NYT: TFG Wanted To Hold Stolen Government Docs Hostage And Trade Them For Russia Documents

[ffr]

[TFG] cooked up a plan to trade the government documents that he stole for documents about the Russia investigation.

The New York Times reported:

[TFG] floated the idea of offering the deal to return the boxes in exchange for documents he believed would expose the Russia investigation as a “hoax” cooked up by the F.B.I. [TFG] did not appear to know specifically what he thought the archives had — only that there were items he wanted.

[TFG's] aides — recognizing that such a swap would be a non-starter since the government had a clear right to the material [TFG] had taken from the White House and the Russia-related documents held by the archives remained marked as classified — never acted on the idea.
...

As the government demonstrated through its search of Mar-a-Lago, [TFG] doesn’t have any leverage.

[TFG] tried to get out of legal jeopardy by committing more crimes, which demonstrates that [TFG's] instincts are always criminal. - PoliticusUSA

So the GOP stands with the guy who would trade U.S. Intelligence secrets, says all that needs to be said about the GOP and anyone who identifies with them, including their voters and supporters.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. "This deserves the highest level of scrutiny from the Justice department."

Link to tweet

[raging moderate]

2. Isn't this a crime called extortion?

I am pretty sure it must be illegal.

[usonian]

4. Very likely but has to be proven.

DISCLAIMER: IANAL.

He's goofy for attorney-client privilege, which has limits, such as conspiring to commit a crime.
Since no bargain was floated that *I* know of, this is conspiracy to commit a crime.
If everyone pushed back, a conspiracy of one.

However, there may be others who can vouch for this, and we don't know who's flipping to protect their asses.

Many are asking why there's no obvious and easy to prove charge to be made and later superseded (whatever the legal term is).

It may be that flippers' stories are being cross-checked.

OTOH, possession is 10/10ths of the law in the case of stolen goods.

Confusing.

Perhaps more sites are being targeted for search. If he dispersed documents, dispersing them may only increase the likelihood of them being found.

The only (admittedly bonehead) theory I can think of is that until he's charged, TFG is free to flee the country. And someone would prefer that to the long process of prosecution. But where?

Bridges are burning.

[MOMFUDSKI]

3. As long as he is free to waltz up to a microphone

he can spew whatever he cares to. More gasoline on the fire. Only DOJ can stop him. We will wait . . .

[Blue Owl]

5. I guess when you're a tRump, they let you do it

Until we see otherwise….