I read the indictment so you don't need to.
Here it is, 49 pages, double spaced.
My takeaway impressions:
1. Trump's behavior seems so childish. The indictment lays out in detail Trump taking documents from his time in office. He was told he couldn't do it and government agencies badgered him repeatedly to return them. He wouldn't. He took overt steps to hide the documents by having them moved around his residences. He also bragged to other people about having them. He kept doing it even as the federal effort to retrieve them increased. His aide, Waltine Nauta, directly lied about it to investigators. Trump told his lawyers to misrepresent to the court that a "diligent search" had taken place.
He knew that the government was serious in wanting them back. Trump dug in his heels and refused.
Trump comes across as a petulant, spoiled child, who refuses to give back a stolen toy.
2. The evidence seems so well documented. The fact that Trump had documents he wasn't supposed to have seems airtight and obvious. Trump bragged about it. The documents are right there and tangible. His efforts to obstruct finding them are documented by multiple witnesses and photographs. Trump is legally presumed innocent, but the facts seem indisputable, including the fact that this isn't an "innocent mistake." This was on purpose.
3.The document case seems so small, compared with the much bigger cancer that Trump has been in American politics. Trump carried out an effort to overturn an election and to stay in office despite having lost the election of 2020. He tried to corrupt state legislatures, state and local election officials, and his vice president. He soiled and corrupted a political party in doing so, getting so many officeholders to abandon their principles in order to be loyal to Trump. That is the big crime, the corruption of our democracy.
His taking documents, hiding documents, lying about the documents, and obstructing justice in order to hang onto his souvenirs is the sort of crime a person who did the big crime against democracy might do, but this is the smaller one. But this one is clear and simple and the elements are easier to prove, including to a jury which likely will have people on it who are supportive and protective of Trump.
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15 comments:
Trump comes across as a petulant, spoiled *psychopath*.
What evidence is there that trump was simply collecting souvenirs? I can imagine much more heinous motives!
As the GOP’s leader, Trump embodies its contempt for the Constitution and rule of law. The evidence presented in the indictments is so convincing that Republicans have been reduced to parroting Trump’s threats of violence and retribution. Warlike rhetoric is reverberating in the right-wing echo chambers. We’ve been through this before in the 1860s. Should they choose to go that route, let’s skip the Reconstruction this time.
Trump was right: Republicans wouldn’t care if he shot someone in the middle of 5th Ave. It’s the same mentality that refuses to accept election results they don’t like. They see life as a conspiracy that’s out to get them. The problem is that without their crazies, Republicans wouldn’t have much of a chance. It’s a party in thrall to madness.
Keeping top secret documents about other countries military capabilities, nuclear plans, abilities in a cavalier manner doesn’t seem minor to me. Attempting to violate court orders to turn over the documents is serious and brazen. If he would have cooperated it would have been ok, but he did the opposite because he is used to breaking the law, believing the law doesn’t apply to him. If he never receives the answer no in a way that is backed up, he will never stop breaking the law. Why should he? Jail is the No some people require before they stop breaking the law. They have to experience the consequences of being a criminal before they decide being a criminal is a bad idea. I wonder if Trump will ever experience the consequences of being a criminal.
Hmmmm...well, some people don't think it's a small thing.
These documents contain information obtained by foreign agents who put their lives at risk, whose exposure would likely lead to their arrest and execution.
The trust that our allies have in our ability to preserve secrets is compromised.
Not small things...
We'll see.
The big unanswered question is why?. I was thinking that there was evidence that Trump was trading the information but so far nothing on that. Was there an intention?
No doubt whatsoever he knew he shouldn't have the documents and utter disregard for national security procedures. 31 documents with top secret military classifications.
Why? Seems a big risk for simple self aggrandizement.
To me this is classic narcissism, unwillingness to part with the trappings of power. In his mind government documents are indistinguishable from personal possessions since he once had control over them. Two of the US most dangerous circumstances were the civil war and the election of spanky (trump). Now his supporters are threatening violence, a most dangerous time….
