FBI executed search warrant at Mar-a-Lago

[GermanSuplex]

Glad to see the DoJ appealed. I have heard from defense attorneys that of course they would ask a judge to grant them a special master, but have heard from prosecutors and other judges that such a move in this type of case is so unusual as to be absurd. Coupled with the judge essentially pre-ruling in the subject's favor without hearing any arguments, its confusing at best, corrupt at worst.

I hope the gloves are off at the DoJ. They've already initiated the actions and enraged the cult, so I don't see what else they can do at this point but move ahead full steam.

 

[Cmaier]

Okay, I'll take the bait. What's the story behind this?

Long story. This should give you some of the flavor.

 

[Renzatic]

Long story. This should give you some of the flavor.

It's certainly piqued my interest. Sounds like the beginnings of one helluva courtroom drama story.

 

[Eric]

The DoJ is appealing the special master ruling to the 11th circuit court of appeals.

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763.68.0_1.pdf

The 11th circuit court of appeals ruled that I couldn’t have violated a lady’s civil rights one time, so I have high hopes.

Will be interesting to see how it turns out, they can't all be Trump appointees.

 

[Renzatic]

Will be interesting to see how it turns out, they can't all be Trump appointees.

Though keep in mind that a judge being a Trump appointee isn't necessarily an indicator of bias. Of all the various cases we've seen Trump field since his electoral defeat in 2020, I believe this is the only time we've seen a Trump appointed judge act in a questionable manner to his benefit.

 

[Cmaier]

Though keep in mind that a judge being a Trump appointee isn't necessarily an indicator of bias. Of all the various cases we've seen Trump field since his electoral defeat in 2020, I believe this is the only time we've seen a Trump appointed judge act in a questionable manner to his benefit.

It will be a three-judge panel at the 11th circuit, in all likelihood, so you need two judges on your side.

 

[fooferdoggie]

The DoJ is appealing the special master ruling to the 11th circuit court of appeals.

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763.68.0_1.pdf

The 11th circuit court of appeals ruled that I couldn’t have violated a lady’s civil rights one time, so I have high hopes.

but trumped loaded that court too.

 

[Renzatic]

It will be a three-judge panel at the 11th circuit, in all likelihood, so you need two judges on your side.

All we can do is wait and see how it all plays out. By this point, it should be obvious that all our fates are tied to the whims of nepotists and asskissers, always wondering if they'll do what's right for the nation, or what's most convinent for them at any given moment.

 

[Eric]

but trumped loaded that court too.

Scary

Senate confirms sixth Trump nominee to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals – Ballotpedia News

news.ballotpedia.org

Overall, the Senate has confirmed 188 of President Trump’s Article III judicial nominees—two Supreme Court justices, 51 appellate court judges, 133 district court judges, and two U.S. Court of International Trade judges—since January 2017. Brasher is the first Article III judge the Senate has confirmed in 2020.

Even in Conservative circles they're questioning Trump though, look at Barr for example and anyone reasonable would let this carry on but under these circumstances it could go either way. In the end it looks like he could very well be above the law by all counts.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

This special master thing seems like an attempt to plead the 5th with evidence. "My client requests the ability to remove any documents that proves they committed a crime."

This on top of me being completely unaware you can shop around for a sympathetic judge like you shop for car insurance. There's so much to learn from Trump when he's not attempting to teach you anything.

 

[rdrr]

Scary

Senate confirms sixth Trump nominee to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals – Ballotpedia News

news.ballotpedia.org

Even in Conservative circles they're questioning Trump though, look at Barr for example and anyone reasonable would let this carry on but under these circumstances it could go either way. In the end it looks like he could very well be above the law by all counts.

Can the DoJ request that Trump appointed judges recuse themselves from the 3 judge panelling? However does it really matter? Next stop, SC.

 

[Yoused]

umm,

Trump pushed to preserve White House docs because he was convinced Biden would destroy evidence of a 'Deep State' plot against him, report says

Trump, who has a reputation for mistreating material, urged aides to preserve Russia-investigation papers, Rolling Stone reported.

www.businessinsider.com

The boxes of classified materials were proof that the Bobby Three Sticks investigation was a Deep State Plot to destroy CFEFWSG. I mean, totally, dude. And if he had not spirited them off to MaL, Biden would has shredded the evidene.

 

[rdrr]

So apparently Cannon is asking Trumps give the reason why 100 classified documents should be put under her order to cease the investigation until the Special Master is appointed.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1568010335738535937/

 

[lizkat]

LA Times has interesting piece up discussing the usual --day to day-- handling of documents prepared for presidential review. People who have actually assisted in those operations in prior administrations are still asking how the hell so many extremely sensitive documents ended up in Mar a Lago.

'Something horribly failed.' How did so many of America's secrets end up at Mar-a-Lago?

News of hundreds of missing classified documents recovered from former President Trump's home has the intelligence community reeling and the public asking: "How could it happen?"

www.latimes.com

The staff secretary is typically the main point of contact for all communications to the president’s office and leads a staff of more than100 people to ensure the president has the materials needed for all meetings and discussions. They almost always have code-word clearance to handle the country’s most closely guarded secrets, and the authority to determine what information makes it to the president’s desk and what to delegate to someone else.

