Trump being investigated for Espionage Act violation, unsealed FBI warrant shows

[Right_in_Virginia]

Trump being investigated for Espionage Act violation, unsealed FBI warrant shows
Washington Examiner, Aug 12, 2022

Former President Donald Trump is being investigated for a potential Espionage Act violation and possible obstruction of justice, according to the unsealed warrant for the unprecedented FBI raid of his Mar-a-Lago home.

The search warrant unsealed Friday afternoon cited 18 U.S. Code 793 (part of the Espionage Act) related to “gathering, transmitting, or losing defense information.”

Despite its name, many of the law’s provisions don’t relate specifically to espionage.

The warrant also pointed to 18 U.S. Code 2071 on “concealment, removal, or mutilation generally” and 18 U.S. Code 1519 on “destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in Federal investigations and bankruptcy.” The latter relates to potential obstruction of justice.

Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart ordered the warrant to be unsealed after the Justice Department told the court that Trump wasn't objecting to it being made public.

Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich said: “The Biden administration is in obvious damage control after their botched raid where they seized the President’s picture books, a ‘hand written note,’ and declassified documents.” He called it “outrageous.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday that he “personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter.” He also announced that the Justice Department requested permission from the federal court to unseal the court-approved search warrant that authorized its raid.


More:  https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/trump-investigated-espionage-act-violation-unsealed-fbi-warrant

[Right_in_Virginia]

Garland demanded the seizure of literally any record Trump ever saw, read, or created over the entire 4-year term of his presidency: "Any government and/or Presidential Records created between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021."

This fishing expedition is so insane that under the federal legal definition of "Presidential Records," a McDonald's menu that Trump scrawled his lunch order on during a meeting in the Oval would be included (44 U.S.C. 2201).

The FBI raided Trump's house for that. INSANE. https://t.co/WP4ULjXS8f pic.twitter.com/A2zMLws370— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) August 12, 2022

[Right_in_Virginia]

Under "Attachment B" of the FBI raid document, Garland demanded the seizure of literally any record Trump ever saw, read, or created over the entire 4-year term of his presidency: "Any government and/or Presidential Records created between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021."— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) August 12, 2022

[Right_in_Virginia]

Jack Posobiec
@JackPosobiec

The warrant shows the Biden DOJ is investigating Trump for removal or destruction of records, obstruction of an investigation, and violating the Espionage Act

A grand jury has been empaneled in DC

3:48 PM · Aug 12, 2022·Twitter Web App

[rustynail]

One can almost hear the walls closing in.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Cernovich
@Cernovich

Trump warrant shows why deep state lied about nuclear secrets. This thing was a disgrace. A raid for Trump’s handwritten notes? WTF.

4:50 PM · Aug 12, 2022·Twitter for iPhone

[Bigun]

Jack Posobiec
@JackPosobiec

The warrant shows the Biden DOJ is investigating Trump for removal or destruction of records, obstruction of an investigation, and violating the Espionage Act

A grand jury has been empaneled in DC

3:48 PM · Aug 12, 2022·Twitter Web App

As the old saying goes: "You can beat the rap, but you can't beat the ride!"  They are hell bent on having pictures of Trump in cuffs and they will.  I believe the voting public is going to see right through that however.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Election Wizard
@ElectionWiz

Tell me without telling me the Trump raid was a fishing expedition.



4:08 PM · Aug 12, 2022  Twitter for iPhone

[Hoodat]

18 U.S. Code § 793 - Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information

Read it for yourself.  This one should have been laughed out of court.  They are implying that Donald Trump had the intent of injuring the United States.  The ONLY driving force for this to be include in the warrant is the Jan 6 commission.  And if that is the case, we have a serious issue with Congress using the FBI for political purposes.

