FBI executed search warrant at Mar-a-Lago

The rubes constant argument that Trump had absolute authority to declassify the documents doesn’t change what’s in or on the documents. This argument undermines their constant whining about “Buttery Males” (😁). First, he’s not being charged for not declassifying documents and taking them home. That’s not the charge. He can’t have them, take them home, then ignore federal subpoenas to turn them over, have his lawyers sign documents saying he complied and no longer has them.

I just would like to know why people think that even if he could declassify anything he wanted, why would he? Again, what interest did it serve ANYONE? If he had found a legal way to declassify all of our nuclear secrets, invite Putin to the White House and give them to him during a live primetime meeting, would that be ok, even if “legal”? Extreme example, I know, but when will people’s devotion turn back to the country and the men and women who protect it instead of being entirely channeled into the protection of one single man?

A bit of a rhetorical question, because we don’t have many conservative posters here. I just can’t understand the rank hypocrisy and lies coming from the GOP. Watching that clip of Marco Rubio lying and then Rand Paul ignorantly asking “how do we know evidence wasn’t planted?” is just so maddening. This same party was perfectly ok with giving the federal government free reign to obtain all sorts of surveillance and information on millions of Americans “because terrorism”, but when tons of classified info is purposefully and willfully taken to Trump’s home, stored there and illegally kept from authorities, it’s a travesty against him?

We’ve been hearing more about Hillary Clinton from the right this past week than we have Trump, and I understand the parallels and am no way condoning what Clinton did. But as with any line of work, there’s a clear difference in intent. The argument that it was careless is important and true. But digital rules have changed swiftly over the last decade, and Trump ran on “Lock Her Up”. So you would think he of all people would be the least likely to take a bunch of important shit home to a golf club, then defy subpoenas. Never mind the fact the timeline and circumstances between this and the Clinton scandal are wholly different. We could have a whole separate thread to discuss the parallels and differences, but they are not the same. It’s not a valid defense of Trump to bring up Hillary Clinton.

*FFS, this dude knows better. 🙄

 
Last edited:
GermanSuplex said:
The rubes constant argument that Trump had absolute authority to declassify the documents doesn’t change what’s in or on the documents. This argument undermines their constant whining about “Buttery Males” (😁). First, he’s not being charged for not declassifying documents and taking them home. That’s not the charge. He can’t have them, take them home, then ignore federal subpoenas to turn them over, have his lawyers sign documents saying he complied and no longer has them.

I just would like to know why people think that even if he could declassify anything he wanted, why would he? Again, what interest did it serve ANYONE? If he had found a legal way to declassify all of our nuclear secrets, invite Putin to the White House and give them to him during a live primetime meeting, would that be ok, even if “legal”? Extreme example, I know, but when will people’s devotion turn back to the country and the men and women who protect it instead of being entirely channeled into the protection of one single man?

A bit of a rhetorical question, because we don’t have many conservative posters here. I just can’t understand the rank hypocrisy and lies coming from the GOP. Watching that clip of Marco Rubio lying and then Rand Paul ignorantly asking “how do we know evidence wasn’t planted?” is just so maddening. This same party was perfectly ok with giving the federal government free reign to obtain all sorts of surveillance and information on millions of Americans “because terrorism”, but when tons of classified info is purposefully and willfully taken to Trump’s home, stored there and illegally kept from authorities, it’s a travesty against him?

We’ve been hearing more about Hillary Clinton from the right this past week than we have Trump, and I understand the parallels and am no way condoning what Clinton did. But as with any line of work, there’s a clear difference in intent. The argument that it was careless is important and true. But digital rules have changed swiftly over the last decade, and Trump ran on “Lock Her Up”. So you would think he of all people would be the least likely to take a bunch of important shit home to a golf club, then defy subpoenas. Never mind the fact the timeline and circumstances between this and the Clinton scandal are wholly different. We could have a whole separate thread to discuss the parallels and differences, but they are not the same. It’s not a valid defense of Trump to bring up Hillary Clinton.

*FFS, this dude knows better. 🙄

Click to expand...

Among other things, the Trump era has demonstrated the need to put in place laws to limit the president's power. In the past, we've expected presidents to follow norms, to stay within guardrails imposed by longstanding practice, dedication to the collective good, and decency. Nixon went beyond them, but eventually gave in and resigned when faced with certain conviction in the Senate, thanks to the efforts of his congressional supporters.