Trump’s first staff secretary, Rob Porter, resigned in 2018 after allegations of domestic abuse against him became public. He never obtained a full security clearance, and the White House never said how he did the job without it. Handling and tracking classified documents might have been delegated to lower-ranking officials who did have clearance.

Trump’s second staff secretary, Derek Lyons, resigned in December 2020 and was not replaced. He did not respond to requests for comment.

Most staff secretaries use color-coded folders so the president can immediately identify what the information is for, Maloney said. [ Maloney is Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney of NYS who had sserved as staff secretary for Bill Clinton,] Under Clinton, a green folder meant the president needed to take action, such as signing a document; a blue folder indicated it contained information the president needed to know; yellow signified a personal matter and orange was to help prepare the president for a phone call. Classified information went into red folders, Maloney said.

“There are very capable, highly trained, nonpartisan people who help the staff secretary organize this mountain of paper that has to go to the president and we put together a well-organized stack of materials, each in its own color-coded folder and that goes up to the Oval Office at certain times that are set or that are based on the schedule, and then that material comes back,” Maloney said.

Classified materials are handled even more delicately, with the National Security Council executive secretary also tracking them because they need to be stored securely or immediately returned to the Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. Commonly called a SCIF, the facilities are a secure place where sensitive information can be viewed and discussed to prevent outside surveillance or spying. The staff that compiles the presidential daily brief is also responsible for tracking down any materials not returned with the briefing book.

“The idea that there would be classified materials going into the Oval and no record of what happened to them is not a world in which I lived,” Maloney said. “That doesn’t make any sense to me. It’s irresponsible. It’s completely inconsistent with the way a White House should work.”

 

[Cmaier]

So apparently Cannon is asking Trumps give the reason why 100 classified documents should be put under her order to cease the investigation until the Special Master is appointed.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1568010335738535937/

The DoJ’s motion puts her in a tough position. If she says “yep, we need a special master to decide whether Trump gets to have back these 100 documents that are actually marked as secret, even though they were subject to a judicially-issued warrant, and even though that means the government can’t actually do a damage assessment or figure out what happened to 90 other folders-worth of documents in the meantime” she will have to abandon the last fig leaf of impartiality that she thinks she has.

And for what it’s worth, I am not worried about the 11th circuit. The vast majority of federal judges - appointed by Trump or anyone else - have been pretty consistent in applying the law evenly with respect to matters involving Trump.

 

[Eric]

The DoJ’s motion puts her in a tough position. If she says “yep, we need a special master to decide whether Trump gets to have back these 100 documents that are actually marked as secret, even though they were subject to a judicially-issued warrant, and even though that means the government can’t actually do a damage assessment or figure out what happened to 90 other folders-worth of documents in the meantime” she will have to abandon the last fig leaf of impartiality that she thinks she has.

And for what it’s worth, I am not worried about the 11th circuit. The vast majority of federal judges - appointed by Trump or anyone else - have been pretty consistent in applying the law evenly with respect to matters involving Trump.

This DoJ has been really consistent in the way they've handled each one of these bumps on the road, thoughtful, rational and sticking to the facts. This is yet another move that puts them (this judge in this case) back on their heels. In the end it just seems to deflect and cost time but DoJ isn't having it and staying the course.

 

[GermanSuplex]

She’s asking questions now she should have made before her ruling? She should save face while she can after considering the DoJ’s argument. It’s not his material, period. There’s no need for a special master to review government documents that belong to said government. Period. Even if the papers were just copies of a banquet menu, they aren’t his.

Hopefully this judge will save face now. Trump is already laying it on pretty thick. I can’t wait to see his reaction if she changes her mind.

Notice how he uses a very typical deflection of white collar criminals (why pick on me when they could catch real criminals?), and whines about crime and corruption when he is a prime example of BOTH.

 

[Runs For Fun]

Rekt
https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1567676844203249664/

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Rekt
https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1567676844203249664/

if nothing else, at least more people are becoming aware of what the Federalist Society is and how they are an enemy of the people. They’ve been able to operate in the dark for far too long. They are a parasite on society. They should be up there with the KKK in public opinion and deserving of a “go fuck yourself" to whatever BS justification they word salad together.

 

[GermanSuplex]

Judge Cannon is going to have her career defined by this case, and its not going to be a good character portrait - personally or professionally. I don't know this woman, and while there's a strong suspicion she did this as a favor (her arguments - or lack of - are indicative of that), its also possible she's just an unqualified republican judge who thought a special master may be a good compromise for transparency and oversight in such a high-profile case. However, all the circumstances around this make me doubt that.

I hope she has thought a lot about this and comes to a better decision. I'm not sure if she can reverse course or if this will automatically be bumped up to appeals court, but if the DoJ appeals and wins, it will be a really bad blemish on her career, and she's just gotten started.

As for these documents, this is almost certainly similar to the Jan. 6 scheme, in that its going to sweep a lot of people up into the storm. His lawyers on this case are already in jeopardy of being witnesses, if not criminal liability. And Trump most certainly did not get these documents home by himself. Even if he had destroyed the infrastructure in place that was meant to keep track of these documents, he clearly had help in both getting them to his club and concealing them from the archives and DoJ.

It's very early into the public knowledge of this case, but each nugget that comes out makes Trump and those around him look worse and worse.