Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Drutt]

So he could protect Trump, most likely by obstructing justice and warning the target of a criminal investigation. Like you said, it wasn't his job, at all. Hey, the second he wants to push a bill that says "You can't investigate Trump" he's welcome to do that. Little late now, but he's free to try.

I know why he WANTS to be told ahead of time.

I want to hear his explanation for why he SHOULD hear ahead of time, because he has absolutely no basis to expect that.

[Edge-]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...e-republicans/

“Frankly, we’re very strong supporters of law enforcement,” he said, “and it concerns everybody if you see some agents go rogue and if you see an agency that doesn’t have the right checks and balances at the top. This is coming from the top.”

Doocy couldn’t abide that response.

“Steve, who went rogue?” he pressed. “They were following a search warrant!”

“We want to find that out,” Scalise replied. “We want to find that out.” He then pivoted to criticism of Garland.

ROGUE FBI AGENTS! So rogue that their actions were signed off on by Chris Wray, Trump's own pick to head the FBI, the DoJ which has thus far, much to the frustrations of liberals, been extremely neutral on everything and not publicly pursued any investigations into Trump thus far, and a federal judge who signed off on the warrant.

That's a lot of ROGUE XYZ people that he's just assuming exist.

So much for "backing the blue", Republicans seem to really dislike law enforcement right now.

[gondrin]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...e-republicans/



ROGUE FBI AGENTS! So rogue that their actions were signed off on by Chris Wray, Trump's own pick to head the FBI, the DoJ which has thus far, much to the frustrations of liberals, been extremely neutral on everything and not publicly pursued any investigations into Trump thus far, and a federal judge who signed off on the warrant.

That's a lot of ROGUE XYZ people that he's just assuming exist.

So much for "backing the blue", Republicans seem to really dislike law enforcement right now.

Man, nothing says going rogue then following a judge's lawful subpoena. I mean, there are probably a few rogue agents like there are in any industry but good luck finding them.

[Gorsameth]

Its so sad to see them shouting about overreach and rogue agencies when there are mountains and mountains of evidence to justify it.

I get that they have no other argument and that the cultists are willing to shut their minds to their existence but, sigh.

Republicans are beyond saving, and they don't deserve to be saved.

[Edge-]

Its so sad to see them shouting about overreach and rogue agencies when there are mountains and mountains of evidence to justify it.

I get that they have no other argument and that the cultists are willing to shut their minds to their existence but, sigh.

Republicans are beyond saving, and they don't deserve to be saved.

Oh they do!

Buttery Males

And

Hunter Biden's Laptop!

But that's about the extent of it.

[Strange One]

So much for "backing the blue", Republicans seem to really dislike law enforcement right now.

The only reason they ever backed the blue is because the blue was attacking and killing people they don't like. So they had a reason to defend it. It was never a principle thing, they never had principles.

[Edge-]

https://twitter.com/jsrailton/status...586752/photo/1

Shooter apparently had a warrant related to his presence at the Jan. 6 attack on the capitol building. Not fully confirmed.

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.startribune.com/trump-wa...ome/600197541/

WHERE WERE THE SUBPOENA'S BEFORE THE RAID?!

Former President Donald Trump received a subpoena this spring in search of documents that federal investigators believed he had failed to turn over earlier in the year, when he returned boxes of material he had improperly taken with him upon moving out of the White House, three people familiar with the matter said.

There it is, there's the subpoena. So that's one less talking point for Republicans...or should be, but they'll probably ignore it.

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ame-sex-couple

A Louisiana five-year-old was allegedly forced out of her kindergarten class at a religious school because her parents are a same-sex couple.

Emily and Jennie Parker said they were informed by school officials at the Bible Baptist Academy in DeQuincy, Louisiana, during a meeting with the school’s director and a pastor that their same-sex relationship did not follow the teachings of the school and that they would need to find a new school for their daughter, Zoey.

“We got called into the principal’s office for a meeting, they informed us that Zoey wouldn’t be able to go to school there anymore because of our lifestyle choices,” said Jennifer Parker, 31, to KPLC, a local news affiliate.

