world

FBI seized 'top secret' documents from Trump home

108 Comments
By MICHAEL BALSAMO, ZEKE MILLER and ERIC TUCKER

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


108 Comments

Comments have been disabled You can no longer respond to this thread.

The Espionage Act?

Oh this just keeps getting better. :)

24 ( +28 / -4 )

“What’s the justification for the raid when they don’t find anything that they were looking for?” is answered now.

21 ( +24 / -3 )

In a statement earlier Friday, Trump claimed that the documents seized by agents were “all declassified,” and argued that he would have turned them over if the Justice Department had asked.

Trump kept possession of the documents despite multiple requests from agencies, including the National Archives, to turn over presidential records in accordance with federal law.

Would have turned them over if asked, but didn’t when asked.

20 ( +24 / -4 )

In a statement earlier Friday, Trump claimed that the documents seized by agents were “all declassified,” and argued that he would have turned them over if the Justice Department had asked.

All they needed to do was ask!

Trump kept possession of the documents despite multiple requests from agencies, including the National Archives, to turn over presidential records in accordance with federal law.

Oh, they did ask. Many times.

Trump's just likes stealing other people's stuff, whether it be via casinos, real estate, charities or Presindencies. Lock Him Up!

20 ( +26 / -6 )

In a statement earlier Friday, Trump claimed that the documents seized by agents were “all declassified,”

First of all, I doubt that he can provide any evidence that he declassified the documents, and secondly, for the what they are charging him with, that is irrelevant.

and argued that he would have turned them over if the Justice Department had asked.

Yeah right. So why hadn't Trump returned them when asked?

Well, there you have it. Trump isn't running ever again once he has his day in court.

18 ( +20 / -2 )

Trump could have released the details of the search warrant any time since Monday. Yet he is 'demanding' the DOJ release them 'immediately', knowing damn well they can't do that until they are approved by a judge. Which ironically is to protect Trump's own rights to privacy and a fair trial. Why? "Cos he needs time to ferment conspiracy theories around FBI planting evidence and DOJ political influence.

This man is a disgrace. He is utterly shameless and very, very dangerous.

18 ( +24 / -6 )

donald can barely read, so what was he doing with documents neither he nor any of his idiot followers would understand.

17 ( +22 / -5 )

The man who supposedly wrote the art of the deal got only $2 billion for these documents. The actual value would be at least 5 times that.

Even while committing treason donald made a losing deal, the irony!!!

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Faux bit themselves on their hinds today, Kilmeade putting up a morphed picture showing the judge who issued the warrant with Ghislaine..The actual picture was of Epstein.

They will issue an apology, not before the idiot Maga crows laps it up.

Pathetic!!!

16 ( +20 / -4 )

Imagine finding out Trump is being investigated for violating the Espionage Act, and people are still defending this moron.

18 ( +21 / -3 )

Faux bit themselves on their hinds today, Kilmeade putting up a morphed picture showing the judge who issued the warrant with Ghislaine..

It didn’t originate on FOX, that photo has been circulating out there for a moment now.

The actual picture was of Epstein.

Yes.

-14 ( +4 / -18 )

Time to send another donation?

There at least a half dozen investigations into Trump. Let's turn him into a career defendant and bleed his supporters dry.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Some Republican allies of Trump have called for the FBI to be defunded.

Too funny.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Given events this past week, I'm reminded of the old saying, "being hoisted on your own petard"....

Trump ranted in 2016 that "only the mob takes the 5th", and "if you're not guilty, what have you got to hide?"....

And in 2022 he confirms for us that he is both a mobster and guilty by his own definition....by hiding behind the 5th and taking it 440 times...

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-takes-fifth-over-440-031312457.html

He changes the National Security Law in 2018 making it a felony to inappropriately secure classified materiel....and then in 2020 steals boxes of TS and SCI, throws it in a closet, keeps it for two years, lies about turning it in, and when someone in his inner circle tips off the FBI, he gets caught...guaranteeing he'll be tried under his own more punishing statute...

I'd say that's Mega-MAGA-Schadenfreude...

14 ( +19 / -5 )

and information about the “President of France.” A binder of photos, a handwritten note, “miscellaneous secret documents” and “miscellaneous confidential documents” were also seized in the search.

This is even more interesting, donald was planning blackmail to pay the rent!!!

Boy this gets more and more pathetic !!!

