Donald Trump pleads not guilty to classified documents charges

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Tue Jun 13, 2023, 03:55 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: CNN Politics

CNN — Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 charges related to alleged mishandling of classified documents. Trump’s lawyers asked for a jury trial during the former president’s arraignment Tuesday at a federal courthouse in Miami.

“We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty,” Trump attorney Todd Blanche told the judge. Trump’s aide and co-defendant, Walt Nauta, was also arrested, fingerprinted and processed. He had an initial appearance Tuesday but will not be arraigned until June 27. Here’s what else happened at Tuesday’s hearing, which ended after roughly 45 minutes:

Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman ruled that Trump could not communicate with Nauta about the case. The judge also told prosecutors to make a list of potential witnesses that Trump can’t communicate with about the case – except through counsel.

The judge did not, however, place any travel restrictions on either defendant.

The Justice Department recommended that both Trump and Nauta be released with no financial or special conditions. Prosecutor David Harbach said that, “the government does not view either defendant as a flight risk.”

Goodman began the hearing thanking “the entire law enforcement community” for their work on Tuesday.

Before the arraignment hearing, deputy marshals booked the former president and took electronic copies of his fingerprints. They did not take a mugshot of Trump since he is easily recognizable. The booking process took about 10 minutes.

The criminal charges in the Justice Department’s classified documents case escalates the legal jeopardy surrounding the 2024 GOP front-runner. Special counsel Jack Smith attended Tuesday’s arraignment. Trump faces charges in court after historic federal indictment Trump faces 37 felony counts, alleging he illegally retained national defense information and that he concealed documents in violation of witness-tampering laws in the Justice Department’s probe into the materials.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/13/politics/trump-indictment-federal-court-appearance/index.html

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Article updated.

Original article -

CNN — Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 charges related to alleged mishandling of classified documents. Deputy marshals booked the former president and took electronic copies of his fingerprints during Tuesday’s proceedings. They did not to take a mugshot of Trump since he is easily recognizable. The booking process took about 10 minutes.

Trump’s aide and co-defendant, Walt Nauta was also arrested, fingerprinted and processed. The criminal charges in the Justice Department’s classified documents case escalates the legal jeopardy surrounding the 2024 GOP front-runner.

Tuesday’s hearing is expected to be procedural in nature. Trump will enter a plea, there will be a discussion of the conditions of his pretrial release, and it’s possible that potential restrictions around Trump’s conduct as the case moves forward are brought up. pecial counsel Jack Smith is attending the arraignment.

Trump is facing 37 felony counts, alleging he illegally retained national defense information and that he concealed documents in violation Jof witness-tampering laws in the Justice Department’s probe into the materials.

[GreenWave]

1. In other news, his pants suddenly burst into flames.

[getagrip_already]

2. He denies it, so case over....

Move along citizen. Nothing to see here.

He will be yelling soon at a tfg rally near you.

[Xantanna]

3. This case will not be decided before election day

His team will seek to delay it, and Judge Cannon will oblige.

[Trueblue1968]

15. AND YOU KNOW THIS HOW ????

[marble falls]

18. Wanna bet? Jack Smith has the plan, he was not taken by surprise.

[orangecrush]

28. Welcome to DU

Your concern is duly noted.

[Blue Owl]

38. We shall see!

I've been skeptical that Dump would ever face justice, but the way things are moving gives me hope!

[riversedge]

39. Welcome to DU. yes, trumpy will seek multiple delays but I am not sure that Cannon

will on the case. probably will be but always a chance of her recusing.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. It was the most perfect theft

"Ever!"

[Lonestarblue]

5. Just having Jack Smith in the courtrooms staring at Trump probably scared him half to death.

Trump is not a brave man. He has long had a bodyguard to protect him, even when he wasn’t a controversial figure. I still laugh when I think about the time a man rushed at the stage at a Trump rally and Trump dodged and hid behind agents. When a protester tried to get to Biden on stage, Dr. Jill strong armed him and stopped him in his tracks. Our FLOTUS could take Trump in a nanosecond!

[FakeNoose]

23. Exactly right

What puzzles me is how Walt Nauta (co-defendant) hasn't figured out that it's not in his best interest to be represented by Chump's lawyers. Sooner or later it's all going to be dumped in Nauta's lap. When that happens it would be too late for him to turn on Chump and say "let's make a deal" to the prosecutors.

In the last couple days, a few DUers have postulated that Mr. Nauta may have already turned state's evidence, or that he's "wearing a wire" to get more evidence on Chump. But see, that can't be right because the lawyers (his lawyers) would already know about it. His lawyers are Chump's lawyers, and they know who's paying their bills. Nauta has a purpose - he's the pathetic patsy and Chump is fine with throwing him under a bus.

Jack Smith is a very smart prosecutor, and I'm guessing he's already winning the 3D chess game with Chump.

[Kennah]

6. He didn't refuse the Indoctrination?

[Kennah]

7. Was he deloused?

[FSogol]

12. What would be left?

[Harker]

8. He has an aircraft capable of intercontinental travel.

He's a flight risk.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

34. And how does he get in the air without

The Secret Service filing a flight plan with the local (federally controlled) airport, that undoubtedly has a standing bolo on him, as we speak, so they can notify the feds of his "trip?"

How does he even get to the airport without the SS arrangements with numerous local and state officials to coordinate his trip to the airport?

