BREAKING: Justice Dept. plans to investigate Trump's 15 boxes of records from Mar-a-Lago

[spanone]

https://wapo.st/3LErJ4C

The Justice Department has begun taking steps to launch an investigation into former president Donald Trump’s improper removal of presidential records to Mar-a-Lago — some of which were labeled “top secret,” people familiar with the matter said.

The people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, said the probe remained in the very early stages. It’s not yet clear if Justice Department officials have begun reviewing the materials in the boxes or seeking to interview those who might have seen them or been involved in assembling and moving them.

The news comes as the department faces increasing political pressure to disclose its plans in the case. On Thursday, House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) accused the Justice Department of obstructing her committee’s investigation into the 15 boxes of records Trump took to his estate in Palm Beach, Fla.

In a letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Maloney alleges that the Justice Department is “interfering” with the investigation by preventing the National Archives and Records Administration from handing over a detailed inventory of the contents of the recovered boxes.

[Raven123]

1. Garland can't please anyone it seems.

[Doremus]

44. I'm sure he's pleasing someone.

If only himself.

[Ligyron]

61. I think his fellow Republicans are happy with him.

so far anyway...

[uponit7771]

62. Some of the critique is deserved and earned

[old as dirt]

2. Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues - Live at San Quentin (Good sound quality)

I Bet There's Rich Folks Eatin' In A Fancy Dining Car.
They're Prob'ly Drinkin' Coffee And Smokin' Big Cigars,
But I Know I Had It Comin', I Know I Can't Be Free,
But Those People Keep A-Movin',
And That's What Tortures Me.

[PatrickforB]

32. One of my favorite artists! n/t

[C_U_L8R]

3. And they should investigate if any records haven't been returned

Have any secrets been sold to Putin or others? You know Trump can't resist it.

[NightWatcher]

4. If they all wait long enough they wont have to ruffle any feathers.

[Hoyt]

5. Christ, those records were released in early Feb. Any competent researcher could have gone through

them in a few days to determine if there was anything there to raise a stink about.

[MineralMan]

14. Really? "A few days?"

Going through 15 boxes of classified materials would take far longer than "a few days" for even several people. Since it's potential evidence, it has to be cataloged in some way, as well.

It took me a couple of weeks to go through 5 boxes of papers after my parents died. I had to examine each thing to make sure I understood what it was and whether it was something I had to deal with or could ignore.

Next, they had to be sorted into categories, base on what the papers were about. Real estate, banking, insurance, bills that might not have been paid, etc. Each category got its own file folder with a label.

Then, each category had to be sorted by date, with the most recent stuff at the top.

After that came a sort for priority in processing. Some things needed immediate attention, while others could wait.

Only then could I start actually studying the papers to see what action needed to be taken.

Five boxes. It took me a couple of weeks before I could begin actually processing them. There was a lot of cross-referencing, like checking bank records to see whether a bill had been paid.

Since I was the executor of their estate, it was my job to do all of that. It's been over a year, and there are still things I have to deal with. I had to pay their taxes for 2020. I still have to pay their taxes for 2021, even though they died on January 6 of that year.

I had to get access to their financial assets, manage the closing of the sale of their farm, which was already in escrow.

You have no idea what is involved in "going through" boxes of papers. It's incredibly time-consuming and complicated.

[Hoyt]

18. Yes, a few days. Two weekends ago, I went through 45,553 pages of medical records for a legal

case. Yeah, it took me 27.3 hours to do it, including a report and putting together individual files ranging from 5 to over 2,000 pages with markups. But that's what you do with deadlines looming.

It ain't that hard, especially if you took Evelyn Woods' speed reading course and don't spend time messing with love letters between trump and Kim Jong Un.

Of course, I had those pages scanned beforehand.

[Raven123]

21. Especially boxes of information mismanaged by Trump.

Who knows. They may be literally trying to piece documents back together

[MineralMan]

22. Plus, some of them are reportedly classified Top Secret

Those require special handling by people who are cleared at that level. Nobody else can examine them, and not everyone at the DOJ has that clearance. Some classes of Top Secret documents require even more specific clearances.

Before any of it can be looked at, the highly classified stuff has to be separated from the rest. And that can only be done by people with the appropriate security clearances.

That's the very first sort of those documents that must be done. Until it is, nobody can just "go through" them.

[Shipwack]

24. True, it would take one person a while, however...

This isn’t a case of one person going through 15 boxes. There’s no reason it can’t be one (or even 2+) per box. I often had to inventory classified material in the Navy, it wasn’t that bad. We’re talking about a page by page inspection in some cases.

Now, as someone else in the thread pointed out, it can’t be just any rando doing the inventory; they need an appropriate security clearance. However, the Justice department employs thousands of people, so I’m sure they can scrounge a few up.