[Hoodat]

Jack Posobiec
@JackPosobiec

The warrant shows the Biden DOJ is investigating Trump for removal or destruction of records, obstruction of an investigation, and violating the Espionage Act

A grand jury has been empaneled in DC

Uh, nope.  That's not how it works.  The grand jury must be empaneled in Florida since that is the scene of the alleged crime.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Jack Posobiec
@ackPosobiec

We STILL DO NOT HAVE THE AFFIDAVIT

3:49 PM · Aug 12, 2022·Twitter Web App

[Right_in_Virginia]

Sean Davis
@seanmdav

Attempted media narrative: We had to recover stolen nuclear information!

Reality: The Feds stormed Trump's house based on a warrant commanding them to seize literally any piece of paper Trump might have accidentally sneezed on while president. Unreal.


3:35 PM · Aug 12, 2022  Twitter Web App

[Right_in_Virginia]

Benny Johnson
@BennyJohnson

So — Did they just lie about the Nukes thing?

4:51 PM · Aug 12, 2022·Twitter for iPhone

[Right_in_Virginia]

Jim Comey in 2016: "Although there is evidence of potential violations of the statutes regarding the handling of classified information, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case"  (Video)

https://mobile.twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1558187495942246400

[mystery-ak]

READ: DOJ’s warrant against Trump
https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3598688-read-dojs-warrant-against-trump/

[Right_in_Virginia]

What Trump warrant really reveals: they were hiding what they were really looking for in wildly overbroad descriptions of documents to be seized.— Robert Barnes (@barnes_law) August 12, 2022

[Right_in_Virginia]

Raheem Kassam
@RaheemKassam

THE WARRANT IS HORSE SHIT.

I’ve seen it.

Judge should be disbarred.

They took PHOTO BOOKS.

2:50 PM · Aug 12, 2022·Twitter for iPhone

[Kamaji]

What is the basis for the claim that the Espionage Act was violated?

[Right_in_Virginia]

Newt Gingrich
@newtgingrich
·2h

This is nuts! National review “Recovered items that were improperly taken to Mar-a-Lago include a cocktail napkin, a birthday dinner menu, “—a cocktail napkin? Has the FBI lost its mind?

[mystery-ak]

I wish he would stop posting on TruthSocial and call a news conference....answer questions...he's good at this...

[mystery-ak]

Ashley Muñoz 🇺🇸
@AshleyMunoz45
·
Aug 11
UPDATE:🚨It has been revealed that Donald Trump was housing a private server @ Mar-a-Lago & hired a close associate to wipe it clean with computer software.The FBI also found gov’t phones which were smashed to prevent evidence from being discovered.

JK! That was Hillary Clinton.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Ben Pershing
@benpershing

FBI agents took around 20 boxes of items, binders of photos, a handwritten note and the executive grant of clemency for Mr. Trump’s ally Roger Stone, a list of items removed from the property shows. Also included in the list was information about the “President of France”

1:18 PM · Aug 12, 2022·Twitter Web App

[Right_in_Virginia]

What is the basis for the claim that the Espionage Act was violated?

The Affidavit is still sealed.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I wish he would stop posting on TruthSocial and call a news conference....answer questions...he's good at this...

It's time for the DOJ and FBI to answer questions   ---- not Trump.

[Hoodat]

Here it is section by section:

18 U.S. Code § 793 - Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information

(a)Whoever, for the purpose of obtaining information respecting the national defense with intent or reason to believe that the information is to be used to the injury of the United States, or to the advantage of any foreign nation, goes upon, enters, flies over, or otherwise obtains information concerning any vessel, aircraft, work of defense, navy yard, naval station, submarine base, fueling station, fort . . ., or in progress of construction . . ., or any place in which any vessel, aircraft, arms . . ., or any prohibited place so designated by the President by proclamation in time of war or in case of national emergency .  .  .

This clearly does not apply.


(b)Whoever, for the purpose aforesaid, and with like intent or reason to believe, copies, takes, makes, or obtains, or attempts to copy, take, make, or obtain, any sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, document, writing, or note of anything connected with the national defense

That's going to be a stretch for the President of the United States to sneak around making copies of things he's already been given.


