FBI Broadly Rummaged Through Trump’s Files, Supporting Theory This Is Not Just About “Classified” Documents
The scope of the warrant and material seized strongly suggest that securing highly sensitive documents that could damage national security was not the only goal, and appears to be a pretext for a wholesale rummaging through former President and likely candidate Trump’s files.
The FBI search warrant and inventory of items seized leaves a lot of questions open, particularly since the supporting affidavits were not released.
The legal questions are not something I can address right now. I’m not that familiar with the classification system and the laws that pertain to it, so I’m going to have to rely on others until I can come up to speed. But we do know that Trump is asserting that the documents all were previously declassified by him while president even if the markings on the documents were not removed, that as president he arguably had an unfettered right to do so unrestricted by congressional statutes that might apply to others, that the potential violations of having such documents normally would not be prosecuted and were not prosecuted against Hillary Clinton. The legalities will have to work themselves out.
But what I do know about the legalities, based on the warrant and inventory, is that the DOJ used them as a hook for a much larger search of Trump’s records than merely trying to retrieve highly classified information. We know that from the scope of the warrant and inventory list.
First, the geographical scope of the search was not a specific location, it was almost all of the sprawling Mar-a-Lago except for guest rooms (emphasis added):
“The premises to be searched, 1100 S Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach, FL 33480, is further described as a resort, club, and residence located near the intersection of Southern Blvd and S Ocean Blvd. It is described as a mansion with approximately 58 bedrooms, 33 bathrooms, on a 17-acre estate. The locations to be searched include the “45 Office,” all storage rooms, and all other rooms or areas within the premises used or available to be used by FPOTUS and his staff and in which boxes or documents could be stored, including all structures or buildings on the estate. It does not include areas currently (i.e., at the time of the search) being occupied, rented, or used by third parties (such as Mar-a-Largo Members) and not otherwise used or available to be used by FPOTUS and his staff, such as private guest suites.”
Second, the scope of documents that could be searched and seized was similarly broad, and as Sean Davis and others have pointed out, included any and every record kept at Mar-a-Lago created during and as part of Trump’s presidency, regardless of subject matter or classification (emphasis added):
“All physical documents and records constituting evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items illegally possessed in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 793, 2071 , or 1519, including the following:
a. Any physical documents with classification markings, along with any containers/boxes (including any other contents) in which such documents are located, as well as any other containers/boxes that are collectively stored or found together with the aforementioned documents and containers/boxes;
b. Information, including communications in any form, regarding the retrieval, storage, or transmission of national defense information or classified material;
c. Any government and/or Presidential Records created between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021; or
d. Any evidence of the knowing alteration, destruction, or concealment of any government and/or Presidential Records, or of any documents with classification markings.”
Now you know why it took an estimated 30 FBI agents 9 hours to conduct the search and to package and remove the documents. We don’t currently know where exactly the FBI searched, but it was reported they brought a safe-cracker with them. It’s fair to assume they rifled through drawers and checked for storage places throughout Trump’s office and residence. Apparently the security cameras were not turned off, despite FBI request, so we may one day see at least some of what went on.
We also know how broad the search was from the breadth of materials removed, most of which (by box count) were not marked classified, and included likely personal items like photos. Most of the list consists of “boxes” but we don’t know how full the boxes were, some may have very little in them but were given separate boxes for tracking (e.g., the FBI would know which box related to which location).
Remember, these are just the materials removed. The scope of what was reviewed would have been much broader. I don’t know if the FBI took photos or notes and whether such information would have to be disclosed and turned over absent a criminal prosecution. So what was in the inventory is a subset of what was viewed by the FBI. It was intrusive far beyond the physical documents removed.
Here’s the inventory list (emphasis added, highlighting inventory items with no reference to classification):
1 – Executive Grant of Clemency re: Roger Jason Stone, Jr.
lA – Info re: President of France
2 – Leatherbound box of documents
2A – Various classified/TS/SCI documents
3 – Potential Presidential Record
5 – Binder of photos
6 – Binder of photos
7 – Handwritten note
8 – Box labeled A-1
9 – Box labeled A-12
10 – Box Labeled A-15
10A – Miscellaneous Secret Documents
11 – Box Labeled A-16
11A – Miscellanous Top Secret Documents
12 – Box labeled A-17
13 – Box labeled A-18
13A – Miscellaneous Top Secret Documents
14 – Box labeled A-27
14-A – Miscellaneous Confidential Documents4 – Documents
29 – Box labeled A-14
30 – Box Labeled A-26
31 – Box Labeled A-43
32 – Box Labeled A-13
33 – Box Labeled A-33
What was in the boxes? We don’t know.
