FBI searches former president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate

NEW: U.S Federal Judge in Florida orders preliminary intent to grant former President Donald Trump, a Special Master to filter through documents seized on the recent raid of his Florida home. Hearing scheduled for 1st September at 1PM, local Florida time.

Some more detail on Mick’s post - the article in the link is "gifted", so should be available to read.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...n0Oc&itid=gfta

[Mr K]

For a nation that led the way on IT, they don't half love and depend on printed documents !
Could be their security undoing alongside electing geriatric and/or unhinged megalomaniac Presidents.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Mr K

For a nation that led the way on IT, they don't half love and depend on printed documents !
Could be their security undoing alongside electing geriatric and/or unhinged megalomaniac Presidents.

Most of their paper documents seem to be so heavily redacted as to make them useless.

[1andrew1]

Documents likely concealed at Donald Trump's Florida home - officials

Documents stored at former President Donald Trump's Florida home were likely concealed as part of an effort to obstruct an FBI investigation, Department of Justice officials say.

In a court filing, the department said "efforts were likely taken to obstruct" the investigation into Mr Trump's handling of classified material.

Upon leaving office, US presidents must transfer all of their documents and emails to the National Archives. The FBI is investigating whether Mr Trump improperly handled records by taking them from the White House to Mar-a-Lago after he left office in January 2021.

In the filing released on Tuesday, the Justice Department's counterintelligence chief, Jay Bratt, gave the clearest picture so far of the department's attempts to retrieve documents from the former president.

In its 54 pages, it attempts to knock down allegations by the former president that the Mar-a-Lago search wasn't just unnecessary but part of a political vendetta.

It details government efforts to convince Mr Trump and his lawyers to provide relevant documents voluntarily and the growing concern that they were being less than forthcoming. Suspicions were confirmed, the government said, by the ease with which the FBI found additional classified material.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-62732836

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-62732836

He is very naughty isn't he? Makes Hilary's emails look like minor parking offence.
Drain the Mar-a-Lago swamp and who knows what else they'll find ....

[ianch99]

Looks like he is toast:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-62771613

Among the items recovered after the unprecedented 8 August search of Mar-a-Lago were:

3 documents marked confidential
17 documents marked secret
7 documents marked top secret
43 empty folders with classified banners
28 empty folders labelled "Return to staff secretary/military aide"
Upon leaving office, US presidents must transfer all of their documents and emails to the National Archives. The justice department is looking into whether Mr Trump improperly handled records by taking them from the White House to his Mar-a-Lago estate after he left office in January 2021.

Prosecutors allege Mr Trump and his lawyers failed to provide relevant documents voluntarily, and "likely concealed or removed" records as part of an effort to obstruct the investigation.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by ianch99

Looks like he is toast:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-62771613

What's happened to the contents of the the 71 empty folders?

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by ianch99

Looks like he is toast:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-62771613

I predict nothing will come of it. It looks great, headlines are fantastic but when scrutinised it’ll probably evaporated like every thing they’ve tried to pin on him.

They………whoever they are………are desperate to stop Trump running in 24.

The rhetoric coming out of the Whitehouse in recent days, they have labelled Trump supporters as dangerous, fascists, a threat to national security and freedom of the country.

They are going apeshitbananas.

Originally Posted by Pierre

I predict nothing will come of it. It looks great, headlines are fantastic but when scrutinised it’ll probably evaporated like every thing they’ve tried to pin on him.
.

If anyone else was found with '7 documents marked top secret' they would be thrown into jail.

But yes, he'll probably get away with it. They're going to be more lenient on a former President.

That said a lot might depend on those 'empty' folders. If all the documents contained within were sent back then all that remains are these top secret and classified files. However, if he has lost top-secret documents only his most deluded cheerleader can excuse that.

Unfortunately quite a few of his cheerleaders fall into that category.

He has had these things lying around his house because he’s a narcissist, and a dangerous one at that. Ordinary rules don’t apply because he’s not an ordinary person. It’s sad that so many are content to feed his delusion rather than move on and back someone younger and more balanced to run for the Republican nomination for 2024.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

What's happened to the contents of the the 71 empty folders?

On reflection, perhaps they never had anything in them in the first place and were just made in case they were needed. Here's hoping!

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

On reflection, perhaps they never had anything in them in the first place and were just made in case they were needed. Here's hoping!

When I was in the mob (and working with the USAF/US Army/NSA) folders with classifications (Secret/NoForInt/Top Secret/SCI/etc.) were only issued with appropriately classified information inside - they were never just "spare", as each folder would be tracked with the classification, a brief (if possible due to security) description, and who had signed it out (and when); each folder had a serial number and a 'life cycle' (tracked from creation, every issue (and to whom & where, and how it was transported), any amendments, where it was stored, and who was the "owner" of that folder.

[richard-john56]

Originally Posted by Chris

Unfortunately quite a few of his cheerleaders fall into that category.

He has had these things lying around his house because he’s a narcissist, and a dangerous one at that. Ordinary rules don’t apply because he’s not an ordinary person. It’s sad that so many are content to feed his delusion rather than move on and back someone younger and more balanced to run for the Republican nomination for 2024.

Very good insight and hopefully the Democrats can get some body better than Uncle Joe to stand for them. I also wonder if Trump will ask Farage to attend one of his rallies again and appear on stage and praising and Trumping up Trump.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Hugh

When I was in the mob (and working with the USAF/US Army/NSA) folders with classifications (Secret/NoForInt/Top Secret/SCI/etc.) were only issued with appropriately classified information inside - they were never just "spare", as each folder would be tracked with the classification, a brief (if possible due to security) description, and who had signed it out (and when); each folder had a serial number and a 'life cycle' (tracked from creation, every issue (and to whom & where, and how it was transported), any amendments, where it was stored, and who was the "owner" of that folder.

Thanks, that all makes sense. It seems my optimism was unfounded.