7 ( +11 / -4 )

What I don't yet understand is why Mr. Trump wanted to keep the classified documents? When I was active duty I tried my darndest to minimize my contact with anything classified. Just too many ways to make an honest mistake and get yourself and your command in a bunch of hot water. The docs can only be handled in special spaces with special safes and special computer systems not connected to anything else. It makes work very hard to accomplish if you are diligent and follow all the rules. Plus if you don't know anything classified you can't goof and divulge a classified fact. Better to just avoid it as much as possible. I just can't get my head around why anybody wants to take boxes of such material home with them. It's like having radioactive material in the hall closet.

16 ( +19 / -3 )

As I've said since 2016, Trump, his Repub enablers and braindead supporters are a threat to the security of the nation. And they need to be treated as such. Trump needs to be watching the 2024 election on TV in a Federal prison.

The world and the country is facing unprecedented crisis; we haven't seen since WWII. Americans who continue to carry on the political infighting are also security risks to the nation.

Time to burn the witch at the stake, and make America great again.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Now donald is admitting that there were classified nuclear documents at Mar a lago, he is trying to blame the FBI for planting them there.

FBI will start fingerprint analysis on these documents to check who all have handled them.

There are a few people in donald’s circle and his family who will scream the loudest in the next few days and we’ll know that these were the ones who were involved in treason!

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Excited for Blacklabel to switch from “they didn’t find anything” to “okay they did, but causing exceptionally grave damage to US interests is good, actually”.

12 ( +16 / -4 )

Trump is guilty of believing he's above the law. He always believed the presidency would protect him from all wrong doing, including trying to get Comey on his side as a show of loyalty to him...an obvious breech of the office of the president and a lack of common sense.

The document labeled 'Top Secret/SCI' is of such importance to national security, even the most ardent Trump follower cannot possibly condone his actions of purposely taking documents with him after his presidency. It is continued proof Trump is an unhinged individual with narcissistic traits from thoughts he is privileged to the extent he is untouchable in the eyes of his own laws.

No he's not. Ultimately, he is an American and has to abide by the constitution and the laws. He's going down for treason and multiple acts against the democracy and good of the United States of America as the most mentally unstable liar the office of the presidency has ever known.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

We’re not there yet. First he’ll come in with “but Trump declassified them which he had the right to do”

Let me preemptively say: Presidents don't get to declassify just anything they want. Things that are classified by statute for example can't be unilaterally declassified. There's also a process to declassification.

Additionally, let's remember these documents are top secret. Someone in Trump's inner circle knew about or had access to these documents when the probably shouldn't have, AND don't forget there were numerous spies/foreign agents found at Mar-a-Lago. These documents could have easily fallen into the wrong hands.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/4/4/18295810/mar-a-lago-china-secret-service-zhang

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago security and Chinese spies spark concerns - Vox

10 ( +13 / -3 )

The FBI recovered documents that were labeled “top secret” from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers released Friday after a federal judge unsealed the warrant that authorized the unprecedented search this week. A property receipt unsealed by the court shows FBI agents took 11 sets of classified records from the estate during a search on Monday. The seized records include some marked not only top secret but also “sensitive compartmented information,” a special category meant to protect the nation's most important secrets that if revealed publicly could cause “exceptionally grave” damage to U.S. interests. The court records did not provide specific details about information the documents might contain.

This is now one of our nation's most serious espionage and national security incidents in our entire history...

All Americans should be outraged that one of our nation's trusted leaders took extremely sensitive national security information to his home, stored it in boxes in his closet, lied about turning it in, then was "outed" by a close insider...

The most concerning issue however is, who was he planning to share this information with? He obviously planned to do something with it since he could have turned it in last Jan with the other 15 boxes he stole, but lied and didn't. So who was he planning to share or sell this to?

I wouldn't be surprised to see treason added to the long list of charges...

Trump had very little chance of running again in 2024, but now that plan has gone up in flames...

10 ( +13 / -3 )

Pretty much all liberal ones, so what are you saying now?

The raid on Mar-a-Lago has nothing to do with liberals or Biden, or whatever argument pops up pro Trump and anti-liberal. Get off that horse, already.

The fact is the FBI acted independently with a great amount of work to determine Trump had taken documents he shouldn't have. That's now a fact.

13 ( +16 / -3 )

lol None of that changes the fact that Trump had classified documents at his residence. Documents he lied about having.

Lied?? Wait? According to whom? If the WH doesn’t have a log of what they have in their inventory and what is missing then someone needs to get fired and fast. Who’s running their accounting department?

He knew what he was doing.