After the release of the warrant, Andy McCarthy repeated his assessment that this is about January 6:
“I think the most remarkable thing about it is it lays out three statutory violations. And just to just to give a little background on this, to get a search warrant, you have to have probable cause that a crime has been committed, not a violation. It’s got to be a statutory crime, a penal crime. So they lay out three crimes that involve classified information, including the Espionage Act. And then this is attachment B, by the way, of the warrant for people who want to go look at it. But they they then go on to describe what you’re allowed to take, what what the court is allowing the agents to take, which is supposed to be evidence of these violations of law. And I get down to doubleheader. What does it B. And it says any government and or presidential records created by the created between the first day of Trump’s term and the last day of Trump’s term, that refers guy to a violation of the Presidential Records Act. It doesn’t relate to classified information. The Presidential Records Act. Is not a criminal law. It’s not a penal or criminal violation. So to my mind, this warrant allows them to take everything that is a presidential record, regardless of whether it is marked as classified information or not, which to my mind, not. You always have to police yourself falling in love with your own theory. But I think they’re trying to collect as much information as they can in hopes of getting the motherlode on on some January six related crime that they can bring against Trump. This warrant is clearly not limited to classified information.”
The affidavits supporting the warrants may shed light on why such a broad geographical and subject matter search was needed, but the scope of the warrant and material seized strongly suggest that securing highly sensitive documents that could damage national security was not the only goal. Until proven otherwise, that national defense objective appears to be a pretext for a wholesale rummaging through former President and likely candidate Trump’s files.
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Comments
It was a fishing expedition
Seen on Trump’s “2025 Presidential First Day Priority List”: 1. Crush the FBI. Drive it before me. Hear the lamentation of the Democrats.
Then get down to the real payback on day 2?
99%
There may also be a connection between the raid and the clinton lawsuit. The clinton lawsuit may have the deep state spooked as it provides an opportunity to advertise the FBI/DOJ corruption.
The judge that signed off on the warrant was assigned the civil case for several months before resigning from the case earlier this year. How much insider information does he hold.
Here is Kash Patel clarifying that connection:
https://defiantamerica.com/this-should-bring-the-whole-case-down-the-feds-involved-in-the-trump-raid-allegedly-have-been-under-investigation-by-durham-for-abuse-of-power/
This is also why some are upset that Breitbart provided the names of some of the FBI agents involved in the raid. These guys are the modern Keystone Kops.
We already know that FBI agents have lied on affidavits and falsified records. I would not be surprised if evidence was planted. Otherwise, why turn off the security cameras.
Let me put your mind to ease on that- they didn’t plant anything and never were going to
The requirement to “try” to intimidate people ( no recording, witnessing or whatever) for warrant execution is pretty much universally SOP with every agency- you even hear it down to the beat level officer with a cell camera.
There are many reasons for this beyond just the routine “intimidation” that goes with warrant service.
It creates stress via secrecy ( you don’t really know what they found so you may crack)- that can open doors on the scene for more or deeper searching.
It does cover unethical/illegal acts and even ‘honest errors’ that could have severe consequences.
It creates a he said/she said environment if your attorney tries to challenge/quash a warrant or exclude evidence.
Yea, and they wouldn’t illegally eavesdrop on you either.
/s
you know all this how exactly?
You are not that stupid.
Trump has been illegally surveilled since day one. That has been proven and there is no way you don’t know this.
Your’e becoming quite the enemy of freedom and liberty.
The DOJ is corrupt and an enemy of Americans.
The FBI is corrupt and an enemy of Americans.
The CIA/intelligence agencies are corrupt and an enemy of Americans.
The EPA is corrupt and an enemy of Americans.
The ED is corrupt and an enemy of Americans.
The ______* is corrupt and an enemy of Americans.
The biden regime is corrupt and an enemy of Americans.
You want to argue with that, go ahead. You’ll look like a complete fool.
*fill in the name of any government agency.
this time the fish won
Mar-a-Lago is an excellent place to fish.
Well, if the last 6 years is anything to go on where the Democrats inadvertently proved Trump was probably the cleanest fucker to have sat in the WH then I doubt there’s any happy fishing to be had.
I was referring to its proximity to the SEA and the LAKE.
“Even though there is no evidence, the seriousness of the charge is what matters”–Thomas Foley (D, WA)
This is SOP for the Dems for President Trump since before his election. They hype the alleged charges over and over, a la Josef Goebbels, pound it daily until the weak minded are convinced there must be something to it.
Of course, after repeated “Dem who cried collusion” hoaxes, it has to be wearing pretty thin, even for the useful idiots in the Democrat Socialist party.
I truly hope President Trump played them big time over this.
Part of why we need to win 2024 is to disband the FBI.
Unlike most institutions like the FBI we actually saw they don’t actually enforce federal laws they don’t like (they were fine with protesting federal judges to try and pressure them into the verdict of the mobs choice, they are fine with the BLM riots, they are fine with ANTIFA, they are fine with attempted assassination of Republican congressmen) I strongly suspect that replacing the FBI with people who have never had any contact with the current federal law enforcement agency would result in vastly superior law enforcement.
It was reported that several ham sandwiches were confiscated from the refrigerator since it is a known fact that ham sandwiches are easily indited before a grand jury.
