Could Trump's markings on the secret documents indicate his criminal use of them?

[skip fox]

If such markings exist (and James Trusty, Trump's attorney claimed they do), could they point to what he gave to foreign governments? For instance, could they mark passages he wanted to send to Russia or Saudi Arabia?

Such markings would make Trusty correct when he argued in from of Judge Deare that such information could be used in a criminal trial.

Such markings would be a "smoking gun."

Is this why Trump was meeting with attorneys at his W. Virginia golf course (without clubs) last week?

Is this why Trump is stirring up his Q-Anon followers and implying riots would happen if he is indicted?

Is this why he returned to Mar-a-Lago the other night?

Would this legally complicate DOJ's investigation through the use of these documents?

Something seems to be happening and Trump's unwillingness to have DOJ look at these documents might well be at the center.

[Thomas Hurt]

1. I don't believe the Pig does anything unless it brings him attention or money.

[VMA131Marine]

2. The government would have to prove

that Trump made them after he was out of office, I think.
But I’m not sure that would be necessary; just possessing the documents is a serious crime.

[Ocelot II]

3. They'd at least prove he looked at them.

We don't know yet what he wrote but obviously that could be important evidence.

[targetpractice]

14. Just as good as fingerprints... Plus...

Notes like: "TALK TO PUTIN ABOUT THIS", "SHARE WITH ISRAEL" would certainly help the DOJ prosecute.

[Johonny]

4. It is more likely a demonstration of laziness. Possibly he did personal business on them

in the belief such documents could not be shared with legal teams. But that would be high level thinking. More likely its really dumb stuff because he was lazy and had no respect for the office.

[ScratchCat]

5. His concern the entire time has been the contents

Rather than the fact that mere possession is a felony. That should tell you a lot. So what could both be classified and be evidence he committed crimes? The possibilities. .

The Ukraine phone call. A criminal referral was made and doj rejected it as "filed improperly".

Transcript of meetings with Putin

Things he ordered from intelligence agencies, like nuclear assessments

Russia investigation files

If we invoke "projection", maybe he spied on people domestically and classified it to keep it hidden?

He thinks it all belongs to him, so it's a fair guess that it all has something to do with him in one way or another.

[kentuck]

6. Good points.

His notes most likely are for his own memory and benefit, of why he wants to keep the document or what purpose might it benefit him?

[Tetrachloride]

7. TFFG doesn't remember what he wrote. He's fishing.

— my guess above and possibilities below

1. He doesn’t remember what he wrote
2. He doesn’t remember all of the people in the room when he did.
3. Everybody in the room took off their shoes except him and the FBI.
4. Some writings had instructions such as “investigate Biden” or “sell this to Saudis”.

[ultralite001]

8. Doodling...

You've seen RTump's artwork...

Sharpie is RTump's way of "marking" territory... even if it's not his...


That is all...

[Chainfire]

9. It would kind of depend on when he marked them...

If he made notes or doodled on them while he was President, then there is probably no foul. That point can be argued until the cows come home and present a fine cause for further delay.

Trump doesn't have to win in court, he believes that if he can keep the ball in the air, and the indictment from the door, until the elections, and the Republicans take the house, he is home free. He may wrong, or he may be right, it may really mean that justice delayed will be justice denied.

Our best hope may be an act of dog to end his reign.

[skip fox]

12. But even if he marked them as President, they could indicate criminality.

Marking passages and noting something to indicate "send this to Putin" (probably in personal code) would still indicate a crime occurred.

Otherwise any president could sell any secrets to whoever he or she wanted with impunity. I'm sure there are multiple laws against this.

[targetpractice]

15. Hah... Sorry...

I posted "SEND TO PUTIN" before I read your post. Great minds, think alike or something...

My theory has been that Trump didn't scrub the boxes of crimes.. He's too lazy to go through boxes himself, and nobody wanted to help him. He's worried about what the DOJ might find in all that shit. And, his lawyers certainly have no clue what's in there.

Today was a delicious day for schadenfreude.

[Chainfire]

16. I haven't seen a description of the marks. Am I missing something?

I think that doodling on the documents would be a hard crime to convict. Perhaps the Justice Department will want to open a new investigation on the issue...