So did the DOJ that’s why they had a very agreeable and mutual relationship to work things out, Trump was compliment all the way and then in June communications were breaking down. Ok, why and what was the reason? Why was there not another subpoena issued as normal per protocol? Why weren’t other peaceful measures used to solve the situation before the raid? And why would the Feds raid his place and NOT allow his personal lawyers stay on the premise? They had every legal right to be there. Why won’t Garland allow us to see the affidavit as to what was the underlying reason for issuing a warrant specifically? Garland is politically setting himself for one of the worst political defamation cases in memorable history.

More silly conspiracy theories

No, these are all documented historical backed up facts that you can Google.

-23 ( +4 / -27 )

The funniest thing is, if Trump had never run for President, all his tax crimes would have probably flown under the radar, he’d still be able to do his silly little TV show, and he’d be relaxing at Mar A Lago, instead of watching it be turned upside down while the FBI get evidence of treason against the United States.

Funny how things work out.

19 ( +22 / -3 )

@takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com

it won’t stop him trying.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Lied?? Wait? According to whom? If the WH doesn’t have a log of what they have in their inventory and what is missing then someone needs to get fired and fast. Who’s running their accounting department?

bass the lawyer: Your honor, my client may be a shoplifter and stolen $10,000 worth of merchandise. But why didn’t the shopkeeper stop him? The shopkeeper belongs in jail, not the shoplifter. I rest my case.

20 ( +24 / -4 )

Trump will do anything to stay on the front page.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

bass4funk

Why was there not another subpoena issued as normal per protocol?

There was a subpoena in June. But nothing returned.

They also made no fuss at all when conducting the search, if it wasn't leaked to the press, nobody would have known about it. The leak to the press was by Donald J. Trump.

16 ( +17 / -1 )

It didn’t originate on FOX, that photo has been circulating out there for a moment now.

So? It’s an obvious fake. It was journalistic malpractice for Fox to air it without comment. They’re liars.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

If the WH doesn’t have a log of what they have in their inventory and what is missing then someone needs to get fired and fast. Who’s running their accounting department?

At the time he took it… ummmm…. who was running their accounting department?

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Why weren’t other peaceful measures used to solve the situation before the raid?

There were. The FBI and Garland informed Trump and Trump ignored their communications.

Lied?? Wait? According to whom?

Wake up and smell the roses. Trump's lies are ubiquitous. He changes his tune and lies because he thinks he's so privileged he can, whenever he wants.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

Lied?? Wait? According to whom?

Yes, lied. He received a subpoena in June, and claimed he didn't have the documents. Now some of them were recovered, so clearly he knew he wasn't supposed to have them and he did indeed have them.

 Garland is politically setting himself for one of the worst political defamation cases in memorable history.

Lol Nope.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

bass4funk

If the WH doesn’t have a log of what they have in their inventory and what is missing then someone needs to get fired and fast. Who’s running their accounting department?

The staff at the White House were Trump staff when he was in office. Nothing to do with the current occupier.

11 ( +14 / -3 )

The inventory listed some as TS/SCI, Top Secret Sensitive Compartmented Information - the highest level of classification.

The president has no authority to declassify TS/SCI information.

He probably won’t go to jail, but he’ll be banned from holding elected office anywhere in the US, per the statute he signed into law.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

It is a crime to lie to the FBI.

If you are convicted of making a false statement, you could face up to five years in federal prison.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

The details of this story don't add up.

It makes no sense other than a smear campaign.

Trumps not even president anymore.

-18 ( +1 / -19 )

The details of this story don't add up.

Which details exactly?

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Trump has broken the law. A criminal. There goes 2024. Guess DeSantis will need a new running mate.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Yes, lied.

How? Lol

He received a subpoena in June,

Exactly, and was transparent even before that, so now that we got that out of the way, the proper channels should have been used. A raid should have been issued only if there were fears of him destroying the documents and as he was in NYC at the time, that seems highly unlikely that was the case. Again, protocol states you issue a second subpoena and take it from there.

and claimed he didn't have the documents.

Not according to his lawyers.

Now some of them were recovered,

Because he was already in the process of returning many of these documents, but there’s so much more that’s hanging over Garland’s head. If Trump would have been hiding and non-transparent he would have not pushed to have the documents released. And they knew some of these nuclear records were in his possession, they could have requested all this sooner and they didn’t. So yeah, they’re credibility is beyond shot.

-24 ( +3 / -27 )

Because he was already in the process of returning many of these documents

[Citation needed]

13 ( +17 / -4 )

bass4funk

you don't know what Trump was doing about anything. Conjecture by you.

15 ( +19 / -4 )

they could have requested all this sooner and they didn’t.

They did though.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

Exactly, and was transparent even before that,

Uh, no he wasn't. Had he been transparent, they wouldn't have had to get a search warrant.