I agree with you. But this comment is lame and ancient.
Evidence of criminality in plain view may also be seized. The warrant is just to provide plain view.
See the thing is.. it isn’t 45’s criminality.. It the evidence of swamp corruption that they are trying to destroy before it is made public.
Who, thank God, was never the President so so didn’t even have arguable authority to do so.
I remember that items marked SECRET are not necessarily classified, in particular RTI’s (range time intensity plots) from a radar system if separated from the description of the mission they were from.
You’d find them lying around, stamped SECRET, but not locked up.
In particular they had no control number and were on no audits.
I’d expect that some control number system would have to be involved in whether they’re classified. A lady would come around once a year and make sure that your safe had all the control numbered documents that it was supposed to have.
I used to troll that lady. My desk (non-secure area) in the Pentagon had a drawer I labeled “classified.” Inside was about a month’s worth of the Classifieds section of the Washington Post.
True story.
🙂
+100
“Was not the only goal”? It had nothing whatsoever in any way to do with the raid. National security was not one of their priorities .
Correct. That was just a pretext.
I am suspecting that the will find no criminal nor even serious violations of anything. But this will fuel the Jan. 6 committee right into the November elections with more BS to keep that bogus charade going. A well-coordinated Deep State/MSM flood of lies.
I am reaching a point where even if they had bloody pictures or Trump murdering someone, with today’s technology in the hands of a corrupt government that never tells the truth, I wouldn’t believe it. We are past the point of hoping to reforming these institutions. They need to be decapitated, purged and in many cases, put out of business.
We should all have made up our minds by now on how we are going to vote moving ahead. So it’s either going to be another big steal or an actual violent take-over by 2024. Anyone want to bet against that being the plan?
Here is a prime example. Former CIA Director and FISA “chief” who oversaw the mishandling of the post-911 FISA warrant corruption for President Cheney Michael Michael Hayden was already tweeting about executing Trump if the raid uncovered nuclear secrets BEFORE the raid and approving Trump being executed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11KXIeJvuzQ
So they were already fabricating BS stories into the baloney machine before the raid. This is exactly what I am talking about. They don’t have to come up with anything in these files. They don’t need any evidence. That is what the Jan 6 investigation is all about. Pure BS but never ending BS stories as to keep the big smear going forever.
Talk about “toning down” the rhetoric.
The POTUS is the ultimate authority on the classification of government documents (within the Executive branch).
If the boxes shipped to Mar-a-Lago were packed and shipped prior to noon on Jan-20-2021, then there were declassified.
For argument sake let’s stipulate that occurred. Then after that time say August 1st of this year Biden or his designee reclassified them.
In that scenario everything was legal until 1 August, 2022 but after that date the docs were once again classified and now subject to storage/handling requirements and need to know constraints.
The point is what DJT could do as POTUS Biden can undo, which would seem to undercut the whole ‘DJT declassified it, end of story’ argument being bandied about. This makes sense to get the conditions necessary for a warrant to use as the pretext for a rather broad search for whatever they could find to use against DJT. IOW the same sort of shenanigans as the last six years.
Find for us where a reclassification was made. Otherwise the theory doesn’t matter.
Barry,
Do have evidence on hand to demonstrate that every piece of alleged classified material was in fact actually declassified at some point? Not an assertion but authenticated documentary evidence the declassification occurred?
That’s the real starting point. After all Biden wouldn’t need to reclassify them if they hadn’t been declassified. Here’s an analogy. If the can was on the top shelf and no one put it on the bottom shelf then no one needs to move it back to the top shelf because it never left.
CommChief,
Do have evidence on hand to demonstrate that every piece of alleged declassified material was in fact still classified? Not an assertion but authenticated documentary evidence the declassification did not occur?
Trump has declared every thing in his possession was declassified. Do you have any reason, any reason at all, to trust the FBI and DOJ over Donald Trump?
You’ll have to become a pretzel to figure out a way to twist and answer up to that.
Barry,
I already cut your knot dude. That’s the point of my theory which you so casually mocked.
What one POTUS can do or undo another can reverse by use of the same authority re classification.
At any rate that’s just the pretext to secure the warrant for a wider search for some ‘smoking gun’ IMO. Personally I agree with Taurus that DJT played them.
For arguments sake- they created an ex post facto crime if they did that. And- that would indicate they knew what he had in order to reclassify it. The SC would throw it- probably on a 9-0. What inferior judges would do, at this point, is up in the air. A lot of them seem to be suffering from severe TDS.
No they didn’t. In this theory the problem occurs on 1 Aug. Before that it was legal. On 1 Aug it became illegal due to Biden using the power of the unitary executive to make a change in the classification level, just as DJT would have done previously. The govt would have needed to inform DJT about the change in classification in order to actually make the charge stick in a trial.
I contend the govt doesn’t give a hoot about classified docs BS other than to achieve the issuance of the warrant. Once they have a warrant that broad they can conduct their fishing expedition for whatever their true motive was by using it as a pretext.