This is 100% why federal tax dollars should NOT go to any religious based schools, ever, unless they commit to not discriminate based on their religion.

Because again - it's never about the kids. It's always about protecting the rights of bigots to discriminate against others for who they are.

- - - Updated - - -

Garland just wrapped up his comments. Standard stuff, was about the raid on Monday. Went through all the appropriate channels.

And took the moment to defend the FBI and its agents, which are under unprecedented rhetorical attacks by Republicans, and as of today a possible physical attack by a partisan individual.

[solinari6]

Garland just wrapped up his comments. Standard stuff, was about the raid on Monday. Went through all the appropriate channels.

And took the moment to defend the FBI and its agents, which are under unprecedented rhetorical attacks by Republicans, and as of today a possible physical attack by a partisan individual.

You left out the important part! He basically said "Heck yeah, let's release the warrant!" and asked the judge to do so. So now, Trump has to decide if he wants to try to block that. LOL

[Edge-]

You left out the important part! He basically said "Heck yeah, let's release the warrant!" and asked the judge to do so. So now, Trump has to decide if he wants to try to block that. LOL

Good catch, and big detail I left out. This contradicts the whole, "THEY'RE TRYING TO CLOAK AND DAGGER US!"

Transparency is always good, or at least as much transparency is as possible for an active criminal investigation.

[Forogil]

If Trump wanted to clear up what they were doing, and not fundraise off of this, he could just release the fucking warrant and a list of things that were taken. But he won't do that, because he stands to grift 10s of millions from his followers.

Well, it seems DoJ is trying to force his hands by requesting to release it - unless Trump objects.

https://edition.cnn.com/politics/liv...rks/index.html

[Breccia]

I know we just covered this, thanks @Soinari6 but if I cite FOX News now I get to cite CNN later. Five more and I get to cite Huffpost!

Trump FBI raid: Garland says he approved Mar-a-Lago search, DOJ moves to unseal warrant

Attorney General Merrick Garland Thursday announced the Justice Department is moving to make public the search warrant and property receipt from its raid on former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home Monday.

"The Department of Justice will speak through its court filings and its work," Garland said during a public statement. "Just now, the Justice Department has filed a motion in the Southern District of Florida to unseal a search warrant and property receipt relating to a court-approved search that the FBI conducted earlier this week. That search was a premises located in Florida belonging to the former president."

Garland added: "The department filed the motion to make public the warrant and receipt in light of the former president's public confirmation of the search, the surrounding circumstances and the substantial public interest in this matter."

He also said that he could not provide further details on "the basis of the search," but confirmed that he personally approved the search. Garland said that the department "does not take such a decision lightly."

The attorney general's comments come after Republicans and even some Democrats for have demanded that the Justice Department release more information on the search, which was an unprecedented action against a former president.

His comments were the first public statement from the Justice Department addressing the matter.

Sources told Fox News Digital the search was in connection with materials that Trump took with him from his time as president, which the DOJ has been investigating over whether removing the materials broke any laws.

Garland also said that he believes the FBI has been "unfairly attacked" by critics in the wake of the search. "Every day they protect the American people from violent crime, terrorism and other threats to their safety while safeguarding our civil rights," he said.

Garland did not take questions from reporters.

You mean, like Trump didn't? For years?

FOX News has a scrolling feed of mini stories like other sites, and man is the outrage real. But besides all the WITCH HUNT shrilling, there's another bit worth quoting.

A federal law enforcement souce tells Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich that it's "very likely" the information that gave the FBI probable cause to search Trump's estate came from a Secret Service member.

According to that source, the standard for a federal warrant requires a specific item to be potentially siezed, and the location of the item at a specific time.

So that's an interesting twist, but the "very likely" bit means they are still, well, guessing. It makes sense, but that's not any kind of confirmation.

You know what, why not one more.

Trump said Thursday that he was "cooperating fully" with the government in a probe on documents he allegedly took from the White House, but his Florida home was still raided "out of nowhere."