The actions were small, petty, childish, and petulant, as you state. Contrast his actions with those of someone like Daniel Ellsberg who acted on principle, risking a long prison sentence. Why would Trump do it? I remember, as a child, taunting my teachers to see what I could get away with. His actions remind me of those of my childhood. But, at some time, I put away those childish things.
Unlike me, the child, who was punished, Trump thinks he will get away with it. Although reporters state that Trump is facing decades of prison time, do any of us think he will go to prison? Even with trial before an objective judge and impartial jury resulting in a finding of guilt, I expect the result would a fine and probation. And, he may avoid an objective judge and/or an impartial jury.
I think he did it because it has kept him in the limelight. At some point, after the election, I thought he would be gone. Who thinks about George W. Bush anymore? Maybe a few historians or biographers, but even they do not think about him every day. Trump has been and continues to be omnipresent, as he likes to be.
And then, there's the fund raising. This indictment is a gold mine. After the relatively puny New York State indictment, his fund raising went up exponentially. This federal indictment will be worth much more.
Even his strongest critics should agree that, whether from steaks to mediocre wine to a phony university to criminal conduct, he knows how to raise money.
Pure capitalism.
I will start with two important words: National Security
What we allow will continue. It is truly sad and disappointing that you think this is no big deal.
This brings into question your state of mind and the state of your moral, ethical and political compass.
Time after time you have trashed President Biden in your blog. But you are OK with normalizing what the Traitor in Chief did when he absconded with national security and other top secret documents. Heck, why don't we let ALL former presidents take whatever they want as souvenirs to show their golfing buddies?
I also think you are losing your marbles, probably from watching too much Faux News. Garbage in, garbage out. You think you are immune from their fake news, lies and propaganda? Why? Because you are special and different and better than everyone else? Wrong.
Not sure why the indictment of a former president qualifies as an "Easy Sunday" blog...marbles.
Trump’s long term goal has to be a pardon, either from a Republican, or from himself as number 47. Or to die in office. Only Asa Hutchinson (who?) says no pardon. So it’s looking pretty good for Joe Biden’s reelection. it’s like the zombie apocalypse: witch corpse would you prefer to see in office?
To anonymous commenters:
1 I consider Trump’s criminal behavior with documents to be a smaller crime than his efforts to overthrow the election and democracy itself. His corruption regarding documents was less damaging than his damage to the gop and the country as a whole. There was a big crime and then a bigger crime.
2 Easy Sunday is sometime lighthearted. Sometimes it is mostly photos. The consistent element of not instant Incan write it in less than 30 minutes or so. I read the indictment. I spent an afternoon pre-digging 500 grape plant holes. While working i reflected on what I had read. I woke up this morning and dashed it off in one draft, from memory. Easy.
If the commenter or anyone else cares to supply a well written, well proofread, comment on serious matters and it I can review it and format it in 30 minutes or less, then it would qualify as an Easy Sunday post. My general idea is the Easy means easy for both the reader and me.
Trump’s reasons for taking the documents probably were small and petty, but the documents he stole weren’t. What couldn’t be more obvious is that he’s a threat to our Republic, but that’s what Republicans are saying about the DOJ for indicting him. In other words, the party is as bad as Trump. His supporters are no more fit for office than he is.
Trump AND the trump element of the Republican Party are a Clear and Present danger to our nation. I hope trump can be locked away until the grim reaper comes for him WITHOUT him inspiring his minions to hold nationwide riots that make the assault on our capital look like a church picnic. It’s clearly trumps intentions the asshle.
Malcolm, it's becoming ever more clear that Drumpf has unleashed a plurality in this Country, determined to burn it down to the ground, with no idea if what they want to replace the Republic with. I suspect if they succeed, we will look much like Orbans Hungary, not quite as bad as Kim's North Korea. At this point, imho, Drumpf is immaterial to them, their perverted dream has taken on a life of its own, and I really wonder if the rest if us can be fired up enough to defeat them.
Good points, Ed. I hope it doesn’t come to armed conflict. Where nobody “wins”.
The Republicans have always wanted to destroy this country's government so corporations will rule.
It's not new.
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