I also agree with Taurus that they got baited into this course of action by DJT and they didn’t find jack squat and have stepped in his clever trap.
I think the thing you are missing is original classification does not make an existing document classified; it creates a new classified document.
The unclassified copies are still unclassified, unless they are physically retrieved and brought back into accounting.
It’s not actually the information that is what is controlled: it is the physical access and action of copying the information that is what is legally controlled.
So even if a classified document has exactly the same information as an unclassified document does, you can legally copy from the unclassified one, even if you cannot copy the exact same information from the classified one.
Now, if you have signed the agreements to necessary to be authorized to handle classified information and be a derivative classifier, you have generally also signed agreements to act to protect the information contained in classified documents, even when you find it in unclassified settings. But, you cannot be held accountable for protecting information you have not been told is classified.
And I do not think that applies to Original Classifiers either. The President is not and cannot be required to sign an NDA in order to become president.
I don’t see any way that a Biden EO could elevate the classification status of any documents in Trump’s possession.
That’s a novel interpretation about how a doc and the info contained in it has a bifurcated set of classifications. Based on my first hand experience with original docs and new classification decisions from higher while original still in my possession, I would be very reluctant to use that unless the only thing I had left to hand was my Johnson.
It would be my very last argument, right after seeking refuge behind patriotism, and that’s supposed to be reserved for scoundrels. I have been in a similar situation before where someone else raised the classification of a doc I produced and I had to adjust fire to the new classification level. No way I would have trotted out an argument that in essence said ‘your mickey mouse rules don’t apply’.
You really can’t do that any more than you can put the toothpaste back in the tube.
Once a document is declassified it is always declassified, even if it actually does contain information extremely damaging to the US. At that point, the only real option it to pretend it doesn’t exist and nothing it says is actually important.
This raid thing is about as effective at that as telling someone not to look down.
Exactly. The moment it is declassified you could make 10,000 copies of it, scan it to the internet, whatever. No way to put that cork back in the bottle, nor would you want to because that indicates to all the importance of the info contained in it to you.
Guys,
One term for info being released is called spillage. When it occurs via email through an air gap upload we used to:
1. ID sender, seize CPU, wipe HD, Clear data off the enterprise server, run a backup image overwrite of the server at the last backup point without the data spillage.
2 ID recipients, take every recipients CPU, review for the data and wipe the hard drive if found. They may not have opened the email.
3. ID any further spread via email. Repeat as required.
That is just a portion what occurs of the IT and InfoSec side of the house. Counter Intel and CID comes after that. A document’s classification level can be modified up or down. When it goes up and was distributed at a lower classification initially then a similar process is performed.
Again, my post was a theory as to the lengths the never Trump folks in govt would go to in order to ‘get’ DJT. It wasn’t an endorsement. These folks seem willing to do anything to accomplish their goal and neuter DJT.
Your theory is ridiculous. Doesn’t hold water. Didn’t happen.
Barry,
Can you then provide us the play by play on exactly what steps were taken by all the players? If not how can we be sure my theory is incorrect? Frankly I don’t care but it would be a clever way by the govt to obtain a warrant if they needed one. It’s a good excuse/reason to grant a warrant.
IMO, this focus on classified or declassified or reclassified docs is a distraction. The govt doesn’t care about actually trying to convict DJT on some trivial technical classified docs charge. That seems absurd to me.
I believe the govt used it as an excuse or pretext to secure a warrant to go fishing for something else. What, I have no clue.. A safe cracker opens an empty safe. Ha Ha.
I will go with Taurus on the trap theory. DJT baited them and they stepped into the trap set by DJT.
Commochief,
Continuing to write the same BS doesn’t make it any better. It’s wrong, it’s false and that’s the end of it. The dope occupying the WH did not reclassify the Trump declassified documents. prove he did or just quite making a silly lame ass claim.
And had the dope in the WH done so it would not make Trumps possession of the documents a crime.
Read the damn constitution if you have any further questions.
Chief, thats an impossible scenario
Here’s why and its built in to the process.
I don’t believe any classification happened but for discussion’s sake- lets assume it did by Biden.
Biden’s authority is EQUAL (not superior) to Trump in this regard so he restores it- that does NOT undo or negate what Trump did. Doesn’t work that way.
That didn’t happen in any way because of the following facts the media and DOJ hope people don’t see because its right there in front of them and I’ll explain what trump is really saying in that “they could have just asked” comment.
The entire warrant process is and was a scam- here’s why. They are trying to create a false narrative.
ALL these documents were assembled and packed via written request by the GSA ( both the request and inventory have been known from the day trump walked out and the documents were shipped)- thats SOP.
That’s important because at NO TIME did the DOJ ( or other institutions) NOT KNOW what trump had or where/how it was stored.
This is where Trump is coming from saying they could have asked ( casually in a call or email or officially through a subpoena)
THAT SCENARIO combined with the close scrutiny of the warrant and justifying affidavit is not only going to quash the warrant and its fruits if the DOJ tries to act in a criminal case- its liable to indict members of the left.
