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Hot off the presses from the Washington Post — those reporters sure do their homework. Seems like they have some very good sources too, from inside Team Trump.
I especially like the disclosure about who was directing the operation. Surprise, surprise.
The FBI investigation into Mar-a-Lago followed months of resistance, delayed by Trump
from WashingtonPost, Aug 24, 2022 — via laki.eu.org
[...]
Some material recovered in the investigation is considered highly sensitive, two people familiar with the investigation said, because it could reveal closely guarded secrets about U.S. intelligence-gathering methods. One of them said the information was “one of the most sensitive secrets we keep.”
[...]
In a legal filing Monday, Trump’s lawyers insisted he was cooperating with the Justice Department’s requests. In fact, however, the narrative they developed, as well as other documents and interviews, show that Trump ignored multiple opportunities to quietly address the FBI’s concerns by turning over all the classified material in his possession — including a grand jury subpoena accepted by the Trump team May 11. Again and again, he reacted with a familiar mixture of obsession and indignation, causing some in his orbit to fear he basically dared the FBI to come after him.
[...]
It was not possible to determine who was involved in packing the boxes at Mar-a-Lago or why some White House documents were not sent to the Archives, although people familiar with the episode said Trump oversaw the process himself — and did so with great secrecy, refusing to show some evidence even to top aides. Philbin and another consultant contacted by the Archives in April told others they were not involved in the process and were surprised to discover classified records.
[...]
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So the NARA document stall was basically a “cover-up” operation — with the Big Cheeto himself in charge the secret screening of what they would return, and what they wouldn’t.
I wonder if they had a “code name” for that screening process? ... like Operation Stonewall.
If not, someone should give it an appropriately dramatic name.
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And along those lines, isn’t it about time that the whole scandal was christened with a memorable Something-Gate name?
I would suggest Document-Gate, right off of the top of my head. But fear that really doesn’t capture the low-info imagination. Nor does it really label the depth of the depravity and illegality involved.
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Welcome your Cover-up Operation names, as well as a memorable -Gate name too.
Because I never under-estimate the creativity and smarts of the Daily Kos readers. Have at it.
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