And without making arrangements overseas to get the fat traitor from the plane to wherever he's headed?

Furthermore, you do realize his plane can't reach Russia, Saudi Arabia or Dubai without stopping to refuel along the way...right? He'd most likely refuel in Ireland--and they aren't his biggest fans, you know. They would work with FBI agents (some are stationed overseas, you know) to meet that plane long before the fat nitwit lands.

He's not going anywhere.

[Harker]

37. I think the lawless bastard would flee (by some means) before

he'd surrender for imprisonment.

If he's free to retain his passport and travel at will, it needn't be a desperate midnight flight directly to a welcoming location.

[IronLionZion]

9. Ok, no plea deal so let's go to trial

[Jarqui]

10. So the FBI is now busy checking for his prints

on the documents he claims the FBI planted ?
(they probably have his DNA ...)

[BumRushDaShow]

11. I would think they already had that when he became President

I know per HSPD-12 (Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12), federal employees had to have compliant IDs that included an RF chip with the (electronic) prints and other info embedded in a photo ID card ( "PIV" - Personal Indentity Verification card). The military has their "CAC" (Common Access Card) for a similar purpose.

Of course he seemed to manage to skirt around "the rules".

[Jarqui]

25. Maybe his lawyers would fight over that as a source of evidence

The prints on arrest, there's nothing they can complain about.

As some legal pundits have said, the speaking indictment probably only represents 1/3 of the evidence they have.

I'm sure they have tucked away evidence to counter his pervious claim that they planted evidence. They evidence was photo graphed as it was found. I'm sure they shot videos of their search.

When he makes desperate claims like that, he is confirming that he is in deep trouble.

[BumRushDaShow]

29. I expect they also have video (including the security video)

audio recordings (including phone calls), and apparently the detailed notes by one of 45's lawyers, etc., basically "smoking gun" stuff.

What they prosecution has to do, is to underscore how serious the mishandling classified documents charges are and the gravity of that to the country's safety.

[Jarqui]

30. If any of their intelligence network could get copies

of some of these documents from a foreign country like Saudi Arabia or Russia ...
or trace some of the intelligence lost to informants that were killed ...

that would help make the point.

[BumRushDaShow]

31. In that case

they would be limited regarding what can be revealed to a jury just due to the lack of clearance to view any actual classified docs.

I think one of the legal analysts on MSNBC today mentioned (I think for what goes on during the discovery) that any reveal of select classified docs could be done - but in a special room (probably a SCIF equivalent) with just the lawyers and any others authorized, and no electronic devices permitted.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

35. He can't do jack about the prints

They're automatically uploaded to a database that the FBI can access. All a prosecutor needs to do is file a subpoena for them.

[oldsoftie]

13. And now we wait. And probably too long. He can run regardless

And if he's convicted he can STILL be President. Ridiculous as it may sound.

[Grimelle]

14. Didn't he have to

surrender his passport after his indictment in NY?

[malthaussen]

16. He has his own plane and millions of dollars, but not a flight risk.

Sounds about right to me.

And if that judge thinks he'll keep his mouth shut, that judge is a fool.

-- Mal

[canetoad]

19. I don't think

It's in his DNA to flee. He believes he can fight and beat this.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

36. And it doesn't matter

If he has that plane. He has to make flight plans for it--via the Secret Service.

Even if he manages to escape via a bogus flight plan, his plane doesn't have the range to get to countries he'd try to hide in, so he'd have to stop to refuel before getting to any of them. It's easy enough to grab him at such a location while he waits to refuel.

Ireland or maybe Scotland would be where he'd stop, and they are no fans of him in either country. They'd take great joy in assisting the FBI in detaining him.

[aggiesal]

17. Channeling my inner Hamilton ...

[BumRushDaShow]

20. Need the whole song

[aggiesal]

24. Ask & you shall recieve. Here is with the original cast ...

[BumRushDaShow]

26. Thanks! I put the lyrics one up

'cause I know there are some on DU who are hearing impaired.

I was happy to have seen the play when it came here to Philly back in 2019.

[aggiesal]

32. I saw it this past November here in San Diego. n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

33. It's a play that stays with you

especially given all that is going on politically at the moment.

What is a hoot is that the Reynold's affair happened here in Philly right near where I used to work. The home is no longer there but a marker is located at the building that is currently there -

http://www.historyshomes.com/detail.cfm?id=565

[GenThePerservering]

21. Did anyone REALLY expect him to plead guilty?

Really??

[BumRushDaShow]

22. I think people were watching Nauta more

since is charged as a co- with 45 and then has one charge that is just against him.

He has yet to break and flip, so will see if he is willing to go down with that ship he signed up to.

[Novara]

27. Sure he's a flight risk but he won't run

He thinks he's right, he thinks he can win, and he's going to tamper with the jury - that's a given.

He's a narcissist. He doesn't think he did anything wrong and the rest of the world is wrong.

Keep in mind that if he is convicted of Title 18. Section 2071:

(b) Whoever, having the custody of any such record, proceeding, map, book, document, paper, or other thing, willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States. As used in this subsection, the term “office” does not include the office held by any person as a retired officer of the Armed Forces of the United States.

Emphasis mine.

This isn't yet included in the current charges but it's likely that these current charges are not going to be the only charges. Jack Smith is not done.

In addition, if he is guilty of seditious conspiracy for Jan 6, he absolutely can't hold office. He won't even be the president of the Tacky Bathroom Club.