified them? He lost the power to do so at noon on January 20.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Irish Dem has no evidence. . . . nt

[Dave says]

32. To be clear...

I wasn't challenging Irish Dem at all. I was trying to illustrate the absurdity of anyone claiming keeping classified documents at Mar a lago wasn't serious because tfg declassified them before doing so. If there was evidence of declassifying them while he still could, we would already be aware through the media.

Regardless, he violated the Presidential Records Act by treating as personal, or by destroying, items that were subject to the national archivist's jurisdiction. Hold on to your seat, but the tfg (once again) ... violated the law.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

34. +1. . . nt

[PatSeg]

28. And if he DID declassify them

while he was still president, shouldn't there be some kind of documentation to that effect? He can't just SAY he declassified something, can he?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. tRump is not POTUS. Noticed yet? He has no powers. In any case there is a big process even for POTUS

He can't unclassify something on a whim and can't do it instantly.

In tRump's case, he has no more powers after his office lapsed in January 2021.

[mwooldri]

7. What was he going to do? Eat them?

Someone quick - order him a few buckets of KFC to keep him occupied!

[KY_EnviroGuy]

10. So much for the tRump Presidential Library.

Open by private invitation only to select Rethug billionaires........

I figure tRump had a huuuge grift in mind, of selling those documents on-line for say, $1,000 per page as MAGAT souvenirs....

[CincyDem]

12. If I had 15 boxes of gov't docs, possibly including classified info...

…2 dozen federal agent would come through my front door at 5am on a no knock warrant and go through every crevasse of my house.

Damn sure I wouldn’t get a “would you please, when you have time, pack them up so we can collect them at you convenience” letter.

Unfortunately, while Nixon shocked the nation when he said “it’s not illegal if the president does it”, without enforcement he may have been right.

[Blues Heron]

13. I wonder who visited that suite while they were there.

[Captain Zero]

26. Oh. I'm sure no Russian Agents visited

If they did they were off duty and so it wouldn't matter since the docs were declassified anyway.

Nope I think we can't charge trimp with anything at all here. It would look so so petty on our part.

//S/off/*

[PatSeg]

30. Maybe a new, attractive maid

with an Eastern European accent? We know he has a weakness for pretty Eastern European women and Putin knows all Donald's weaknesses.

[Mr. Ected]

17. If there aren't laws that dictate what the President can and cannot do

Or the processes by which those actions can be taken, why the fuck aren't there?

Apparently, the President is above the law because there are no laws that affect the President.

What a load of bullshit.

[flying_wahini]

21. Doesn't TFG realize that somebody, somewhere there is a copy of ALL those docs?

Secretaries that type up official correspondence almost always keep a copy for their files.


All they have to do is ID one to uncover the whole chain.

[Sancho]

27. That explains the RotoRooter truck with armed guards heading into Mar-a-Lago!

[PatSeg]

29. Ha, ha, ha!!!

[PatSeg]

31. Okay, I'm wondering about his actual motive

Did he take those documents because he was trying to hide something or did he plan to sell them to foreign adversaries? Clearly he was aware they were important because he warned aides not to touch them. Fifteen boxes - obviously moving them was calculating and premeditated.

Meanwhile, someone(s) had to actually pack those boxes knowing they were official White House documents. I can hardly picture Trump packing boxes.

[Johonny]

33. Trump library might end up being located in Washington DC sewer

[milestogo]

37. So his family and staff could read them any time?

Oh right, they have automatic clearance.