That’s why they are all skirting around these core issues and trump is calling their hands on this.
You can tell by the obfuscation and back peddling the DOJ has now realized how bad they fell into the trap.They KNOW trump has them right where he wants them.
Taurus,
I disagree on the inability of Biden to alter the previous classification level decision of a DJT. It is an inherent power of the unitary executive.
If the power to classify or to declassify in the executive branch derives from the unitary executive, which it must or DJT couldn’t have unclassified anything on his own, then Biden holds it as well.
If Biden can’t change a classification decision made during the term of DJT then DJT couldn’t change the classification decisions of prior administrations. If one POTUS can do X via an explicit or implicit power of the office then another POTUS can undo X using the same power. Otherwise a single POTUS could make decisions and policies that could not be altered which simply isn’t so.
The portion of your post about the DoJ being dodgy because they got suckered into a trap makes sense. At least as much as anything else and probably more than the TV talking head theories. Probably more.
Bottom line is the classified docs argument is the lever the DoJ used to get a warrant to do their fishing expedition and most of us can recognize that. IMO, that portion is going to fade as more comparisons are made to prior episodes involving prominent d/prog without a search by 30+ FBI agents at a residence.
Its a dumb theory Cheif. How fo you make something classified once it’s declassified and is put in the open??
This is your theories weakness, apart from being dumb, you can’t put the genie back in the bottle once the corks been removed.
It’s also a dangerous theory President Trump or Desantis can use on Barry “Peace be upon him”, Biden or never president Hillary when they take power next election.
I’m sure Democrats thought this one through 🤣🤣
If it’s in the open can you send me a link to the source or just post a pdf?
When Snowden posted classified data it remained classified. If your view was true then all I would have to do to is put it before the editorial board of the NY Times and ‘presto’ the data isn’t classified anymore because unauthorized people viewed it.
This sort of thing was part of my job in the Army on the InfoSec side. Spillage of classified data either digital or hardcopy doesn’t transform that data into unclassified/for public release.
Chief,
Read this please- spells it out clearly
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2022/08/no_trump_didnt_committ_actionable_treason_or_espionage.html
Taurus,
I appreciate the link to an opinion article.
Let’s go back look at what I am arguing.
1. DJT declassified docs
2. Archivist ships some docs. DJT brings others
3. DJT possession of these docs
So far no worries.
4. Archivists review some docs on site
5. DoJ reviews some docs on site
Still no worries but could get tricky
The stipulated analogy was all the above and then:
6. Biden ups classification based on info from both reviews. Using same inherent power as DJT possessed to declassify.
Now having enough evidence for making a charge stick to gain a conviction at trial is way different than the minimal amount needed for a warrant to be issued. Probable cause v beyond a reasonable doubt.
I contend that the plan is just to get the warrant based on the classification confusion and not to use that for a trial. I contend they used national security + TS/SCI as an incantation to make it easier to get a warrant.
They need the warrant to play go fish in search of something they can use to get DJT. All the back and forth about whether Biden in fact did up the classification is a distraction. The govt doesn’t need to make it stick at trial, they just need a pretext for the search.
I would point out that y’all are in essence arguing that an overly politicized DoJ wouldn’t use this theory to facilitate a way to get at DJT which based on the last six years seems not very reasonable or realistic. See Russia collusion, See McCabe, Comey, Mueller, HoR impeachment x2, partisan Jan 6 committee.
My theory operates with the presumption that there is no level the govt won’t stoop in order to get DJT; fair or unfair they don’t care because the ends justify the means.
Do y’all really disagree with presumption?
If we assume that the timing of this raid was political, then it would stand to reason that the FBI did it now in the expectation that it would have the maximum impact on the mid-terms. In other words they don’t want too much too soon or too little too late.
We have a few months before the mid-terms to see how this settles out politically, so all the speculation one way or the other is a bit futile until all the facts are in. Nevertheless, if the FBI can’t produce a real “smoking gun” for this raid, rather than weak-ass claims of classified documents, I don’t see how this will do anything but backfire on them. politically.
And yet again, I thank God, at least, that Garland, that execrable toad, isn’t on the Supreme Court.
I think he is able to do more damage as AG. On the court he’d replace a leftist twit. No gain for those morons. His vote would be 1 of 9. I know there is a leftist bloc, but still.
He would have replaced Scalia, not a leftist twit.
When did AG become a lifetime appointment. 20+ years vs 4 years.
At least AG isn’t a lifetime appointment.
Think of tearing off a band-aid, The pain may be ‘worse’ but it doesn’t last as long.
Garland said the warrant was for the “very narrowest” of information. Then it’s released and it’s for (4) years of everything. Toad is a correct description.
Four years of everything *plus* any items in the vicinity of what they found. By the standards in the warrant, if they had found a Trump post-it in their closet, they could have taken every dress, pair of shoes, and underthings.