(c)Whoever, for the purpose aforesaid, receives or obtains or agrees or attempts to receive or obtain from any person, or from any source whatever, any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, or note, of anything connected with the national defense, knowing or having reason to believe, at the time he receives or obtains, or agrees or attempts to receive or obtain it, that it has been or will be obtained, taken, made, or disposed of by any person contrary to the provisions of this chapter; or

This would require a co-conspirator.


(d)Whoever, lawfully having possession of, access to, control over, or being entrusted with any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, . . . , or note relating to the national defense, or information relating to the national defense which information the possessor has reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation, willfully communicates, delivers, transmits or causes to be communicated, delivered, or transmitted or attempts to communicate, deliver, transmit or cause to be communicated, delivered or transmitted the same to any person not entitled to receive it, or willfully retains the same and fails to deliver it on demand to the officer or employee of the United States entitled to receive it

This here is what they are going for.  The Archives have requested records which they claim Trump has failed to deliver.  The problem though is intent.  They would have to prove that this is Defense information that Trump knew he could use for treasonous purposes, and for that reason failed to turn that information over to the Archives/ NY Court / Congress.  It is complete bullshit, but then so is everything else about this fiasco.


(e)Whoever having unauthorized possession of, access to, or control over any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, .  .  . , or information relating to the national defense which information the possessor has reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation, willfully communicates, delivers, transmits or causes to be communicated, delivered, or transmitted, or attempts to communicate, deliver, transmit or cause to be communicated, delivered, or transmitted the same to any person not entitled to receive it, or willfully retains the same and fails to deliver it to the officer or employee of the United States entitled to receive it; or

Trump had authorization to everything in his possession.

There are three more sections, but my patience is shot.

[Hoodat]

Ashley Muñoz 🇺🇸
@AshleyMunoz45
·
Aug 11
UPDATE:🚨It has been revealed that Donald Trump was housing a private server @ Mar-a-Lago & hired a close associate to wipe it clean with computer software.The FBI also found gov’t phones which were smashed to prevent evidence from being discovered.

JK! That was Hillary Clinton.

Nice.

[Kamaji]

Here it is section by section:

18 U.S. Code § 793 - Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information

(a)Whoever, for the purpose of obtaining information respecting the national defense with intent or reason to believe that the information is to be used to the injury of the United States, or to the advantage of any foreign nation, goes upon, enters, flies over, or otherwise obtains information concerning any vessel, aircraft, work of defense, navy yard, naval station, submarine base, fueling station, fort . . ., or in progress of construction . . ., or any place in which any vessel, aircraft, arms . . ., or any prohibited place so designated by the President by proclamation in time of war or in case of national emergency .  .  .

This clearly does not apply.


(b)Whoever, for the purpose aforesaid, and with like intent or reason to believe, copies, takes, makes, or obtains, or attempts to copy, take, make, or obtain, any sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, document, writing, or note of anything connected with the national defense

That's going to be a stretch for the President of the United States to sneak around making copies of things he's already been given.


(c)Whoever, for the purpose aforesaid, receives or obtains or agrees or attempts to receive or obtain from any person, or from any source whatever, any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, or note, of anything connected with the national defense, knowing or having reason to believe, at the time he receives or obtains, or agrees or attempts to receive or obtain it, that it has been or will be obtained, taken, made, or disposed of by any person contrary to the provisions of this chapter; or

This would require a co-conspirator.


