A One-Minute Summary of Trump's Indictment in the Classified Documents Probe

Here is a one-minute read summarizing the 49-page full indictment in Jack Smith's classified documents probe.  If you'd like to read the entire, unedited indictment, it is here.

Trump stored scores of boxes at Mar a Lago despite having no authorization to do so.  He stored them in a shower, bathroom, ballroom, office, and a storage room.  

When the FBI opened a criminal investigation into the unlawful retention of the documents, a grand jury issued a subpoena ordering him to turn over all documents with classified markings.  Trump endeavored to obstruct the FBI and grand jury's subpoena by suggesting his lawyer simply state he didn't have any; having assistant Waltine Nauta move and hide cases of documents; providing just some of the documents to the FBI and claiming that was it; having his lawyer sign a certification claiming that all documents called for had been produced.

After stalling for a year, he turned over 38 more classified documents.

On Aug 8, 2022, with a court-ordered search warrant, the FBI recovered another 102 classified documents.

After his presidential term ended, the Secret Service provided security for Trump at Mar a Lago, but was not responsible for the boxes or their contents.  Trump did not inform the Secret Service he had classified documents at the premises.  After his term ended, he was no longer authorized to possess or retain classified materials.

A storage room containing multiple boxes of documents could be reached by multiple outside entrances including the pool area and a doorway that was usually kept open.

In May of 2021 multiple boxes containing government documents and classified documents were taken to Trump's Bedminster NJ golf resort, which also was a non-authorized location. 

In July of 2021, Trump sat for an interview with a writer, publisher, and two of his aides at his Bedminster Club, and proceeded to show off some military documents describing a plan of attack against "Country A." Trump admitted at this time that "this is secret information... See, as president I could have declassified it.  Now I can't you know, but this is still a secret."  At this time, the writer, publisher, and his two assistants did not have security clearances.

In May of 2022, Trump was told by two of his then-attorneys that they needed to search through the boxes and return all classified documents.  Trump responded by saying, "I don't want anybody looking through my boxes.  What happens if we don't respond at all?  Wouldn't it be better if we just told them we don't have anything here?  Well look, isn't it better if there are no documents?"

In June of 2022, another Trump attorney signed a certification that all classified documents had been returned.  This was blatantly false; the signing attorney had not even reviewed the demands of the subpoena, nor the boxes or folders containing documents.

In July of 2022, the FBI and grand jury reviewed surveillance video and saw dozens of boxes being moved from one location to another.

In summary, Trump, his assistants and attorneys lied to the FBI, claiming they did not have the documents requested; multiple boxes were moved and hidden; he returned just some documents while claiming he was fully cooperating; he made false, misleading statements, and provided a false certification that all classified documents had been returned.

Republican Jackass of the Week

For so many reasons, it's Jim Jordan (more commonly known as Gym Jordan because of all the sexual abuse violations he ignored when he was an Ohio State wrestling coach).

But he wins our Jackass Award this week because as chairman of his inappropriately named* Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, his star witnesses who claimed to be "whistleblowers" within the FBI, turned out to have taken money from a Trump operative.

That's right, they weren't whistleblowers at all. Just paid stooges to say what Trump and Jordan wanted to hear.

Both suspended FBI special agents Garret O’Boyle and Steve Friend admitted they’d taken money from Kash Patel, a former advisor to Donald Trump. Worse, their security credentials were revoked for participating in the January 6th Capitol riots incited by Trump.

In addition, Jordan made the bizarre claim that he didn't have to turn over so-called evidence provided by these paid shills to Democrats on the committee because it came from a whistleblower.

That's not a thing.

Democratic Representative Linda Sanchez of California taught him, “That’s not how committees work.” Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) stated that Jordan was violating committee rules by refusing to turn over evidence. Daniel Goldman (D-NY) gave Jordan the actual rules and instructed Jordan that neither he nor the alleged whistleblowers get to invent their own rules.

(*This subcommittee was formed to demonstrate how the federal government has alleged biases in law enforcement agencies, and is unfairly persecuting poor Republicans, as if investigating Trump for his long list of crimes is "persecution."  Seems like they're doing the persecuting on federal and state levels when they ban books, fire teachers, ban abortions, criminalize women who travel to free states to seek abortions, etc.)

Durham Probe Final Results: Big Fat Nothing Burger

Bill Barr's "special counsel" John Durham revealed the final results of his expensive four-year "probe" into the FBI's investigation into the Trump-Russia connection, and it came up with a big goose egg. Nothing. No alleged crimes, no convictions.

"We're going to investigate the investigators." Yeah. And you came up with nothing.

The conclusion: "Senior FBI personal displayed a serious lack of analytical rigor toward the information they received." That's a bunch of gibberish. Analytical rigor is not a crime.  But to people who don't know any better, like Fox's audience, it sure sounds official.

Durham's meaningless conclusion contradicts the Trump Justice Department's own review stating, "while the FBI made a series of mistakes, the decision to open the Trump Russia probe was justified as a matter of law and policy — and untainted by any evidence of political bias." And while no official conspiracy between Trump and Russia was found, they did find a series of contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russians, and a campaign that was willing and eager to accept help from Moscow. 

Junior, Kushner, and Manafort all met with Russians.

Trump even begged Russia, on camera, to help in his election ("Russia if you're listening..."). And millions of posts from Russian troll farms containing outright lies and disinformation about Joe Biden showed up on every social media platform.

So did Trump and Putin criminally conspire? No, but Trump's campaign sure was excited about all the help they got from Putin.

The FBI stated that their own corrective actions have been in place for several years.

This is the second Durham probe that rightwingers and conspiracy crackpots have been salivating for, yet failed to produce a single crime.