All govt or Presidential docs/records from an entire term of office seems the opposite of describing a ‘particular thing’. The entire estate as the ‘place’ to be searched? That is some super duper specific intelligence gathering by this alleged CI that was bandied about. Let’s see the affidavit, sooner or later they have to give that to Trump. This gets more key stone cops by the hour.
It is opposite of what the DOJ is trying to spin.
This is why Trump is being so defiant- this is a real life application of Prov. 28:1.
This is also why the affidavit is not being presented.
I’m ALMOST willing to bet ( Based on the fact i don’t believe or trust the information in the media so some of this is instinct and experience rather than accurate information)…
The actual warrant EXCEEDS the claims in the affidavit. If thats true and can be proven ( with nothing else) then its POSSIBLE ( should this go any further) the warrant and its fruits could be quashed and disallowed. (happens more than people think)
That would end any case right there and probably destroy the left politically.
But by that time, the DOJ will have to have tipped its hand and then Trump will field strip them
IMO, the classification BS is just that BS. The govt needed a basis for a warrant. They got it using that argument and went fishing in search of something else. I agree with you on the trap theory and the problem the govt now has on it’s hands for foolishly allowing DJT to maneuver and manipulate them into this situation.
Concur
basically all we know now is what the warrant’s true purpose is NOT
Well, this raid had to be anticipated.
In addition to the aforementioned “seize anything that we can use as evidence against Trump, for any crime whatsoever” reason for the raid, I think there is another reason: evidence control. That is, if Trump has, for example, evidence regarding any Democrat official’s sketchy financial dealings (including Hunter and Joe) then the FBI would definitely want to seize it to prevent disclosure.
It may not necessarily have to do with the Bidens. I’m thinking maybe they fear that as President, Trump had evidence of massive government wrongdoing that was being hidden behind classifications.
The Trump people have already floated trial balloons to the media that if Trump is re-elected he wants to dramatically reduce the permanent militaristic, bureaucratic, regulatory state. Unelected permanent Washington may fear he has the goods on them that they want to remain concealed. Similar to Ellsberg, Assange, Snowden, Manning, Winner, Kiriakou, etc.
He has evidence that incriminates those that tried to frame him, including the seditious Jan 5 2017 Oval Office meeting. Among other things. Will what was seized ever see the light of day?
I would hope that is not the only copy, but I have no idea.
In this day and age, Trump would be an idiot not to have digitized and stored copies of all documents, suitably encrypted, in a myriad of locations. There’s really no need to keep the physical hard-copy on anything these days, except, perhaps for sentimental reasons. In other words, if I was Trump, and I had any “interesting” documents, there would be nothing the FBI or anybody else could do to prevent disclosure if that is want I wanted to do.
These classified documents were probably in boxes of miscellaneous stuff that was packed up the GSA, and I’ll bet Trump hadn’t even looked in those boxes since leaving office.. He probably didn’t even know some of that stuff was there.
The government is corrupt and acting unconstitutionally. The warrant is a joke, the courts are a joke, the DOJ is a joke, the FBI is a joke, the biden regime is a joke.
And Dickhead Cheney and his corrupt daughter are jokes (yea, the bastard was just on a commercial). I can’t wait for next Tuesday when Wyoming sends that witch somewhere out of Wyoming, and does it in a landslide election. Maybe, if we’re lucky, somebody’s pacemaker will malfunction seeing the results.
/100000
It has been and remains for 6+ years “Operation get Trump.”
I don’t like Trump. I could not vote for him. But banana republic stuff like this raid makes sympathetic to the notion of Trump getting re-elected and then doing a major housecleaning. He promised to drain the swamp, but he didn’t really do that the first time, I think, due to his lack of experience with politics. Next time, if he gets the chance, it should be knives out and take no prisoners. Maybe just outright discharge every political appointee and any civil “servants” that look like a potential problem on day 1. De-capitating the federal administrative state for a while would be a blessing. He may be a vulgar orange monster, but at least he would be my favorite orange monster, and considerably more useful than the feeble senile idiot currently holding the office.
God help us.
“He may be a vulgar…”
And maybe he’s not. You neverTrumpers are always making something up to explain your ignorance.
“I could not vote for him.”
Hillary and the biden regime say “Thanks”.
You see the destruction going on in front of your face, and if the time comes to vote for the only person who would attempt to stop it (he isn’t king, you need Congress) – you would not vote for him and do nothing to stop the tyranny.
That’s pretty dumb.
This was not about national security. This was about democrat winning elections security.
This was 1) a fishing expedition, and 2) an attempt to seize anything Trump had that could relate to the criminality of the DoJ/FBI/swamp
Distract everyone with claims of Trumps criminal action (and make him seem he’s whining when raising objections about it) while making sure to destroy any remaining evidence they can’t cover up. Any attempt to go after then they can claim is “political”
If they find other ways to go after and convict him for a phony crime, that’s a bonus.
damage national security? Excuse me? What about Biden’s southern open boarder? Is this not “National Security”?