Not according to his lawyers.

Well, if the defendant's lawyer says their innocent, they must be innocent.

Because he was already in the process of returning many of these documents

How do you know?

but there’s so much more that’s hanging over Garland’s head

No one's falling for this.

If Trump would have been hiding and non-transparent he would have not pushed to have the documents released.

Except he wasn't being transparent. He sat around and did nothing for months, just call him Benedict Donald and get it over with.

So yeah, they’re credibility is beyond shot.

Only amongst rightists, who have no credibility elsewhere.

15 ( +19 / -4 )

The details of this story don't add up.

It makes no sense other than a smear campaign.

Trumps not even president anymore.

Of course, it adds up. That's what the FBI does is add it all up to find reason for the raid.

It's not a smear campaign, Trump has done wrong, and he got caught.

But at least you acknowledge Trump is no longer president. That means he's a citizen who can and is being investigated for breaking laws of the United States of America. Not the Un-united States of Trump. It isn't his country to do as he pleases, which is what he believed while president, and apparently is so delusional, he still thinks he is above the law.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

bass4funk

Again, protocol states you issue a second subpoena and take it from there.

You don't need a second subpoena, if you have already issued one.

A raid should have been issued only if there were fears of him destroying the documents

A valid fear. You'd have to suspect something is up when he doesn't return the documents.

and as he was in NYC at the time

Which is irrelevant.

12 ( +16 / -4 )

So FIRST there was a lawful search warrant to which we heard “RAID!” (It wasn’t)

THEN we heard “Wait till it’s nothing. THEN YOULL BE SORRY! Release the warrant or else!” Um, ok. But you know YOU could release at any time, right? (Crickets)

THEN “He can declassify anything he wants!” A) No. not nuclear info, B) let’s see proof. He cannot just say (while President) “I hear by (liked that phrase, Don did. Made him feel powerful) declassify all this stuff.” I bet he didn’t. C) Obstruction of justice and the Espionage act don't concern themselves with declassification.

THEN, “But what about?” Gonna stop you right there. “Nuclear” tops everything else.

THEN, “Just you wait till the election!” Completely different issue and let’s see what the electorate has to say about a former POTUS investigated for violation s of the Espionage act?

Last night I was watching a US morning show w/the Mrs. who is a near-native (I would go w/ “native” but she attended Uni in Kansas ....) English speaker.

The anchors started using the term espionage in relation to Trump and she said. “They just said ‘Espionage’ and ‘Trump’ in the same sentence. Not one person on the panel batted an eye.”

And I thought it telling that nobody on the legal/nat security panel would bat an eye. As if to say “Of course he would. The man is a sociopath.”

Legally, “Why?” is irrelevant but I still want to know. Knowing Trump, it’s fair to assume the worst.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

The telling thing is that while shocking, none of this is in the least bit surprising.

This is totally in character with the behavior of a narcissistic sociopath. He cares about no one and nobody but himself. He would sell the entire country down the river if it were beneficial to himself.

His excuse about how he used to take classified docs to the residence is as laughably not analogous as it is implausible. This man never took work home with him.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Remember when she gave code-word clearance intel about an Israeli op to the Russian foreign minister in the Oval Office? I do.

Remember when he posted a HIGHLY classified sat photo of Iranian missile sites which would give intel on the satellite position and resolution? I do.

Remember when he met with his handler, er...””counterpart” Vladimir for 2 hours sans advisers and then took the interpreter’s notes and sided with the Russians over his own national security apparatus? I do.

So is this in character with his behavior not only during but long before his presidency? YEAH it is.

Is it reasonable to draw the WORST imaginable conclusions regarding what he intended to do with it? Yep.

Legally that last issue is irrelevant but we are still free to draw our own conclusions.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Aww that cute- glad you thinking of me. 

So the FBI that says parents are “domestic terrorists” and that “white supremacy” is our top national security issue now says they found “top secret” documents. That doesn’t mean they found anything. 

Trump says they are declassified by his authority. a standing order when he was President that everything taken out of the Oval Office by him to the residence is declassified when he does. 

Presidents have this right: 

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2017/may/16/james-risch/does-president-have-ability-declassify-anything-an/

So now you gotta prove it’s really top secret documents. Then gotta arrest. Then indict. Then prove they aren’t declassified by Trump already. Defend the raid and affidavit. prove “nuclear” claim. Then prove he intended to sell or give them to someone else. Then win the case and convict, then sentence. 

Then go all the way to the Supreme Court to disqualify him from office. By then he will already have been President again for several years.