Trump's comments, in posts on his social network Truth Social, follow an on-camera statement by Attorney General Merrick Garland about the FBI search of Trump's home Monday. Trump did not directly address what Garland said.

"My attorneys and representatives were cooperating fully, and very good relationships had been established. The government could have had whatever they wanted, if we had it," Trump said. "They asked us to put an additional lock on a certain area - DONE! Everything was fine, better than that of most previous Presidents, and then, out of nowhere and with no warning, Mar-a-Lago was raided, at 6:30 in the morning, by VERY large numbers of agents, and even 'safecrackers.'"

Trump added: "They got way ahead of themselves. Crazy!"

The former president also said in a separate post that the agenda "rummaged through" closets and personal items of Melania Trump and "left area in a relative mess."

Now this is the FOX News we all know. One, Trump is lying, his team was not cooperating. As multiple posters here have cited, Team Trump was being warned about this in April and May to the point that Trump admitted in public he still had stuff. Then a special negotiator in the field of national security came by in June. It's August. And either the stuff was all in 3 rooms and Trump knew that, or it wasn't and the FBI doesn't have it back yet -- which isn't negotiations, that's just not complying with federal law. Two, Trump is bragging that he had better security than former Presidents because he put a lock on the door...to the room with items he wasn't allowed to have. That's just stupid. Three, "out of nowhere" is not what you say after 18 months. Well, it is if you're lying. Four, when he said the government could have had whatever they wanted, that is kind of true, in the sense that they came with a subpoena for things Trump wasn't supposed to have. And five, Trump claimed Melania's closet was a mess -- guess we know where the safe is -- but Trump's lawyer already said everything was put back days ago.

Oh shit, another one flipped up as I was typing.

A federal judge Thursday gave the Justice Department until 3 p.m. Friday to certify whether Trump supports or opposes unsealing the warrant and property receipt from the FBI's search of his Mar-a-Lago home Monday.

"The United States shall immediately serve a copy of its Motion on counsel for former President Trump," Magestrate Judge Bruce Reinhard wrote in an order on the DOJ's motion to unseal the warrant and property receipt. "On or before 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on August 12, 2022, the United States shall file a certificate of conferral advising whether former President Trump opposes the Government's motion to unseal."

I mean, that's a judge who clearly knows the rules...but...why would the DoJ need to certify what Trump has to say? Couldn't Trump just, you know, say so himself? The way it looks right now, Trump could tell the DoJ he's opposed to it, then lie in public that he does and feign outrage when the DoJ doesn't. Which, just going to say, calling it now, is what he does.

[Gorsameth]

I mean, that's a judge who clearly knows the rules...but...why would the DoJ need to certify what Trump has to say? Couldn't Trump just, you know, say so himself? The way it looks right now, Trump could tell the DoJ he's opposed to it, then lie in public that he does and feign outrage when the DoJ doesn't. Which, just going to say, calling it now, is what he does.

I assume because there needs to be a paper trail that certifies that the raided party was given notice and the chance to approve or oppose the unsealing so that no one can claim it happened without their knowledge.

And yes Trump could say no through his lawyer and publicly say he said yes but then the DoJ just waves the letter from his lawyer saying Trump opposes unsealing infront of the camera.
(which is, again, why you want a paper trail)

[Breccia]

I assume be--

WAIT I have another one.

Subpoena Preceded Search Warrant in Push to Retrieve Material From Trump

The existence of the subpoena helps to flesh out the sequence of events that led to the search of Mr. Trump’s Florida home on Monday by F.B.I. agents seeking classified material they believed might still be there, even after efforts by the National Archives and the Justice Department to ensure that it had been returned.

The subpoena suggests that the Justice Department tried methods short of a search warrant to account for the material before taking the politically explosive step of sending F.B.I. agents unannounced to Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump’s home and members-only club.

Two people briefed on the classified documents that investigators believe remained at Mar-a-Lago indicated that they were so sensitive in nature, and related to national security, that the Justice Department had to act.

"Yet more unnamed sources? The only person allowed to do that is Trump. All other unnamed sources are handwaved!"

