emptywheel: Some Likely Exacerbating Factors That Would Contribute To A Trump Search

[Nevilledog]

https://www.emptywheel.net/2022/08/09/some-likely-exacerbating-factors-that-would-contribute-to-a-trump-search/

From the start of the reporting on Trump’s theft of classified documents, commentators have suggested that Trump was only under investigation for violations of the Presidential Records Act or 18 USC 2071.

Reports that in June, one of the four people who met with Trump’s lawyers on this issue was Jay Bratt, head of Counterintelligence & Export Control Section at DOJ, which investigates Espionage, makes it highly unlikely that those are the only things under investigation.

In early June, a handful of investigators made a rare visit to the property seeking more information about potentially classified material from Trump’s time in the White House that had been taken to Florida. The four investigators, including Jay Bratt, the chief of the counterintelligence and export control section at the Justice Department, sat down with two of Trump’s attorneys, Bobb and Evan Corcoran, according to a source present for the meeting.

At the beginning of the meeting, Trump stopped by and greeted the investigators near a dining room. After he left, without answering any questions, the investigators asked the attorneys if they could see where Trump was storing the documents. The attorneys took the investigators to the basement room where the boxes of materials were being stored, and the investigators looked around the room before eventually leaving, according to the source.

Even 18 USC 1924, which prohibits unlawfully taking classified information, would involve complications if the person who stole the materials were the former President. Admittedly, the fact that DOJ had an in-person meeting with Trump before conducting a search might mitigate those complications; Trump may be refusing to return documents rather than just not turning them over.

Still, it’s possible — likely even — that there are exacerbating factors that led DOJ to search Mar-a-Lago rather than just (as they did with Peter Navarro) suing to get the documents back.

Remember, this process started when the Archives came looking for things they knew must exist. Since then, they’ve had cause to look for known or expected Trump records in (at least) the January 6 investigation, the Tom Barrack prosecution, and the Peter Strzok lawsuit. The investigation into Rudy Giuliani’s influence peddling is another that might obviously lead to a search of Trump’s presidential records, not least because the Archives would know to look for things pertaining to Trump’s impeachments.

*snip*

[louis-t]

1. I still say any documents that could incriminate him were burned

long ago.

[Irish_Dem]

2. I agree, doesn't make sense for Trump to have kept incriminating evidence.

Unless he thinks he can threaten or bully the government with them.

[Trueblue1968]

3. maybe someone took pictures of the good stuff.

[Rstrstx]

4. Maybe it's the dossiers on his political opponents

[Irish_Dem]

5. Yes I posted that a couple of hours ago.

Damaging information that he is going to use as a bargaining chip.

Dirt on opponents and info embarrassing to the US government.

JFK assassination, Presidential affairs, top Dem officials.

I am pretty sure Biden is squeaky clean. But who knows about others.

[Novara]

9. Right, and pay attention to who is involved now:

Jay Bratt, head of Counterintelligence & Export Control Section at DOJ, which investigates Espionage

This is more than documents that should have been returned. They might have evidence of espionage. Imagine a former president selling classified information to hostile foreign countries. Well, he is in a lot of debt. Right?

[Irish_Dem]

11. The Saudis did not give the Trump family $2 billion for nothing.

We know Trump would sell whatever he could get his hands on to the highest bidder.

He must have felt like a kid in a candy shop, so many grifting possibilities.

[mackdaddy]

6. Trump has recently been with the Saudis and Victor Orban. Loose Lips?

The Saudis reported offered Tiger Woods the better part of a Billion Dollars to be part of the little golf enterprise. That Former pResident Trump was hosting.

How much did they offer the Orange One?

Also Victor Orban was at the same CPAC fascist-paloza as Trump.

Trump is also know to talk on unsecured phones to his other BFF's in the fascist and totalitarian world leaders and Fox hosts.

So my guess is that he has said something that basically compromised some of the national secrets in his little treasure trove, either to pump up his own ego or pocketbook or both.

[PortTack]

7. Exactly..follow the money. It's always about the money

[Corgigal]

8. The question is why?

Why does he take them? Did any other President want to take them?

I haven’t heard one person on cable consider why? I have one box of papers in a box, because we moved, and we felt we should hold on to these. I know why I have that box.

[Novara]

10. Because he's in debt and no one will loan him money anymore

Several really big loans are coming due very soon and he doesn't have the money.

Even if he wasn't in debt, I'm sure he saw dollar signs and figured he could sell classified information to the highest bidder.

[Irish_Dem]

13. Or use as blackmail to stop the US government from indicting him down the road.

[Irish_Dem]

12. Trump must have felt like a kid in a candy shop sitting in the WH.

So many things he could have grifted every day.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

14. Lock him up! Too soon?

[pecosbob]

15. This might involve Flynn and the transfer of nuclear technology to the Saudis

Y'all do remember the deal they attempted involving granting the Russians access for a gas pipeline through Syria in return for Exxon gaining access to Russian oil fields and the illegal transfer of nuclear technology to the Saudis?