-17 ( +4 / -21 )

Let's not forget there was an informant. We don't yet know what he or she showed them in relation to what documents Trump had. But it was part of the reason for the DOJ's actions.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

So bottom line, what the little to no credibility FBI says they found doesn’t really mean much.

that warrant was a joke. Any government or presidential document in any room? Kinda fishing expedition, no?

-16 ( +3 / -19 )

If the WH doesn’t have a log of what they have in their inventory and what is missing then someone needs to get fired and fast. Who’s running their accounting department.

Classified materials have to be stored is special secure spaces in special GSA approved safes. Everyone who enters or leaves the secure space has to be cleared for that space. That means not only do they have the requisite level of clearance but also a need to know. The cleared individual signs in to the space and signsout when they leave. If a classified document is removed from a safe, it is checked out on a separate sheet with the time it was removed and the time it was replaced. Something that is TS / SCI is going to be in a space guarded by an armed soldier or Marine. I have had friends who worked at that level in industry who worked with an armed Marine guarding their door. You don't remove TS / SCI from a classified workspace. Nobody but the people in that particular compartment are ever supposed to have access to TS / SCI.

This is more than just a case of a deficient security manager. This is sloppy habits all up and down the Trump administration. Just the fact that he had a personal cell phone is a huge security risk. Far too many ways to compromise a cell phone and use it to spy with. Do some research on the subject and you will see this is true. TS and TS / SCI should never under any circumstances end up in someone's closet. And no, a President cannot declassify materials on a whim. There is a big document called a Security Classification Guide for each organization that describes how documents they generate are classified and declassified, and no civil servant worth their paycheck is going to break the rules of that Class Guide and declassify something if the process is not in accordance with their regulations, because if they do they can go to jail no matter who ordered them to declassify the document.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

You don't need a second subpoena, if you have already issued one.

Legally and if you want to solve a problem of returning records like this yes you do if you are running into any problems where you think you need a more direct response or if communications are breaking down, then the lawyers on both sides come together and negotiate a release and return of the requested documents.

A valid fear. You'd have to suspect something is up when he doesn't return the documents.

Justifiably with this information in question but before this DOJ was politically compromised 

Which is irrelevant.

No, it’s relevant because it establishes the concerns that the DOJ and FBI had. Timeline matters and is important. If Trump were there on the premise and they thought he might destroy any important documents then they would have a legitimate case, but that never happened.

-14 ( +3 / -17 )

Thank God for Joe and the 81 million who voted for him.

Can anyone imagine the chaos and destruction this idiot (fun fact: most sociopaths are above average intelligence. So he’s not even a good sociopath.) would have wrought if he were still in office?

Withdraw from NATO.

Pull US troops from the Asia Pacific region.

Completely destroy any law enforcement agency that could hold him to account.

Politicize the military.

Sell secrets to the highest bidder.

And the list goes on and on.

And this is just 1 of no less than 5 criminal and one civil investigations into his conduct.

Thankfully, he is very, VERY unlikely to ever be within spitting distance of the reigns of power ever again.

His opponent merely has to say “My name is (insert literally ANY name here) and I have never violated the Espionage Act or Obstructed Justice by illegally possessing nuclear weapons documents.

His opponent could be a car detailed from Oakland and he would still win.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

bass4funkToday  10:23 am JST

Yes, lied.

How? Lol

He received a subpoena in June,

Exactly, and was transparent even before that, so now that we got that out of the way, the proper channels should have been used. A raid should have been issued only if there were fears of him destroying the documents and as he was in NYC at the time, that seems highly unlikely that was the case. Again, protocol states you issue a second subpoena and take it from there.

and claimed he didn't have the documents.

Not according to his lawyers.

Now some of them were recovered,

Because he was already in the process of returning many of these documents, but there’s so much more that’s hanging over Garland’s head. If Trump would have been hiding and non-transparent he would have not pushed to have the documents released. And they knew some of these nuclear records were in his possession, they could have requested all this sooner and they didn’t. So yeah, they’re credibility is beyond shot.

So a raid should've only been called for if there was a risk of Trump destroying the documents?????? Complete and utter nonsense. What was he doing with documents he shouldn't have been in possession of in the first place? The supposed 'patriot' was probably thinking of selling them.

An investigation and search warrant especially when dealing with a snake like Trump takes time. But we all know that this is the only miserable defense you have; that they didn't do it sooner so they supposedly have no credibility. Let's not even talk about the actual point; the credibility of ex-president who basically stole top secret documents.