The subpoena was first disclosed by John Solomon, a conservative journalist who has also been designated by Mr. Trump as one of his representatives to the National Archives.

"Figures."

It was a grand jury subpoena two months ago. So once again, Trump was lying when he said he was cooperating, Trump was lying when he said the raid came out of nowhere. He was subpoena'd, he didn't comply, he loses.

Now, what were you saying?

I assume because there needs to be a paper trail that certifies that the raided party was given notice and the chance to approve or oppose the unsealing so that no one can claim it happened without their knowledge.

Makes sense, but I don't think Trump will give one for the reason I cited above. He can deny a phone call. He can't deny his signature on a federal form. Well, he can, but it won't help.

[PACOX]

Ohhh Garland said "I ordered the search, and what..bitch".

Know how you know there's no grand conspiracy like the GOP says? Because the DNC can't plan shit, can't even get its people on board with a singular short term goal, how are could the party set up up some shit to 'take down Trump' that Trump didn't do to himself?

Fox News anchors are so distraught they can't even maintain their plastic personas anymore. MAGA Hats out here posting videos trying to hold back tears.


I don't know what will come out of this, if anything. I'm here for all the drama, though.

[Edge-]

Know how you know there's no grand conspiracy like the GOP says? Because the DNC can't plan shit, can't even get its people on board with a singular short term goal, how are could the party set up up some shit to 'take down Trump' that Trump didn't do to himself?

No, you just don't understand.

The Democrats are wholly incompetent and can barely agree to pass a single piece of legislation. They're in shambles! They can't even tie their own shoes! Look at Biden, he couldn't even put on a coat without help and then dropping his sunglasses!

But they're also the most powerful global forces around, capable of manipulating governments around the world and creating "fake" pandemics, with secret spies embedded at senior levels in every agency. They're the puppetmasters pulling all the strings.

Both of which are true, and not totally contradictory.

[Breccia]

So reviewing Garland's highlights and a few articles, it seems that the DOJ doesn't ask for this unsealing much, if at all. But, the GOP was making such a giant stink based on Trump's lies and their own fanatacism, that it serves the public good to show what they asked Trump for, that Trump didn't give back, despite a subpoena, over several months, and had in I guess Melania's closet.

The Department filed the motion to make public the warrant and receipt in light of the former president’s public confirmation of the search, the surrounding circumstances, and the substantial public interest in this matter

Now, I still maintain that Trump will intentionally choose not to have anything in writing, just to make things more chaotic. If he wanted to make the warrant public, he could have done it a while ago. His lawyer said she had a copy, in public, after all. So I don't think he wants it public, I think he'll object on the phone, and then we'll find out what happens next.

Here's hoping the DOJ records the call from Trump. Or, just as good, I hope the judge says "Well, the DOJ didn't get anything from you, so you lawyers in the courtroom physically right now, you may write your objection and submit it on the record, or without such a filing, I will take the DoJ on their word that you oppose the release."

[Edge-]

I'm still frustrated with Garland for many reasons, but he basically just walked out and imploded almost the entire conservative narrative about this over the past 72 hours in like 3 minutes.

- - - Updated - - -

https://www.vice.com/en/article/qjkv...d-bidens-house

And conservative are already promising "revenge" for Trump and that if Trump wins in 2024 they'll raid every Biden property...because...uh...reasons.

Because reminder: It's all about revenge. It's all about reacting. There is no leadership. No good-faith attempt at governance. It's about gaining and maintaining power and punishing your perceived political enemies.

[Breccia]

I'm still frustrated with Garland for many reasons, but he basically just walked out and imploded almost the entire conservative narrative about this over the past 72 hours in like 3 minutes.

I believe you mean "Blowtorch". Oh and @Gorsameth turns out you nailed it.

Garland pulled this off with a straightforward legal filing: The Department of Justice requested that the judge in Trump’s case unseal the search warrant and the FBI property receipt listing what was taken from Mar-a-Lago, “absent objection from the former President.”

