We now know why the Department of Justice alleged Herr Trumpilini obstructed justice in its search warrant application for the Mar-a-Lago papers. After receiving a grand jury subpoena for classified documents concealed at the Mar-a-Lago resort, he ordered them moved from storage to his residence. This revelation comes from an unnamed staff person cooperating with the FBI and reported by the WaPo this week. He told aides, "the documents are mine". Not only did he personally review classified documents to be handed over to the National Archives and pack file boxes himself, but he attempted to evade returning them all by moving them within the resort before and after a subpoena was issued in May to produce them. Trump wanted one of his underling attorneys to certify that all classified records had been returned when he sent 15 boxes back to the Archives. He forced the DOJ to resort to a search warrant based on probable cause that government records were still illegally on the Mar-a-Lago premises. The lawyer refused, but a junior mouthpiece, Christina Bobb, did sign a certification that was false. She is now cooperating with the FBI.
Clearer evidence of Trump's criminal intent is not possible short of a voluntary confession. Unless of course you have a smoking video of the boxes actually being moved by Trump personnel including Walt Nauta, a former White House valet who served Il Douche Diet Coke on demand. Unbelievable, but true. DOJ subpoenaed CCTV records in June, probably based on information from the informer. This video evidence formed part of the probable cause for obtaining a warrant from a federal court in August. FBI agents found 33 boxes of government records including 103 classified documents in their lawful search of Mar-a-Lago.
More good news: the Supreme Court, in a one sentence order, DENIED Trump's emergency appeal seeking a reversal of the Eleventh Circuit's decision to allow the Justice Department to go forward with the criminal investigation and national security assessment of the 103 classified papers illegally removed from the White House. DOJ continues to pursue its appeal in the Eleventh Circuit to have the entire special master delay ploy allowed by biased district judge Aileen Cannon overturned.
In perhaps it's last public hearing, the January 6th Committee voted unanimously to subpoena the former guy to testify to his crimes on that fateful day. It is highly unlikely he will comply, despite public statements that he wants to tell his side of the case. Whether he will be referred for contempt prosecution is entirely dependent on which party controls the House in 2023.
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| credit: J. Heller |