Going over the timeline again

[EndlessWire]

I find that NARA letter so fascinating.

All during 2021, the National Archive (NARA) attempted to recover documents that they had discovered were missing. Apparently, in Oct 2021, Trump was seen going through the boxes at MAL (witnesses).

In January 2022, 15 boxes were returned to NARA by negotiation. As we found out later, Trump apparently curated the boxes and kept documents, and not all docs were returned to NARA.

NARA discovered over 100 documents, 700 pages of highly classified documents in the boxes. Those 700 pages do NOT include subsequent document recoveries. So, we are talking about just the 15 boxes. There were further documents recovered during a June 2022 meeting and then the infamous August 11, 2022 search of MAL.

When NARA discovered this, they notified DOJ. DOJ requested Biden to intervene and have NARA provide the records, despite Trump's claim of Executive Privilege. Trump was trying to prevent the FBI from having access to the boxes. (See, I didn't know that NARA could prevent the FBI access, but I guess everything is compartmentalized.)

The FBI and DOJ did not get to see the documents until May 2022. Access was delayed while Trump unsuccessfully attempted to claim Executive Privilege. Biden referred the matter back to Debra Wall, US Archivist, to make the decision whether the FBI could access the boxes.

Wall, being professional and dealing with Trump's team, exchanged official correspondence with Trump's attorney's over Executive Privilege. The FBI made its request to view the documents within the scenario that now the Executive Branch had to do a critical damage assessment, which could not be done without, of course, viewing the documents.

But Trump wanted to do his own filter with his own rep. I guess they were going to be those two guys, the attorney and the Journalist (can't remember their names.)

On April 12th and 29th, the FBI sent correspondence to Wall describing their urgent need to see the documents. Wall notified Trump's team that she intended to allow the FBI access to the material. Trump's team sought and received a delay of that action from Wall.

But, on May 10, 2022, Wall sent formal notification to trump's team that the FBI would have access to the materials on May 12, 2022. Further, Trump's claim of Executive Privilege was so much garbage and wouldn't fly. She finished by informing Trump that his Rep could review the docs, but only if he had a security clearance. (Well, we all know how long that would take.)

I haven't been able to find out enough about the meeting on June 22, 2022, but a handful of further documents were apparently given up to the FBI at that time.

Then, on August 11th, the search warrant was served and the FBI hauled out 26 boxes of documents, 11 of which were marked classified.

I see things that make no sense to me, but one thing is clear. Trump was okay with having some docs in the hands of NARA, but he sure didn't want the FBI to see what he had done.

I am beginning to wonder if Trump already has sold the documents, and that is why he is so desperate to get the docs back. It could be as simple as selling nuclear docs to SA, and getting paid $2 B for it all.

He's gonna end up in a Super Max somewhere.

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. August was the search warrant, the subpeona was back in June. Nt

[EndlessWire]

3. TY n/t

[CentralMass]

2. He is free as a bird.

[EndlessWire]

4. Well

We have to afford him his rights, otherwise we are not a lawful democracy. His lawyers might be filing garbage suits and nonsense motions, but we can't stop him from that.

Personally, my objective is to prevent him from ever participating in politics again. He is the head of the rot. Unfortunately for him, we can't deport him, so we will just have to throw him in jail. I really think he is in trouble.

[CentralMass]

7. I hope that you are right.

[perfessor]

5. One thing I haven't heard about

… is whether any copiers or fax machines were taken during the search. The hard drives maintain images of all copies and scans. Could be interesting.

Thanks for the excellent summary.

[gab13by13]

6. I have also been thinking about copy machines.

When the surveillance video at Mar-el-Loco showed boxes being moved in and out of the storage area, were they copying them?

I would check to see if copy machine maintenance expenses went up.

[EndlessWire]

9. Yeah, that's a good question.

I thought that it was a one way trip. Boxes out. They said that they had seen something alarming going on. But, maybe they were just going through them again, or copying them. Good point.

[EndlessWire]

8. Interesting

People are concerned and starting to talk about the copiers. But, I hadn't considered that the machines could have such a memory! You are right.