On Thursday, Attorney General Merrick Garland offered the first official account of Monday’s FBI raid on Donald Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago in search of reportedly classified documents that Trump had taken from the White House when he left office, documents that he allegedly still had not turned back over to the government. While Garland did not reveal many details, he did take a blowtorch to the GOP’s unhinged defenses of the former president and attacks on the Department of Justice over the past 72 hours.

Garland pulled this off with a straightforward legal filing: The Department of Justice requested that the judge in Trump’s case unseal the search warrant and the FBI property receipt listing what was taken from Mar-a-Lago, “absent objection from the former President.”

This puts the onus on Trump and his lawyers—who for the past three days have unleashed fury against the FBI and gone so far as to suggest the bureau was “planting” evidence—to object in court to unsealing the documents in order to keep them secret. This immediately flips the script away from the saturation of “what is the DOJ hiding” media coverage of the past few days and raises the obvious question: If Trump objects to unsealing these documents, what is he hiding?

Indeed, Republicans like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have demanded that the DOJ provide immediate answers about the raid. Now the DOJ is saying that so long as the judge in question ascents, they will immediately turn over answers the moment Trump relinquishes his rights to keep those answers secret and lets the DOJ publicize what this was about. If Trump surrenders his rights to keep this secret and the DOJ is asking the court to reveal it, then it seems like there would be little rationale for the judge to deny the motion. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart has given Trump until Friday afternoon to notify the court whether he objects to the unsealing of the documents.

This takes the DoJ out of the middle and makes Trump have to tell the court directly. Oh, and no way is Team Trump, already in real trouble because of all those crimes Trump committed, going to claim the judge is lying.

- - - Updated - - -

Within seconds of Garland's statement, Graham moves the goalposts.

What I am looking for is the predicate for the search. Was the information provided to the judge sufficient and necessary to authorize a raid on Trump’s home within 90 days of the midterm election? I am urging, actually insisting, the D.O.J. and the F.B.I. lay their cards on the table as to why this course of action was necessary. Until that is done the suspicion will continue to mount.

As discussed before, Graham has no authority here. The affadavit can be unsealed, but only by a motion Trump files in court. Graham is neither the prosecutor, nor the judge, nor the defense, nor any part of the executive or judiciary branch. It may happen, but the DOJ owes Graham nothing.

He's also wrong that suspicion will continue to mount. The rabid fanbase were convinced when Trump made his first lie. What is happening is the target of their suspicion is being forced to change, as he himself demonstrated with that statement.

[Edge-]

Why does the raid being 90 days from the midterm matter? Trump isn't a candidate in the midterms, there's no standing DoJ rule about executing investigative actions relating to non-candidates.

[Breccia]

From the NYTimes:

After hours of searching, they left with several boxes that were not filled to the brim and in some cases simply contained sealed envelopes of material that the agents took and were otherwise empty, one person familiar with the search said.

The person said that the F.B.I. left behind a two-page manifest of what was taken. The F.B.I. does not need to list the substance of every item it removed from Mar-a-Lago, and it is not clear what the inventory will reveal if it is unsealed by a Florida judge. If the manifest is made public, it is likely to be redacted to shield any classified material.

But the inventory provided to Mr. Trump’s team does reference an array of sensitive material, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. For example, it alludes to miscellaneous confidential documents as well some labeled “top secret.”

Mr. Trump’s team has declined to disclose the contents of the search warrant. A number of organizations, including The New York Times, are seeking in federal court to have it unsealed.

It seems pretty likely so far, that the FBI left Trump's house with objective proof of Trump's guilt. Expect a massive retcon in GOP outrage when yet another talking point is exposed as yet another untruth.

- - - Updated - - -

Why does the raid being 90 days from the midterm matter?

More shrilling that it's all political. He would have said 120 days, or 150 days, or whatever, if it'd been those. Trump was the one who controlled the timing -- he could have just returned the material when asked. Or never stolen it in the first place. Graham's outrage isn't really at the DoJ, it's at himself for backing Trump and Trump making him the fool for backing a felon.

- - - Updated - - -

I'll jump to the end of this MSNBC article:

What kind of person calls a bluff?

Someone with a winning hand.

Wray and Garland know what the warant was for. They also know what was found.