The DOJ Tried to Give Trump a Pass. He Wouldn’t Take It.
The DOJ Tried to Give Trump a Pass. He Wouldn’t Take It.
The government gave the ex-president a chance to get away with willfully retaining classified documents. He refused to take it.
You're viewing a single thread.
Oh yeah, I remember that atcth beginning of all that. The DOJ told Trump to give back all the documents he took with him. He actually lied to his lawyers to get them to dertify that he had given them all back.
Imo, that's a reasonable measure. While you or I wouldn't have any need to take a classified document home with us, both Pence and Biden had to give documents back from their home. I guess as executives, it happens.
Trump, though, is a trophy hoarder, so he refused to give them up.
The difference is I don't even think Pence and Biden were handling those documents themselves, they were staffers with clearances. I hate the "everybody does it" nonsense that has came out of this, but the silver lining is this drama has caused the US to reevaluate how they handle classified material.
I forget if it's one exchange or two, but there's a transcript where Trump tells someone:
Hey, check this out, but don't get too close, it's classified and you aren't cleared to see it ... You know, when I was president, I could have declassified this, but I didn't, and now I can't. That's pretty funny, right?
You just get everything in those two statements. Knowledge, intent, showing it to someone you know isn't cleared.
I also agree, though. We should restrict how people are allowed to interact with classified documents. They shouldn't have been in Pence or Biden's houses at all. It should be the kind of work no one takes home.
I honestly don't understand why there paper copies of any of this.
If it's classified shouldn't it be a 100% digital record with DRM like protections on it ?