This is what happens when political partisanship becomes abnormal for people like bass4funk and blacklabel. They discard basic morals and concepts of right and wrong and support criminals.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

and no civil servant 

Presidents can. they are not bound by this process or the determinations of Congress, courts or appointees.

the Constitution says hi!

so documents that used to be classified seem to have been found.

same “excuse” as Hillary, but she had no declassification power while Trump did.

-18 ( +3 / -21 )

Fun to read how the trumpybelievers defending the indefensible, a criminal who stole national security documents from WH and hid them in his hole disguised as a tropical mansion..

10 ( +14 / -4 )

Trump says they are declassified by his authority. a standing order when he was President that everything taken out of the Oval Office by him to the residence is declassified when he does. 

As inaccurate as it is toady.

He cannot unilaterally declassify nuclear information per US law. There are special refs on that intel. He can’t just wave his hand and say “I hereby declare!” There’s a process he has to undergo as President. Let’s see the documents on that (oh, there isn’t any?)

AND..... neither obstruction of justice nor the Espionage act violations are dependent upon the classification level . Merely possessing these docs is a crime.

(Rick Perry really should trademark “Oops” and put it on a shirt. He’s be rich.)

10 ( +12 / -2 )

His opponent merely has to say “My name is (insert literally ANY name here) and I have never violated the Espionage Act or Obstructed Justice by illegally possessing nuclear weapons documents.

And Trump replies, “neither have I”

you just skipped ahead 2 years without even considering you haven’t proved any part of this yet.

-18 ( +2 / -20 )

Let's not forget there was an informant.

As far as rumors go so far.

We don't yet know what he or she showed them in relation to what documents Trump had. But it was part of the reason for the DOJ's actions.

Which now more than ever not seem like governmental overreach, but beyond what was legally called for.

-15 ( +3 / -18 )

the Constitution says hi!

Federal code says “right back at ya!”

There’s nothing remotely applicable to this in the Constitution.

Theres rather a lot of case law, upheld by SCOTUS, on the matter. So there’s that.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

He cannot unilaterally declassify nuclear information per US law.

So who has proven the documents are “nuclear”?

that’s right, no one.

-19 ( +2 / -21 )

Let me ask you a question….do nuclear documents get held in the national archives?

-16 ( +2 / -18 )

Constitution:

“The President, after all, is the ‘Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States’" according to Article II of the Constitution, the court’s majority wrote. "His authority to classify and control access to information bearing on national security ... flows primarily from this constitutional investment of power in the President, and exists quite apart from any explicit congressional grant."

Supreme court confirmed it

-16 ( +2 / -18 )

45 is Fpotus. He isn’t President now.

Joe Biden is POTUS.

The same argument that has been repeated again and again and ignored by 45 supporters again and again still stands:

Only once in US history has a president been re-elected non consecutively. A Democrat in his early 50’s, 130 years ago.

Believing 45 will be President again was fantasy a year ago, now it’s a sign of lunacy.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Then why Dems so scared that they gave to get Trump disqualified from even being on the ballot then?

hmmmm….

-17 ( +3 / -20 )

Black, you can flail all you want.

Trump was served a lawful search warrant. The warrant resulted in the seizure of multiple code word classification documents that he had no right to be in possession of and no, he didn’t and cannot declassify them ( and their classification is not at issue or the issue).

He knowingly obstructed justice.

These are the facts as we know them. There’s nothing that says otherwise.

He’s a criminal and he’s going to be held to account.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Believing 45 will be President again was fantasy a year ago, now it’s a sign of lunacy.

Not now, particularly the way support is clambering around him and there’s no other challenger. If the Dems didn’t think Trump was serious or if Trump had absolutely zero interest in running, none of this would be happening, and the left knows this.

-18 ( +3 / -21 )

So the warrant was signed Friday at noon. The FBI knowingly let “nuclear documents” stay there over the weekend and just raided on Monday after a beach trip weekend?

nuclear documents sat at Mar A Lago for 18 months while the FBI chased parents and “white supremacy”. If so, that’s a huge fail and people should be fired.

thankfully, it’s just a bunch of stuff that was declassified long ago. Nuclear documents aren’t part of national archive process.

-17 ( +4 / -21 )

Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe argued that it is "virtually impossible" to prosecute his onetime boss, former President Donald Trump, for alleged mishandling of classified material.

You already said this and it’s as laughable the second time. Think up something new or move along.

Radcliff is a rube with no experience, who was brought in in the closing days when Trump was desperate to cling to power and who’s got his own issues to deal with as his texts all magically disappeared.

BUT A toady says “he can’t be prosecuted.” Well, I’m convicted!