I’m not usually a grammar/spelling nazi but the excerpt from Andy McCarthy (which may be a voice-to-text transcript) is borderline unintelligible. Any chance for some editing?
“…but the excerpt from Andy McCarthy (which may be a voice-to-text transcript) is borderline unintelligible.”
Count yourself lucky that you don’t understand what the deep state, national review, neverTrumper POS said.
Let’s assume Garland moves on Trump and files charges under the Espionage Act. They arrest Trump in made for TV dramatic fashion. The trial is held in Emmit Sullivan’s Washington DC courtroom where a conviction will be all but certain.
Isn’t the hidden gem here that if he’s convicted of espionage, all of his supreme court justice picks become null and void?
Bingo! Democrat base gets what they want–Trump goes to prison–and Schummer gets to pack the Supreme court.
Harmeet and Alan said that could not happen. I’m going with their insight, and hoping that it all just backfires.
That scenario is impossible- even for the left.
No further commentary necessary
It’s baloney, every bit of it, and rotten baloney at that.
No presidential act becomes null and void just because the man is later convicted of something.
Here’s what really happened. It’s the absolute truth because cousin Wilbur has never lied to me.
An agent of the FBI cultivated a member of Trump’s inner circle as part of an intelligence operation. The Trump guy told him that Trump had documents that, among other things, were extremely damaging to the Democrats, the FBI, and the DOJ. They were hidden amongst Melania’s undies and in a safe. The Feds had to know what the Orange Guy had on them, and maybe catch him in a crime, so they raided Mar a Lago. When they didn’t find anything they spent nine hours digging in the manure because they were sure there was a pony in there somewhere.
Turns out the Trump guy sold them a kettle of fish – red herrings to be specific. The Donald and family had a jolly old time watching the Feds reelect him on CCTV.
This is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth according to cousin Wilbur. By the way, Wilbur is quite a movie fan. Two of his favorites are “The Sting” and “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”.
I think they are looking for anything to tie DJT to Jan6 to keep up the take over of the country plot the Marxists say happened.
Government subversives on a frolic of their own.
FBI, F’n Biden Idiots.
Ooh, that’s good, F’n Biden Idiots.
They want to charge him with a bogus charge and litigate it for 2 years with a GAG order on him while they leak a bunch of baloney.
So many great comments.
Every knows Melania’s panties are classified private unless Trump reclassified them as Top Secret. The Great Panty RAID of 2022. The FBi/DOJ must be so proud.
I hope Trump does the right thing and anoints an heir to run in 24. He proved himself incompetent. He would have won the election handily despite coordinated, strategic cheating if only he had stood up to the economy destroying COVID measures. The logic was quite simple. No matter what he did he would be severely criticized, so do that one thing that assures a second term-have a robust economy. It’s the economy stupid. I am talking about at election time. Pointing out that Biden has totally ruined the economy is a specious argument.
Other than the “two weeks” fiasco, he did stand up to the Covid-19/20/21 cargo cult that was a state and local affair, and he replaced Fauci shortly after his performance was assessed.
You are completely and totally full of it. As someone that knew, and stated it publicly, that the chinaVirus was a scam, even I understood that when the medical establishment was telling you 4 million Americans might be killed by this virus that the president had to act. He couldn’t know the truth.
And I bet you didn’t know the truth either. Just another biden/hillary voter looking for the excuse.
I hope you do the right thing as well, but I can’t say what it is (because Fuzzy will censor me 🙂 ).
Trump DID win the election ( it was stolen unless you can find 81 million LEGITIMATE Biden ballots cured into votes)
Your blabbering is pure nonsense on its face
On what evidence. Trump’s own lawyers didn’t think it was a stolen election 🤣😂
Oh, here’s fatass back to claim the dope biden got more votes than obama. And asking for the evidence. Hey dopey, go away.
Just for the sake of educating us, please name Trump’s lawyer(s) that said it wasn’t a stolen election.
Impeachment 3.0: Democrats Bray, Again
Binders of photos? They seized binders of photos? They targeted binders of photos as classified documents and/or evidence of law breaking?
Maybe America’s Stasi thinks there’s a photo of Ray Epps and Trump meeting together on Jan 4. Or photos of Trump giving secret hand signals to Putin. Or something.
The law in question, 18 U.S. Code § 2071, covers “willfully” concealing or removing records from any public office. The National Archives and Records Administration automatically gains control of presidential records when a president leaves office. There may be reasonable disagreements as to what is considered a presidential record, but the law covers “willfully” concealing or removing official records. Doing so would be a crime.
And here is Zachriel the paid marxist troll to tell us about US code.
US code does not trunp the US Constitution.
Zach is a liar in all things.