None of that has held true with Trump, who believes he can do anything he wishes, knowing most elected officials in his party will support him or, at most, won't do or say anything on the record. Republican senators had not just one, but two opportunities to ensure Trump could never run for office again, but failed to act.

No president should have the ability to unilaterally declassify sensitive documents and share them as they wish, to initiate a nuclear strike or counter-strike, or invoke martial law without appropriate consultation.
 
One of the more recent excuses used by team Covfefe is that TFG was too busy couping to pack in a timely manner so he was just throwing stuff in boxes.

My question is - why were there that many documents in the residential quarters?
 
Consciousness of guilt:

After the meeting where the gov’t went to Mar-a-Lago and collected stuff, they told Trump’s people that the room where it was kept wasn’t secure. After that, Trump put a bigger lock on the room.

That’s very different than what had been reported - that the government told Trump to put a bigger lock on it.

The gov’t was told it had picked up all the classified and secret documents, so it had no reason to tell trump to put a lock on it. But trump put a lock on it because he knew that there were still secrets there.
 
Alli said:
One of the more recent excuses used by team Covfefe is that TFG was too busy couping to pack in a timely manner so he was just throwing stuff in boxes.

My question is - why were there that many documents in the residential quarters?
Click to expand...

I want to know if DoJ has turned whoever assisted Trump in extracting so much material from SCIFs or safes in the West Wing or the temporary SCIF at Mar a Lago.

In the case of a President, the return of a particular document or set of documents is not likely on the clock like for a public library patron, but still.... the stuff must be logged out somewhere whenever removed, no?

So was it squirreled away over time, or taken all at once on the very last day? And if the latter, was it then even logged out? In that case someone or the someones who managed that escapade have recently had a very high level of motivation to turn self into the DoJ and cooperate fully, in hopes of escaping some part of an extremely long prison sentence.
 
From WaPo:


It is not precisely clear who packed up the classified materials at Mar-a-Lago, or how they got there in the first place. Trump was very secretive about the packing of boxes that were retrieved from Mar-a-Lago last month, and did not let other aides — including some of his most senior advisers — look at them, according to people close to him.
 
lizkat said:
In the case of a President, the return of a particular document or set of documents is not likely on the clock like for a public library patron, but still.... the stuff must be logged out somewhere whenever removed, no?
Click to expand...

There's typically a person who controls documents being checked out to requestors, and when documents are returned. Signed and dated receipts with the name of the document and name of the person taking/returning the document with a copy given to the requestor.
 
Cmaier said:
From WaPo:


It is not precisely clear who packed up the classified materials at Mar-a-Lago, or how they got there in the first place. Trump was very secretive about the packing of boxes that were retrieved from Mar-a-Lago last month, and did not let other aides — including some of his most senior advisers — look at them, according to people close to him.
Click to expand...

citypix said:
There's typically a person who controls documents being checked out to requestors, and when documents are returned. Signed and dated receipts with the name of the document and name of the person taking/returning the document with a copy given to the requestor.
Click to expand...

Trump's level of paranoia by now must be off the charts, or else he's on some really great meds.
 
citypix said:
In the real world that's how it works with "regular people" working in that environment.

In trump world, who knows?
Click to expand...

True. Trump likely never really trusts anyone anyway, and may figure that money (or.. kompromat?) will fix whatever goes wrong as a result of his dealings, including confidences exchanged, or valued information he holds but with a shady provenance.
 
Another fun thing. Trump people claim they were able to turn on the cameras from NY and watch the search. Which means cameras are everywhere in mar-a-Lago and are connected to the internet? How long have they been there? Do we really think they can’t have been hacked by foreign governments? Is there sound?
 
Cmaier said:
Do we really think they can’t have been hacked by foreign governments? Is there sound?
Click to expand...

I think that would have been a piece of cake by almost any foreign government. One that's somewhat sophisticated such as Russian intelligence services...it's already happened - count on it.

And that's really troubling knowing how careless trump is.
 
citypix said:
I think that would have been a piece of cake by almost any foreign government. One that's somewhat sophisticated such as Russian intelligence services...it's already happened - count on it.

And that's really troubling knowing how careless trump is.
Click to expand...
He’s such a cheap careless bastard he probably installed Ring cameras all over the place :-)
 

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