Jump to content

Court Filing: Trump Did Not Declassify Anything


Recommended Posts

Donald Trump's lawyers last week filed a 20 page declarative response to the matter of appointing a Special Master. In this document, the word "classified" and "classification" appear about 20 times, but nowhere do the President's lawyers claim that Trump declassified any of the documents. In fact, that claim has not been made in any legal filing yet. Why? Because it is bogus, and it cannot be upheld in court. There have already been Federal Court rulings stating that Classified information cannot be verbally declassified, without any system or process of notification. Otherwise, the relevant defense agencies would not know that the material was declassified, and they would continue to act as though, for instance, Secret Agent Man's identity is still secret, or that Secret Satellite System is still Secret, when it no longer is.

Further, their claim that former Presidents have a claim of Executive Privilege is based on Executive Order 13589, claiming it gives former Presidents Executive Privilege.  It only gives former Presidents Executive Privilege (which can be over-ridden by the current President) for the purpose of disclosing Presidential Records. Nothing whatsoever to do with keeping Presidential Records or Classified information at home. Also, President Biden has already stated that Trump has no Executive Privilege over his Presidential Records, so even EO13589 offers Trump no protection. 

In short: Trump's legal team is definitely afraid of claiming that Trump declassified any of these records, and their claim that he has Executive Privilege has no basis in reality. 

Looks like The Big Guy is in trouble.

Edited by Rebound
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

'Ludicrous.' 'Ridiculous.' 'A complete fiction.': Former Trump officials say his claim of 'standing order' to declassify is nonsense

Quote

In the days since the FBI seized classified and top secret documents from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, the former President and his allies have claimed that Trump had a "standing order" to declassify documents he took from the Oval Office to the White House residence.

But 18 former top Trump administration officials tell CNN they never heard any such order issued during their time working for Trump, and that they believe the claim to be patently false.
Several officials laughed at the notion. One senior administration official called it "bullsh*t." Two of Trump's former chiefs of staff went on the record to knock down the claim.
"Nothing approaching an order that foolish was ever given," said John Kelly, who served as Trump's chief of staff for 17 months from 2017 to 2019. "And I can't imagine anyone that worked at the White House after me that would have simply shrugged their shoulders and allowed that order to go forward without dying in the ditch trying to stop it."
 
 
Mick Mulvaney, who succeeded Kelly as acting White House chief of staff, also dismissed the idea and told CNN he was "not aware of a general standing order" during his tenure.
In addition, CNN spoke with former national security and intelligence officials as well as White House lawyers and Justice Department officials. Taken together, their tenure covers all four years of the Trump administration, and many served in positions where they would either be included in the declassification process, or at the very least, be aware of such orders.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, sharkman said:

He declassified.  This is just the latest show trial in the run up to the mid terms.  Also they desperately want Trump disqualified from ever running again because he will clean their clocks when he runs for president in 2024.

 

Let me explain: Trump is a lying con man. He’s been lying to you, his loyal supporter.  
 

If it was legally defensible that he declassified the documents, why wouldn’t his own lawyers say so in their filings? This is the actual court document his own lawyers wrote, not some stupid Tweet. 
 

Here’s why: Material that’s de-classified is Public.  There’s no in-between. His lawyers know perfectly well that the classified information cannot be revealed to the public. 

Edited by Rebound
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, sharkman said:

Your opinion on the matter is just that.  No better than mine.

 Perhaps you should ask people in the know on why certain words are not included?  Or what legal strategies may be involved?  Or you could just entertain yourself with speculation instead.

"People in the know" have stated that Trump's "standing order" is "nonsense."

As previously posted.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, sharkman said:

Propaganda abounds.

Are you saying that Trump’s own court filings are propaganda? 
 

No… I get it. Like all Trump supporters, the only questions we can ask are rhetorical. You can’t answer questions because that would take skills such as reading and thinking.  
 

You’re just too stupid to read Trump’s own written legal defense and understand it. Anything more than 200 characters, and your comprehension fails. 

Edited by Rebound
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Tell a friend

    Love Repolitics.com - Political Discussion Forums? Tell a friend!
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      10,733
    • Most Online
      1,403

    Newest Member
    Videospirit
    Joined
  • Recent Achievements

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...