Then the GSA is the one who broke the law since they are the fuckers who sent the boxes to him 🤣🤣
mailman: Then the GSA is the one who broke the law since they are the fuckers who sent the boxes to him
The GSA is not responsible for determining what is to be moved. That responsibility lies with the president.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trumps-handling-secret-documents-fbi-mar-a-lago-search-rcna42935
This is another Watergate, but “legalized” by a warrant.. They looked at strategy documents, communications with mega-donors, analysis of VP picks, etc. Our government truly sucks. Just another comment for the Stasi jackboot thugs to put in my file. I’m now going quiet again. LOL.
Is it time to publish the names and home addresses of all the people who participated in the Raid? Let them feel a little of the heat for a change.
I am looking for some info from the legal insiders here. I have been doing a little bit of high level investigating on the judge that signed the warrant.
The judge, Bruce Reinhart, a magistrate judge in the Southern District of Florida, has direct ties to the Trump vs Clinton lawsuit currently in litigation.
He was assigned the case on 4-6-22 until 6-22-22. He had scheduled a status hearing for 7-6-22 that was was canceled on the day he recused.
On 6-2-22 he had had scheduled a proceeding to happen on 6-22-22, the same day he recuses, it is not not if he recused before or after the proceeding..
Reinhart was not the first magistrate judge in this case, I have counted six different magistrate judges from the filing date of 3-24-22 until today.
Reinhart signs the search warrant on 8-5-22.
I have counted six different magistrate judges since the court filing on 3-24-22 until today. The circuit has 16 magistrate judges, as an outsider this seems like a very high number even in a high profile case, is this normal?
Just how much knowledge of the details of a case does a magistrate judge have, can they continue to inquire about filings and information about a case after they have recused themselves?
I see that some other media outlets are starting to dig into this as well.
I am going to stay away from the Reinhart / Epstein part of the story for now.
On another front the lead judge in the Trump vs Clinton lawsuit was nominated by Bill Clinton, the Trump legal team wanted him removed from that case, he declined and is still the lead judge.
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63184300/trump-v-clinton/?page=1
“I am going to stay away from the Reinhart / Epstein part of the story for now.”
Not me. I am 100% certain thet Reinhart is a corrupt lying political hack, compromised by Epstein, and that pictures and video exist
They choose judges based upon their blackmail power. It’s what they have done since that kiddie diddler Hoover was first placed there.
Besides all of his Epstein ties that you refer to, why does someone like Reinhart decide to leave private practice and apply to become a federal magistrate while Trump is in office? Was there some type of underlying effort to get himself placed in that type of position should the need arise.
He had to know that there was going to be an extensive amount of litigation regarding Trump after he left office.
I don’t want to dive deep down rabbit holes but there are many questionable items in this guys resume, for example Garland proclaims a narrow scope yet he signs off on a warrant that covers a four year period.
from Article 2, section 1 of the US Constitution:
“No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.”
US code does not trump the US constitution. The requirements to run for and hold the office of president are spelled out in the US Constitution.
There is nothing in the constitution about a felony charge or conviction. Nothing. Trying to eliminate Trump based upon that idea is a joke. He can run and serve from a jail cell if need be.
Note: My wife tells me that has already been stated by Dershowitz. I have not seen it.
The Crats are starting to run ‘like scalded dogs’ Through the briars and the brambles they run, Like the woke cowards they are. Stick the Crats with a fork.
Given what the FBI and DOJ have done to Trump in the past we should believe that they planted the classified documents. Let them prove that they didn’t plant these documents before I accept this.
100%
Wondering has National Archives ever had a dispute with Barky about documents?
Reading the uninformed comments I must say you are all missing what they are doing. This is going to be a long term, Ongoing, CIPA, ‘classified information protection act’ Scheme. I have been trying to inform you people but it seems to be a waste of my time. So go on with the irrelevant blather.
What makes you think, that we don’t know the corrupt government is trying to make sure we can’t see documents or criticize them?
It would be hard to inform an informed crowd.
Maybe no one thinks you are important.
You’re probably more right than most of the site (mostly lawyers) would like to admit. We have this delusion that the justice system *works* to bring justice. What is most likely to happen from this point on is a giant pile of Schiff, and we’re already seeing the first chorus in the song.
First, everything from the raid was secret, from a sealed warrant and inventory list to the affidavit. I think they underestimated the public’s demand to release the warrant, and presumed Trump would want it kept sealed too. That blew up in the DOJs face when the released warrant showed zip.
From the first moment of the raid, the leftist press has been hyperventilating about every element of it. The warrant’s release squashed a bunch of outright lies in that regard, BUT from this point on, each one of the boxes removed will be endlessly hyped as having nuclear secrets, various dirty photos, top secret information, lists of foreign agents, evidence of Trump criminal money laundering, hit lists, alien abduction proof, and whatever else the press can use to whip up a frenzy and the Dems can lie about to prop up their pathetic poll numbers as the election approaches. As long as the DOJ does nothing, the boxes can continue to contain whatever the delusional press and frothing Dems claim they have. THIS was the ultimate reason for the raid. The FBI could have boxed up a pile of National Geographic magazines and gotten the exact same desired result.