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| credit: P. Bagley |
Trumpillini has consistently claimed that as POTUS he "automatically" declassified documents when they were transferred to his possession from the White House. Ignorance of the law is not a legal defense. Not only that, there is now evidence in the public domain that the National Archives communicated to Trump and his lawyers during his presidency the proper way to declassify classified material. Sixteen records from the National Archives will be transmitted next week to the Special Counsel investigating the Mar-a-Lago papers case showing that Der Leder and his aides were fully informed about how classified material should be handled. Eighteen former White House officials have called his claim of omnipotence, "bull***t".
Further, the Presidential Records Act does not contemplate "a negotiation" in regard to custody of presidential records. His repeated claims of "negotiation" may be erroneously based on Nixon's initial refusal to turn over his presidential papers. Since that time the Presidential Records Act (1978) was passed making all presidential records public property. Willful violation of the Act is potentially a criminal violation under 18 USC Sec. 2071. Col. Oliver North of Iran-Contra fame was prosecuted under this provision. One of Trumpillini's attorneys in the papers case resigned after Trump blew-up the veracity of the attorney's written statements to Congress in an interview with CNN. In sum, Trump was warned but he did it anyway.
Rudy Giuliani has been sued by a former aide for sexual abuse, and unpaid wages, among other lurid claims. In her complaint the former employee alleges that Giuliani asked her if she knew of anyone that needed a pardon. He could get one for $2 million, which Giuliani would share with the President. Giuliani has denied the allegation. Bill Barr is not sure if the allegation is false.
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| credit: J. Darkow BC Idonwanna sez: Need pardon--trade here! |