The Washington Post is reporting that the Mar-a-Lago classified documents held secrets about Iran and China.
At least one of the documents seized by the FBI describes Iran’s missile program, according to these people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe an ongoing investigation. Other documents described highly sensitive intelligence work aimed at China, they said.
Also, too, the Trump documents case legal team blew a deadline yesterday. Special Master Raymond Dearie is not happy.
Per an earlier order from the special master, U.S District Judge Raymond Dearie for the Eastern District of New York, both sides had to file by Thursday a list of unresolved disputes between them over a subset of the records seized by the FBI in its August raid.
The Justice Department filed its own rundown of the disputed documents in a timely fashion, but Trump attorney Jim Trusty seemed to unilaterally give himself four extra days to file. In a brief letter Thursday night, Trusty disputed claims that the DOJ had made about what documents that Trump wants shielded from the investigation, and added that Trump would file its full response on Monday.
Dearie wasn’t having it with the blown deadline and self-appointed new deadline. In a Friday order, Dearie said that Trump’s filings were now “untimely” and that he needed to submit his position by close of business on Friday.
It’s coming out that a lot of the dispute seems to stem from the definitions of “government” and “personal.” Trump is claiming White House pardon and immigration policy records as “personal,” for example, a position the DoJ says is nonsense. Trump also seems to think he can claim “executive privilege” over “personal” documents, suggesting he still doesn’t grasp how any of this works. It’s possible his lawyers do understand how it all works, but that Trump is not letting them file anything with the court without his approval. And he’s a bleeping moron. So it’s a mess. Lawrence O’Donnell explains it:
Also, too, Steve Bannon got a slap on the wrist sentence today; more months in prison and a $6,500 fine. And Bannon will remain free pending an appeal of the sentence.
And the House J6 Committee has formally issued its subpoena to Donald Trump. Unless by some miracle the Dems keep the House, this will go nowhere.