2 Jun 2023 3:58 pm
The entire issue of 'declassification' is pretty much a moot issue. It won't matter if Trump declassified them or not. Violation of the Espionage Act does not depend on any classification regime. It will depend much more so on DNI damage assessments, as well as aggravating factors (such as Trump's obstruction). Etc.Beekeeper » 02 Jun 2023, 6:28 am » wrote: ↑ And here lies the **** in your post!!
IF indeed these documents were soooo sensitive that they required CLASSIFIED markings, then you need to PROVE he didn't declassify them!! AND that they were being kept from the National Archives for nefarious reasons, of which NONE of that had happened!!
You see, there is MORE than sufficient evidence that Trump's team were in NEGOTIATIONS for documents to be returned and ones to be retained. What happened was the DOJ decided to turn this into a POLITICAL THEATER and do a raid complete with LEAKED PHOTOS to the press so they could make an even BIGGER SPLASH to destroy Trump and his backed candidates. But you are just too effing STUPID to understand that there was NO CRIME committed here, except by the DOJ to affect an election.
AND in order to show "obstruction" you need to PROVE that all attempts to return these documents had been blocked, which there is MORE THAN SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE to prove that is NOT the case. SO you LOSE THAT ONE squattyman!!
But, to reply to your claim that 'we must prove he didn't declassify them'. No, the onus is on those who make claims to prove their claim. Trump has claimed that he 'declassified them with his thoughts', which is an absurd claim. If classification was an issue (and it isn't that much), Trump will need to prove that he declassified the documents, but we know that he didn't, because there is no proof (noting that a new tape produced proves that he didn't), nor are any of his aides willing to testify under oath that Trump declassified them. Some have claimed otherwise, such as John Bolton, Bill Barr, and others.