3 ( +7 / -4 )

If the Dems didn’t think Trump was serious or if Trump had absolutely zero interest in running, none of this would be happening, and the left knows this.

The common consensus is that if 45 weren’t being investigated for serious crimes this wouldn’t be happening.

A minority will spin it to suit their world view, but that always happens and always will. Changes nothing at all.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

You know who we HAVEN’T heard from? All those GQP Congress/Senate types.

Suddenly Raphael, Little Marco, Ms. Lindsey and the other minions in the outrage brigade have gone silent?

I wonder why?

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Radcliff is a rube with no experience,

…and your credentials are?

who was brought in in the closing days when Trump was desperate to cling to power and who’s got his own issues to deal with as his texts all magically disappeared.

Sounds like someone else I distinctly remember from a few years ago…

-10 ( +3 / -13 )

resulted in the seizure of multiple code word classification documents that he had no right to be in possession of and no, he didn’t and cannot declassify them ( and their classification is not at issue or the issue).

That’s where you are wrong and fell victim to hopium. It’s already been determined he can declassify.

and you can say “nuclear” and “code word” all you want, that’s not proven. Also not proven he had no right to have them. Obama has 33 million documents hidden.

-15 ( +2 / -17 )

You know who we HAVEN’T heard from? All those GQP Congress/Senate types. 

Suddenly Raphael, Little Marco, Ms. Lindsey and the other minions in the outrage brigade have gone silent? 

I wonder why?

Cause it’s weekend in the summer when they not at work. They on vacation or at the beach with their families, just like Biden.

-16 ( +2 / -18 )

Sniff…sniff…sniff

Wait…do I detect a whiff of desperation in the defenders here?

I expect more 1990s LOLs and ROFLs coming, along with the use of “And??? (read “I can’t think of anything to say”).

6 ( +10 / -4 )

That’s where you are wrong and fell victim to hopium. It’s already been determined he can declassify.

The Department of Justice says you are wrong. I’m going with them.

Cause it’s weekend in the summer when they not at work. They on vacation or at the beach with their families, just like Biden.

Oh, that’s totally the reason. I bet even you couldn’t type that without giggling.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Obama has 33 million documents hidden.

No he doesn’t. The National Archives have them.

That’s like being arrested for speeding and saying “Ayrton Senna drove faster than me, there’s video footage and everything”.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Nah, he’s not.

Even if he were this is another 4 year witch-hunt that will end with “careless” and “no intent” in 2026/27 following the previous precedent set.

-18 ( +2 / -20 )

donald’s idiot crowd has gone from

There are no records.

There are no classified records.

The classified records were planted.

OK, they’re real but trump declassified those records.

You want proof of declassification?

Their stories are spinning faster than a parachute that is spinning out of control. The crash landing is close and boy it’s not going to be pretty!!!

10 ( +14 / -4 )

Simple question.

Why did not Trump hand over all the documents when the National Archive came to collect them in the first place? Why did he continue to lie, hide and deny he had any more classified documents? Was he going to destroy them?

Trump was fit to the president the first time round. Historically defeated in his second attempt. Barred for being a criminal in his third attempt.

Trump will be handing out AR-15s instead of celebratory slices of cake.

11 ( +14 / -3 )

It is utterly revolting to see the leftists turn the U.S. into a banana republic.

ROFL, an ex president selling national secrets to the highest bidder is what makes America a banana republic.

Its encouraging to see donald’s idiots base slowly dwindling, now that some of the brainwashed dimwits are beginning to understand the implications of treason!

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Why did he continue to lie, hide and deny he had any more classified documents? Was he going to destroy them?

He put a padlock on the storage room they were in, per their request in a June. He knew the boxes were there and so did they.

same padlock they broke in the raid.

-17 ( +3 / -20 )

they found “top secret” documents. That doesn’t mean they found anything. 

Read this again, slowly.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

He put a padlock on the storage room they were in, per their request in a June. He knew the boxes were there and so did they.

I guess none of the intelligence organizations across the world have developed the technology to break padlocks.

And stealing something, denying it and then saying what was stolen was under padlock is not much of a defense!!

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Why did not Trump hand over all the documents when the National Archive came to collect them in the first place? 

Indeed. Curiouser and curiouser as Alice might say.

I notice that every time his Toadies scream a rationalization, his legal position gets worse.

I would speculate that THAT is why they’ve gone silent but of course they care for him even less that he does for them.

They know he’s toast. It’s “Dasvidanya and don’t get any on ya.”