There is so much other evidence I am not really sure that it matters much in the grand scheme of things. If he had the documents illegally, as we all believe, then that may be an inconsequential detail. It may be like the defense arguing that, "No my client did not stab the dead victim 45 times, it was only 43!" But, I am a plumber, not a lawyer.

[targetpractice]

17. It was in an earlier DOJ filing...

... They attested that some classified documents had notes written on them in Trump's handwriting.

[Chainfire]

23. That would certainly show that he handled the documents, but not necessarily when.

I think that it is perfectly clear, that if the documents were in his desk drawer, he had unauthorized possession of them. So the question becomes, how much do the markings matter? Give the asshole a pass on the markings and convict him for stealing the documents.... He may have also torn the tags off of his mattress, but convict him of supporting an insurrection!

Freddy the Great told us that, "He who defends all defends nothing." I think that the same principle can apply to the prosecution of a criminal.

If it was up to me, I would apply the same amount of respect for the law that Trump has demonstrated, and I would jail him now and try him at my convenience.

[skip fox]

24. You're probably right, but if the marking indicate he "sold" the documents

all but the most craven and insane of his followers might wake up!

He would become America's greatest traitor. Benedict Arnold, step aside!

[Chainfire]

25. His cult would find a way to justify his actions if he sold nuclear secrets to the Iranians.

They are too committed to turn back now. However, it may impress enough fence setters to make a difference.

[magicarpet]

10. It is all stolen government property.

Those documents do not belong to DJT.

The pilfered top secret one's are particularly pernicious because of the harm and damage to national security.

The paperwork, documents, and government files belong at the US National Archive Office. To then be sorted and cataloged then eventually made available so the public, researchers, and historians for controlled public access and viewing. America owns the documents created from each administration's four year terms. It is part of the historical record of our country. We pay all operational costs, by way of collected tax payments, to provide the funds that keeps this government up and running.

DJT is not a King or Monarch. These are not royal files, documents, or records. They are not for any King to decree what is stored and decree what is disposed of.

DjT is only seeking to deflect attention away from the fact that he pilfered and plundered these government owned records. Once proven he should be prosecuted and made to suffer severe repercussions and sanctions.

[skip fox]

13. His attorney's claim of markings might just be a delaying tactic. That what I thought at first, but

Trump's recent frantic activities might be explained by his worry that DOJ will see these marking.

Just speculation, of course, but not much is beyond this man.

[targetpractice]

20. Of course... The attorneys have no clue what he wrote, nor Trump...

... And, they have no clue what they need to mount a defense against. Too bad. So sad.

Trump brain farts with his Sharpies... Like a kind of Tourette's involuntary thing for him.

My theories for the irrational behavior of wanting stuff back is because neither Trump nor his lawyers have any idea of what other crimes are contained within those dozens of seized boxes. And, Trump was too lazy to scrub himself, and nobody else wanted to get involved or help him.

[Beachnutt]

11. Could he have written the bids from other countries

or adversaries on each document ?

[targetpractice]

18. It's a habit of his...

... He writes notes on news clippings, magazine articles, etc... All in that glorious black Sharpie.

[magicarpet]

21. Telling and revealing DJT doodles in red Sharpies,...

Written in the margins of DJT held top secret docs.




- MBS
-$700K

- PUTIE
-$900K

- FRANCE
- MACRON BLACKMAIL
- $3 M

- ISRAEL
- MORE NUKE SECRETS
- $57M

Etc. Etc. Etc.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

19. What's criminal about price tags?

[skip fox]

22. The implication!

[magicarpet]

29. DJT kept the top secret docs to monetize them.

Shop around for the highest bidder then sell top secret docs to adversaries. DJT pockets the money.

That is the worst case scenario.

That is why there are stiff laws against espionage of sensitive and top secret docs. Info that is very damaging or dangerous in the wrong hands.

[EndlessWire]

26. It's a CRIME

to deface the docs. It would be a defacement to write upon them. He is simply running out of excuses for what he did. He keeps digging a hole deeper, hoping to get out of it.

Give up, Donald, and flee.

[kentuck]

27. He certainly wants to keep them hidden for some reason?

The secret documents could say a lot.

[skip fox]

28. That's what I'm thinking.

He wants to hang onto these and keep them hidden more even than his tax returns.