[Eyeball_Kid]

25. Oh, come on...

One DOJ executive has to order two or three legal professionals to dedicate their time (full time) to categorize and classify, and bring in a Nat Sec expert to just get it done and then take action. Did you see the size of the boxes? Not a big deal. The boxes can fill the inside of an Odyssey. IMO, the reason that the boxes haven't been worked on by now is that they aren't a high priority-- until someone in Congress heightens the interest with a statement or two. So it's political, not forensic.

[Hoyt]

28. +1. Work with documents all the time. My guess is, it's not a high priority because

they know it's a bunch of junk that trump, or a staffer, somehow collected. I doubt seriously that trump, himself, put them in a box or even knew they were in the back of a storage closet.

There's likely nothing in there particularly damning -- with respect to Jan 6th -- and saying "there was 15 boxes in trump's possession" is a lot more damning than after days of staff pouring through the the 15 boxes we found they included crud like love letters between trump and Kim Jung Un.

[CrackityJones75]

50. Your guess. 'Nuff said

[Hoyt]

52. As good as your guess, Crackity. If there were serious stuff in the boxes, it would have been all

over news weeks ago.

[Scrivener7]

57. No one in the "Garland is not to be doubted" camp ever seems to understand

that the DOJ can hire people.

[Doodley]

37. Some of the boxes were labelled "top secret." There's a clue. They should have immediately

questioned why Trump had all these files, top secret or not, at his private residence. At the speed justice works for any of the Trump crimes, he'll already be our dictator-in-chief, reporting to Putin, by the time any charges are made. Sorry, dictators don't seem to face any charges.

[secondwind]

56. Bravo!!!!

[Magoo48]

34. Agreed. Timid and hesitant is not a good look.

[lagomorph777]

6. Garland and Congress had better get their shit coordinated.

Things like this could fall between the cracks and crooks could walk.

[SergeStorms]

63. I wouldn't blame Congress too much.

Garland seems to have one speed for any investigation: Glacial.

[Scrivener7]

7. Huh. Look at that! He's updating us on the investigation into the stolen

top secret documents.

But I learned on DU that he NEVER updates the public on investigations.

It's all so confusing.

Also, it seems he's not doing anything about the stolen top secret documents.

So at least that's consistent.

[msfiddlestix]

9. conflicting set of "facts." in the article

Either the DOJ is actually involved in a factual "on going investigation" or it is planning on it sometime in the future.

which is it?

apparently it's both. or maybe it's neither.



Personally I'm quite happy with Maloney's call out on this matter.

[Scrivener7]

10. Sounds like they are looking at the closed boxes and having important thoughts

about them.

I too am glad Maloney and others are calling for SOMETHING!!!!

[KPN]

15. Me too.

[getagrip_already]

11. Garland hasn't said shit....

The article is projecting a doj investigation based on what the archives told the committee.

There may be no investigation, just a roadblock.

But since trump already knows what is in those boxes, I don't get why an investigation would be harmed by letting the committee know.

[MineralMan]

17. No, "he" is not. This information came from unnamed sources

in the DOJ. No doubt they had permission to provide this information.

We hear regularly from the DOJ about what they are doing. But, we don't hear the details of it.

From what we do hear, though, it's clear that investigations are under way.

[malaise]

8. Lock him

UP!

[gab13by13]

12. If it takes this long to examine the recovered, stolen documents,

how long will it take to look for the missing documents? I think I know the answer.

Day 113 since the Meadow's criminal referral.

[KPN]

13. It seems Garland can't please anyone ... for a reason. Keep lighting fires under

his ass Barbara Maloney et al. Our nation's future lies in the balance.

[Midnight Writer]

16. I can offer DOJ an investigative shortcut.

1) Did he take the documents?

2) Is it illegal to take the documents?

3) Was he caught with the documents in his possession?

4) Did he make any attempt during the last year to return the documents?

Any other factors, such as the perpetrator's status, are irrelevant.

"begun taking steps to launch an investigation"?

My cousin got caught slipping a bottle of whiskey into his pocket at a liquor store and he was arrested on the spot.

[Doodley]

39. Thank you for cutting through the B.S. There should be no excuses for letting Trump get away

with his many crimes.

[Scrivener7]

58. This route is what they would do if it was Hillary. Or you or me. The route for tfg is much longer.

And goes nowhere.

[Midnight Writer]

66. Much longer, indeed. How many people do you know identified in sexual assaults of dozens of women

and has never spent a minute in custody for it?

Identified. As in identified by name. "That's the guy!"

No question of his guilt. But he just whistles off to the golf course at his own private club every morning.

[SergeStorms]

19. It only took two months....

to "begin taking steps to launch an investigation"?

That's not a launch, that's more of a slow leak.

[onecaliberal]

20. Well isn't that just fucking special.

[Shipwack]

23. One thing I still don't understand.

How do we know that there were only 15 boxes?

How do we know if copies were made of any classified material?

Why wasn’t a top to bottom, “no stone left unturned” search of the Mar-a-Lago property conducted to answer these questions?

Why was the explanation that they were accidentally grabbed during the move accepted at face value? If it was that easy to move them by accident then they weren’t being stored properly in the first place!

I routinely handled top secret (and above) material when I was in the Navy, and seeing how blasé those in charge are about this incident makes my blood boil. There are too many people in the government that are afraid of ruffling feathers or hurting someone’s feelings.

[Doodley]

42. It shows that Trump will never face justice for anything.

[Midnight Writer]

49. I'm afraid you are right. How many times has he been accused of sexual assault? 50? 60?

Have you ever heard of anyone clearly identified by 50 or more victims of sexual assault and then walk away whistling?

And it's not just that. His whole life has been fraud, assault, slander, theft, harassment, breach of contract.

He should have been in prison 50 years ago.

[librechik]

26. tick tick tick

if they slow walk this enough they can kick it over to the next Congress and avoid doing the job at all.

They seem to devoutly wish for this outcome.

Makes me want to try to emigrate to any place with a real democracy. Is there one?

[not fooled]

65. Believe me, I'm trying to find same

although "real democracy" is easier to find than "real democracy that will let in Americans and grant residency." France is the closest I can come up with where I have a chance to obtain a long-stay visa, and now they might elect Le Pen.

[llashram]

27. I'm beginning

to have distrust for DOJ in this d.trump corruption/robbery/embezzlement/graft/pilfering ad nauseum case.

[dchill]

29. They have "begun taking steps to launch" an investigation.

I have begun to take steps to get more exercise and eat less fried food. In other words, I'm looking into it!

[KS Toronado]

38. I'm looking into....

getting more exercise and eat less fried food, but first I need to find my glasses.

[dchill]

40. Exactly. Ducks in a row.

[Doodley]

45. Great reply! Very funny, but nails it!

[dchill]

47. The wait and see attitude that broke the camel's back.

[C Moon]

30. Throw the frocker in the brig! He and putin have been mocking our legal system for far too long! nt

[Stuart G]

31. Trump and company went through all White House recorto find so called "incriminating info on Trump"

that is why Trump took the documents to his home.

...15 Boxes is a lot of ...."incriminating info on Trump"...That is what this is all about..

[llmart]

36. Anything that was incriminating was long ago flushed down his golden toilet.

That's probably why there was no fight (aka endless lawsuits) in turning them over.

[Scrivener7]

60. This.

[Auggie]

33. Is it time to replace Merrick Garland?

I hope I'm wrong and that Garland is building the strongest case possible against TFG. But time is running out.

[BobTheSubgenius]

35. What a concept!

Investigate an overt and obvious breach of national security? Who came up with this idea??

[Stuart G]

41. One thing is for sure....Trump was sure that he could get away with it...no consequences for .......

Mr. Trump....(also known as...."The No Consequence Guy"..or "Nothing Ever Happens to Me Fellow" )

[dchill]

46. The Teflon Orange.

[dchill]

43. I'm sure they've been tossing it around for a while.

Like a hot potato. It's cool, now.

[Stuart G]

51. "They will get Mr. Trump" The question is ..."How" not if & "When".& "How much evidence for ...

.. ..total conviction.?.[?b]..................................also ....Who will get Trump?

Will it be FBI? or Prosecutor from New York State?................the question.....is not "IF" someone will get Trump

[AllaN01Bear]

48. blues bros county jail

mom always said one finger pointing out , many fingers pointing in. im sure there are many variants of this .

[FakeNoose]

53. The DoJ got 15 boxes of documents, but how do they know what's missing?

For all we know, Chump could have walked out of the White House with twice that much. Maybe Chump has already flushed the nasty incriminating stuff down his golden toilet. It's going to take a lot of work reconstructing what's there and what's missing.

I'm sympathetic, because AG Garland has a difficult - if not impossible - task ahead of him.

[Jetheels]

54. What's in the boxes is irrelevant.

They are top secret stolen boxes.
Lock him up.

[LiberalLovinLug]

55. "It's not yet clear if Justice Department officials have begun reviewing the materials"

So sick this.
And if its a 5 dimensional chess game, and we all are just clueless, and it only LOOKS like they are dragging their feet......then answer me WHY?

If that is the truth, and they are really working at a furious pace behind the scenes, and going as fast as possible and including all they can, what are they harming in their case by simply informing the public of that fact?

The reason there is so much apprehension in the Democratic rank and file is that we've seen this movie before. IF....and I hope NOT.....Republicans take control of the House and Senate later this year, everything will be buried. Garland will have many more road blocks to deal with. It almost seems as though he's kiliing time until that happens so he can wipe his brow with a "whew".

[Mr.Bill]

59. Oh, boy! Another investigation!

I feel so much better now.

[Blue Owl]

64. Somewhere in Mar a Lardo a toilet is clogging