Update: A couple of observations. One, from what I can see Trump supporters are either ignoring the indictments or assuming it’s all fake news. Not too surprising.
Two, I’m wondering if Trusty and Rowley, the two lawyers who resigned this morning, decided to resign when they received the text of the subpoena.
Update: Text of indicment here.
Update: The indictments are unsealed. (No paywall.) I don’t think the indictment itself is online yet, but I’ll post a link as soon as it is. I’m hearing the bobbleheads on MSNBC say that it says he did show classified documents to random people. Also,
When he left the White House in early 2021, Trump “caused scores of boxes, many of which contained classified documents to be transported to be transported to The Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he maintained his residence,” the indictment said, nothing that he was “not authorized to possess or retain those classified documents.”
Even though the club was not a secure facility for storing sensitive government secrets, Trump “stored his boxes containing classified documents in various locations at The Mar-a-Lago Club — including in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom, and a storage room,” the indictment charges.
Update: CNBC is reporting that two Trump lawyers, Jim Trusty and John Rowley, resigned from the documents case today. They aren’t saying why, except that now is a “logical time,” whatever that means. Trusty and Rowley were two of the three attorneys who met with Jack Smith earlier this week. Their joint statement:
“This morning we tendered our resignations as counsel to President Trump, and we will no longer represent him on either the indicted case or the January 6 investigation,” according to the joint statement from Jim Trusty and John Rowley.
Something happened. I’m guessing Trump threw a screaming fit at them, and they decided they didn’t have to take it any more.
^^^
Although the indictments are still sealed, Trump’s attorneys have blabbed a bit. According to Trump Attorney Jim Trusty, these charges are included:
An espionage act violation (18-USC-793) — Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information.
Also 18-USC-1519 — Destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in Federal investigations and bankruptcy.
Also 18-USC-1512 — Witness tampering / obstruction of an official proceeding.
Trusty also said there are “several obstruction-based-type charges and then false statement charges.”
There is speculation there could be additional indictments regarding the documents coming out of the Washington, D.C. grand jury. There could be two separate sets of charges and two separate trials, in other words. I’ll add to this post if I hear anything else.
Update: This is from CNN: Exclusive: Donald Trump admits on tape he didn’t declassify ‘secret information’. We already knew about this particular document, but there’s a new detail.
Former President Donald Trump acknowledged on tape in a 2021 meeting that he had retained “secret” military information that he had not declassified, according to a transcript of the audio recording obtained by CNN.
“As president, I could have declassified, but now I can’t,” Trump says, according to the transcript.
CNN obtained the transcript of a portion of the meeting where Trump is discussing a classified Pentagon document about attacking Iran. In the audio recording, which CNN previously reported was obtained by prosecutors, Trump says that he did not declassify the document he’s referencing, according to the transcript.
Update: WTF? ABC is reporting that bleeping Judge Aileen Cannon will oversee the case initially.