Donald, welcome to the underside of your own bus. Get comfy. You’re gonna be here a while.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

“Top secret”

quotation marks are important.

if they are declassified already they didn’t find any “top secret” documents.

-17 ( +3 / -20 )

”But I put a padlock on the door of my insecure public space!”

Yep, go with that one.

11 ( +15 / -4 )

That’s what they told him to do.

-20 ( +2 / -22 )

You know it's bad when democrats openly and forcefully criticize this blatant and obvious political raid. And she isn't the only one.

https://youtu.be/WA6XgCt0xSM

-15 ( +1 / -16 )

The seized records include some marked not only top secret but also “sensitive compartmented information,” a special category meant to protect the nation's most important secrets that if revealed publicly could cause “exceptionally grave” damage to U.S. interests.

Note to FBI and DOJ--do not disclose that information by email to Hillary Clinton.

-13 ( +3 / -16 )

You do realize the national archives people were at his house already before along with his lawyers, don’t you?

-17 ( +3 / -20 )

Why did not Trump hand over all the documents when the National Archive came to collect them in the first place?

Because those documents were not requested at the time.

Why did he continue to lie, hide and deny he had any more classified documents?

He didn’t lie, that’s why he and his lawyers along with the DOJ lawyers negotiated for the documents that they needed.

Was he going to destroy them?

Then he would’ve been in Marl Lago and not at Trump Towers for that to physically happen.

Barred for being a criminal in his third attempt.

No, he hasn’t been barred from Anything and so far it seems the lefts latest attempt is failing as well.

-21 ( +3 / -24 )

I remember predicting in 2016 that if trump becomes President he will destroy the GOP.

But boy, not in my wildest dreams did I realize how bad it would be.

All the idiots out there defending the treasonous trump will be singing different tunes soon. Though the idiot few will be down to ‘treason is not a crime’

8 ( +13 / -5 )

Because those documents were not requested at the time.

You have no way of knowing that!

He didn’t lie, that’s why he and his lawyers along with the DOJ lawyers negotiated for the documents that they needed.

He lied that’s why the FBI paid a visit to seize the documents.

Then he would’ve been in Marl Lago and not at Trump Towers for that to physically happen.

The FBI waited till he was out of Mar a lago.

10 ( +15 / -5 )

Garland played Trump and his lackeys brilliantly on this. “Release the documents!!” So now they ar being released and the Republicans are crying about that. What’s worse is that the cowards — calling for war in the morning but staying in bed — continue to support a former president who it’s clear had nuclear information, which he could sell, lose, leak, or otherwise give to the enemies of the US (and he’d definitely sell it). Absolute folks and cowards to still defend the man.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

I guess none of the intelligence organizations across the world have developed the technology to break padlocks.

And stealing something, denying it

He didn’t and the DOJ knows that, now if they want to further burn their careers and already tarnished reputation even more, they should try that line in a court of law.

and then saying what was stolen was under padlock is not much of a defense!!

Define irony. It was the DOJ that requested to the Trump team that they get a strong padlock and to secure those documents, he did just that and then a few months later they break it down?? These people are a joke. Can’t wait for the impeachment hearings to start for Garland. Very ironic.

-17 ( +2 / -19 )

He didn’t and the DOJ knows that,

He did and the DOJ knows that, guess you need to catch up on reading!

Define irony. It was the DOJ that requested to the Trump team that they get a strong padlock and to secure those documents, he did just that and then a few months later they break it down?? 

Because he had documents that he denied having!

Lying to the feds is a crime!

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Remember--Russia has a bill of rights like the US.

But their constitution does not prohibit a centralization of power, like the US constitution is supposed to do.

So it is no surprise the leftists here are supporting this staines, political persecution.

-17 ( +2 / -19 )

I am actually somewhat heartened by the pathetic nature of his sycophants defenses.

They are as legally ludicrous as they are believable.

There are a LOT of smart people who actually went to law school and know this particular area of the law that say “Deep stuff, Maynard”

But of COURSE Kashe of “Kashe’s corner” says “That’s a GSA mistake!” (GSA released a statement that was as cutting as it was short: “Decisions on shipping are wholly the decision of the President.” Ouch!)

If this, THIS is their best shot, Don is completely screwed.

I mean, RUDY COULD DO BETTER THAN THIS (*If he were sober and had a valid license to practice law, but since neither of these are ever true, never mind.)

3 ( +7 / -4 )

These people are a joke. Can’t wait for the impeachment hearings to start for Garland.

Waiting for Godot might be easier.

But be ready for some serious charges, even the most extreme of right wingers know treason is a crime!

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites