Trump's Classified Docs Theft: Mar-A-Lago, FBI Subpoenas, Searches & Seizures - DOJ, Garland, GOP Madness - Spy Hard

[Foggy]

Ya know, it doesn’t have to be “how to make a bomb” book. Hell, I sent Foggy one of those a few years ago.

I didn't make a bomb.

[Slim Cognito]

These tweets would confirm my speculations i made further upthread, how papers ended up in the residence

But I still have difficulty to understand how WH staff would routinely "declassify" without adhering to the correct process.

Considering that impotus would use his personal phone without any oversight it is not a far stretch to assume that very sensitive information may have reached thankful recipients around the globe.

Just my WAG, but trump, being the lazy ass SOB he is, probably waved his hand over this or that telling staffers to "declassify" thinking those were the magic words and, voila! declassified! I don't think he knew, or cared, that those staffers had to follow a process. Did that process require a final signature on the docs, or do they just get the upgraded timestamp thing? Anyhoo, I think he just "waved" his arm, declaring the boxes declassified and in his tiny pea brain, the deal was done.

[pipistrelle]

So much speculation out there about Saudi Arabia, MBS, Russia, Putin, NATO, Ukraine.

[Slim Cognito]

Trump’s attorney says she has advised him that if he just says he won’t run for president, all these investigations and charges will go away and be dropped.

Dream on.

"But, but, but....I was TOLD these charges would go away!!!! [/trump voice].

[pipistrelle]

Where's Jenna Ellis?

[Luke]

Love your avatar, Slim, reminded me of Whitney Blake, Mrs. Baxter on Hazel, a bit Hazel is the show all these old MAGAs wish was still America (which is wasn't, even when the show was on). Slim, I'll be your Bobby Buntrock (the blond little boy son) if you'll be my Whitney Blake* (Also admit we like the show Hazel, they used to run it late at night during college years and we'd kick back and watch a Hazel before passing out. Mary Tyler Moore show or the Patrick McNee/Diana Rigg Avengers too also.)

Whitney Blake.JPG (57.67 KiB) Viewed 903 times

* Whitney Blake was Meredith Baxter's Mom. Buntrock sadly was killed in a car accident at age 21.


The stupid Republicans that jumped in front of the train are now trying to figure out what to do. The irresponsible GOP. Dopes.

2 hours ago - Politics & Policy
Cracks emerge in GOP’s Mar-a-Lago response
Andrew Solender

Republicans are dividing over how or whether to defend former President Trump after the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago — and what to do about some members' heated rhetoric toward law enforcement.

Why it matters: Documents released Friday bolster reports that the search involved highly classified materials believed stored in violation of the law at the ex-president's private residence.

Driving the news: Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee held a press conference on Friday, before the release, in which they continued to cast the search as politically motivated. But even some Intelligence Committee Republicans who participated struck a more measured tone in interviews afterward. And according to the New York Times, Trump allies have told top Republicans to tone down their criticism of the Justice Department "because it is possible that more damaging information related to the search will become public."

What they're saying: Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) called the search a "complete abuse," suggesting it was because Trump is "Joe Biden's most likeliest political opponent in 2024." Other members re-litigated past grievances against the FBI over Russiagate, the 2017 Congressional Baseball shooting and the Hillary Clinton email scandal. “You can say nuclear weapons, but there are things that are highly, highly classified, there are things that are not extremely classified," ranking member Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said. After the search, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) began calling to "defund the FBI," and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) tweeted: "I will support a complete dismantling and elimination of the democrat brown shirts known as the FBI."
The other side: "It's incumbent upon everybody to act in a way that's becoming of the office they hold," said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), a former FBI agent, "And that's not casting judgment on anything until you know all the facts." Fitzpatrick said his call for transparency about the search is grounded in a desire to restore the FBI's credibility: "There's nothing I want more than the American public to love the FBI." Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) told Politico: “I mean, if he had actual Special Access Programs — do you know how extraordinarily sensitive that is? ... If that were actually at his residence, that would be a problem."

The big picture: The attacks right-wing members have lobbed against the FBI and DOJ have polarized some Republican colleagues amid rising threats to federal law enforcement and an attack on an FBI building in Ohio. "I'm impressed Democrats finally got us to say, 'Defund the FBI,'" Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) told Axios. "That makes you look unserious, when you start talking like that." House Homeland Security Committee ranking member John Katko (R-N.Y.) said, "This is not something you rush to judgment on ... It's incumbent upon everybody to take a deep breath."

What's next: Many Republicans are calling for the Justice Department to also release of the affidavit in support of the warrant, which so far has not been made public. "The warrant, you can't fit much on there," Fitzpatrick said. "Everything is going to be in that affidavit." Katko said if the affadavit isn't made public "at least give it to us in a classified setting."

https://www.axios.com/2022/08/13/cracks ... o-response

Now the script is flipped and it's Republicans calling to "Defund the FBI". Let's see how that works for them, lots of campaign ads are being cut.

Maureen Dowd's NY Times column.

Trump Sics the G.O.P. on the F.B.I.
Aug. 13, 2022, 8:00 a.m. ET
By Maureen Dowd Opinion Columnist

WASHINGTON — It was inevitable that the Scofflaw and the Law would clash.

Still, it is one of the most bizarre loop de loops in Donald Trump’s dark, crazy reign over Republicans that he turned a party that was pro-law and order and anti-Evil Empire into a party that trashes the F.B.I. and embraces Vladimir Putin.

It is the greatest con of the century’s greatest con man: hijacking his own party.

The Republicans are echoing “unhinged leftists from 1968,” Tom Nichols, The Atlantic writer, noted Friday on “Morning Joe.” “‘The F.B.I. is the enemy, the F.B.I. is the Gestapo, the F.B.I. is the enemy within.’”

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He's still a friggin Birther. A 76-year-old Archie Bunker Florida retiree screaming at clouds and showing the worst of Americans.

[Phoenix520]

The excuse that documents ended up being in the residence as “homework” is a sloppy reworking of the truth that they were taken there because tfg couldn’t be bothered to leave the residence and actually do the everyday work required of a President (and his staff were useless at their jobs).

They really excelled at Palace Intrigue and Looting, though.

[Slim Cognito]

Love your avatar, Slim, reminded me of Whitney Blake, Mrs. Baxter on Hazel, a bit Hazel is the show all these old MAGAs wish was still America (which is wasn't, even when the show was on). Slim, I'll be your Bobby Buntrock (the blond little boy son) if you'll be my Whitney Blake* (Also admit we like the show Hazel, they used to run it late at night during college years and we'd kick back and watch a Hazel before passing out. Mary Tyler Moore show or the Patrick McNee/Diana Rigg Avengers too also.)

Off Topic

I'm in. BTW, It's either MeTV or Antennae TV that shows Hazel. Not sure of the schedule but I know I've seen it on network tv.

Also, re: the 'do - That pix is of a dishtowel. I've found a gift shop that sells all kind of retro looking but contemporarily feisty kitchen goodies. They're a bit on the pricey side but I'm collecting the set. Maybe I'll make more avatars.

[Resume18]

Where's Jenna Ellis?

Grifting somewhere.

[Kendra]

Racking my brain here…which world leader would find Kompromat on Macron valuable?

[Azastan]

Racking my brain here…which world leader would find Kompromat on Macron valuable?

Marine Le Pen possibly.

[Slim Cognito]

Good choice.

[Kendra]

Interesting point I've heard on a couple of different programs/network. The documents we've seen do not indicate that Trump is the target, but others involved with these documents may also be targets. Like Kash Patel.

Edit: To be clear, Patel's name was not mentioned on those broadcasts, just my personal dream I hope to come true.

[pipistrelle]

https://wapo.st/3AjlGQ0 (gifted article)

Gunman in FBI attack was Navy veteran who once handled classified info

The Navy veteran who tried to breach the FBI’s Cincinnati field office Thursday once handled highly classified material years ago while posted on an attack submarine, but had been on the bureau’s radar for months for possible extremist behavior, authorities said Friday.

Shiffer was an Iraq War veteran who had served in the Navy aboard the USS Columbia, where he oversaw electronic equipment associated with weapons like missiles and torpedoes, in a role that required one of the highest security classifications in the U.S. government, a spokesman said Friday.

He enlisted in the Navy in June 1998, just after he graduated from a Pennsylvania high school, authorities said. He underwent 10 months of training as a fire-control technician before being assigned to the Columbia, where his duties included monitoring weapon systems and sifting through data to help launch attacks.

[Foggy]

Trump certainly seems to think it's a threat to him personally. He doesn't care about Kash Patel or anybody else except himself, and he is acting scared terrified.

[Kendra]

Sunday talk shows could be interesting. I'd like to see the hosts ask this question of any Repubs they can get on their shows.

I have yet to hear a single Republican address a very simple, basic, fundamental, threshold question. Forget the legalities. Forget the Democrats, DOJ, Garland, FBI, Hillary, Obama, Hunter, and just answer this:

Why did he take them?

[Luke]

A Stonekettle “essay” about the probable impacts of tfg having unsecured documents:

https://www.stonekettle.com/2022/08/loo ... ships.html

Thank you, this was an amazing read. Appreciate you posting the link!

[Kendra]

Trump’s lawyer says the search was done because the J6 Committee was getting bad ratings and they “needed some drama.”

[raison de arizona]

Where's Jenna Ellis?

She’s around.

480ED3D6-E358-4DC8-8292-C689C581008B.png (502.24 KiB) Viewed 713 times

[Phoenix520]

Off Topic

I’ve been waiting since the second post on this thread for someone to discuss the fallou.

We’ve talked about tfg, subpoenas and warrants, FBI, searches AND seizures, Mar-a-Lardass, DOJ/Garland and of course GOP Madness.

But not the fallou.

[bob]

The documents we've seen do not indicate that Trump is the target, but others involved with these documents may also be targets.

Or:


There may be some low-hanging fruit to charge (and flip).

[Luke]

Kate, maybe it's a bit early for fallout yet... we'll see some polling next week about what voters think of this. And when an indictment comes down that will be lots of fallout. When the dotard is charged, that will mean the release of the Affidavit which the MAGAts have been screaming for. I'm excited for fallout!!

Here's a story about Alina Habba. "The One Trump Lawyer the Rest of Trump’s Legal Team Loathes": https://www.thedailybeast.com/alina-hab ... am-loathes

Jonathan Swan in Axios (still can't believe Axios sold for $525M to Cox, it's been what, 2 years? Guess that's the new business model.)

Updated Jan 21, 2022 - Politics & Policy
Scoop: Trump’s friends worry legal pick for N.Y. case lacks experience
Jonathan Swan

Close associates and advisers to Donald Trump tell Axios they're concerned by his decision to use a relatively inexperienced New Jersey attorney, Alina Habba, in his high-stakes legal fight against New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Why it matters: A former president typically has access to the country's most prestigious experts, including lawyers. Trump has turned to the former general counsel for a parking garage company, who works from a small law office near his Bedminster, N.J., country club.

What they're saying: "He has some lawyers that are very sophisticated with years of experience litigating, and he has now fallen prey to inexperienced lawyers who are just telling him what he wants to hear," said one source close to the former president. Like others, the source requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. "It's disconcerting to everyone around him who actually care about him," the source said. A second source, who's close to the Trump legal team, told Axios: "There are real concerns about having a state court tort lawyer come in to represent Donald Trump, not understanding the nuances and issues that surround a former president." Habba responded in a statement to Axios: "It is a sad day when the press finds the need to belittle someone who has elected not to work at a 'white shoe' firm but has rather opted to build and manage her own law firm." "If you believe former President Donald Trump has fallen prey and is being victimized by someone such as myself, then you do not understand Donald Trump, the Trump Organization or his family very well." Eric Trump, a son of the former president and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, also defended Habba. In a statement to Axios, he described her as "an incredibly competent attorney" who has "our utmost trust and confidence and has the fortitude to take on some of the most politically corrupt and unethical institutions in this country."

The details: Habba, 37, began representing Trump last year. She frequents Bedminster, which is how she and the former president got to know each other, according to a source familiar with the club's membership. Over the past six months, Habba has represented Trump in a lawsuit against his niece Mary Trump and The New York Times. She's also represented him against defamation claims from two women who allege Trump sexually assaulted them.

Between the lines: Habba has taken on jobs that Trump advisers say might be rejected out of hand by most high-profile attorneys. Trump routinely pushes his lawyers to file lawsuits many legal experts find frivolous. But lawyers who bring frivolous claims risk problems for themselves, including being sanctioned by courts or losing credibility with judges whom they might encounter for other cases. High-profile lawyers tend to care deeply about whether they win in court — or at least whether they can win in court. Trump, on the other hand, routinely issues threats and files lawsuits that seem designed for publicity rather than legal success. He seeks out lawyers who'll accede to this approach, an adviser to the former president told Axios. On Nov. 15, for example, Habba sent a "demand letter" to the interim administrator of The Pulitzer Prizes. She threatened to sue the group's board on Trump's behalf unless it immediately "strip(s) The New York Times and The Washington Post of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting." The group didn't bother responding to Habba's threat.

The big picture: On Dec. 20, Habba took another legal action on Trump's behalf — filing a lawsuit against James, the New York attorney general. Habba tried to stop her civil investigation into his business and block James from participating in a separate criminal investigation. Habba then launched a media barrage, publicly attacking James as too biased against Trump to do her job. (James has a history of calling Trump an "illegitimate president," and saying she looked forward to suing him when she became attorney general.) In appearances on the pro-Trump TV network Newsmax, Habba described James as a "sick person," "unhinged" and "incredibly obsessed" with Trump. She also suggested the state's top law enforcement officer may soon have "a bunny boiling in a pot."* James appeared undeterred. On Tuesday, she filed a motion "to compel Donald J. Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump to appear for sworn testimony as part of the office's ongoing civil investigation into the Trump Organization's financial dealings."

Yes, but: One of Washington's top white-collar lawyers, William Burck, said Habba's lawsuit to block James' investigation was "a huge stretch." He said it had little hope of success because courts are loath to interfere with investigations by prosecutors. Still, Burck said, James' unusually aggressive public statements about Trump could later create problems in court, if he's charged as a result of the criminal investigation of Trump in which James is also participating. "This is why prosecutors avoid bad-mouthing potential defendants in public before they are charged," Burck said, "because it undermines their right to a fair trial and pollutes the jury. "Prosecutors are supposed to be above politics and just about the facts. When they sound more like politicians, they can get in real trouble with judges." A James spokesperson said in a statement: "Every investigation that Attorney General James pursues is guided solely by the facts, and she follows those facts wherever they lead. The facts outlined in the court papers filed this week speak for themselves."

Don't forget: When Trump doesn't like what he's hearing from the more experienced attorneys in his orbit, he often disparages them to their faces. He also turns to other lawyers who'll tell him what he wants to hear and be willing to perform for him on his favored cable outlets: Fox, OAN and Newsmax. That's been true whether they've been his former White House counsels or outside attorneys, according to sources who've witnessed these exchanges between Trump and his attorneys. This trend reached its zenith during the final days of Trump's presidency, as he sought to overturn the 2020 election. He rejected the advice of his White House and campaign lawyers and turned to Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis. They all failed repeatedly in their legal efforts and spouted baseless conspiracy theories. Giuliani and Powell now face their own legal action as a result of some claims.

https://www.axios.com/2022/01/21/trumps ... legal-pick

Too, also. She's gotta be friends with Foggy's pal Amy Kremer.

Alina Habba Called AG Letitia James a 'Black B*tch': Lawsuit
Jul 21, 2022 — Drayton claims that was because Ingram took no corrective action after Habba openly called a fellow attorney a “cheap Jew.” In addition to her ...

https://lawandcrime.com/lawsuit/donald- ... bias-suit/

* Leave the bunnies out of this, you monster Alina!

[much ado]

NYT Gift link: Trump Lawyer Told Justice Dept. That Classified Material Had Been Returned

The lawyer signed a statement in June that all documents marked as classified and held in boxes in storage at Mar-a-Lago had been given back. The search at the former president’s home on Monday turned up more.

At least one lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump signed a written statement in June asserting that all material marked as classified and held in boxes in a storage area at Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence and club had been returned to the government, four people with knowledge of the document said.

The written declaration was made after a visit on June 3 to Mar-a-Lago by Jay I. Bratt, the top counterintelligence official in the Justice Department’s national security division.

The existence of the signed declaration, which has not previously been reported, is a possible indication that Mr. Trump or his team were not fully forthcoming with federal investigators about the material. And it could help explain why a potential violation of a criminal statute related to obstruction was cited by the department as one basis for seeking the search warrant used to carry out the daylong search of the former president’s home on Monday, an extraordinary step that generated political shock waves.

[New Turtle]

Is this a Trump lawyer or a Trump lawyer's lawyer?

[Dr. Ken]