(d)Whoever, lawfully having possession of, access to, control over, or being entrusted with any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, . . . , or note relating to the national defense, or information relating to the national defense which information the possessor has reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation, willfully communicates, delivers, transmits or causes to be communicated, delivered, or transmitted or attempts to communicate, deliver, transmit or cause to be communicated, delivered or transmitted the same to any person not entitled to receive it, or willfully retains the same and fails to deliver it on demand to the officer or employee of the United States entitled to receive it

This here is what they are going for.  The Archives have requested records which they claim Trump has failed to deliver.  The problem though is intent.  They would have to prove that this is Defense information that Trump knew he could use for treasonous purposes, and for that reason failed to turn that information over to the Archives/ NY Court / Congress.  It is complete bullshit, but then so is everything else about this fiasco.


(e)Whoever having unauthorized possession of, access to, or control over any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, .  .  . , or information relating to the national defense which information the possessor has reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation, willfully communicates, delivers, transmits or causes to be communicated, delivered, or transmitted, or attempts to communicate, deliver, transmit or cause to be communicated, delivered, or transmitted the same to any person not entitled to receive it, or willfully retains the same and fails to deliver it to the officer or employee of the United States entitled to receive it; or

Trump had authorization to everything in his possession.

There are three more sections, but my patience is shot.

@Hoodat

Thanks.

I see a number of provisions that would apply to Obama, Biden, and Clinton.  I assume similar raids of their properties are being prepared even as we speak.

In fact, this would directly apply to Gen. Milley and his communications with the Chinese during Trump's presidency to the effect that he would not allow the U.S. to launch nuclear weapons against China if Trump ordered such a launch.

That is information which is detrimental to the defense of the U.S. which was knowingly communicated by Gen. Milley to a known enemy.

Has Gen. Milley been raided yet?

[Right_in_Virginia]

Jack Posobiec
@JackPosobiec

BREAKING: Trump confirms documents were declassified, asks when Obama library will be raided

 

2:31 PM · Aug 12, 2022   Twitter for iPhone

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

So it’s all bullshit?

[Kamaji]

18 USC § 793(d) applies directly to what Gen. Milley did when he communicated with the Chinese:

(d)Whoever, lawfully having possession of, access to, control over, or being entrusted with any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, . . . , or note relating to the national defense, or information relating to the national defense which information the possessor has reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation, willfully communicates, delivers, transmits or causes to be communicated, delivered, or transmitted or attempts to communicate, deliver, transmit or cause to be communicated, delivered or transmitted the same to any person not entitled to receive it,

He lawfully possessed information relating to the national defense - the strategic purposes for nuclear launches, and control over those launches - which he knew, or must have known with substantial certainty would be to the advantage of China, and he willfully communicated that information to one or more generals in China, who were not entitled to receive that information.

When can we expect the FBI and DOJ to raid Milley's house and arrest him for a violation of the Espionage Act?

If they do not, then their raid on Donald Trump is patently, transparently political in nature and has nothing to do with the rule of law.

Please everyone, email the republicans in Congress and demand that they follow up on this with the FBI and DOJ.

[mystery-ak]

It's time for the DOJ and FBI to answer questions   ---- not Trump.

I disagree....He should call a presser and let them have hell....the DOJ and FBI will NEVER tell the truth..they have been preparing this for 18mos.....100 days before an election....

[Kamaji]

So it’s all bullshit?

It's all transparently political, whether it's bullshit or not.  The ends sought do not justify the means employed - total disproportionality - particularly when measured against the complete failure to prosecute any democrat - or Gen. Milley - for these types of issues.

[Hoodat]

18 USC § 793(d) applies directly to what Gen. Milley did when he communicated with the Chinese:

He lawfully possessed information relating to the national defense - the strategic purposes for nuclear launches, and control over those launches - which he knew, or must have known with substantial certainty would be to the advantage of China, and he willfully communicated that information to one or more generals in China, who were not entitled to receive that information.

Yep.

[Bigun]

I disagree....He should call a presser and let them have hell....the DOJ and FBI will NEVER tell the truth..they have been preparing this for 18mos.....100 days before an election....

Exactly right! Anybody that thinks these corrupt bastards are going to play by the rules is delusional!

They have already amply demonstrated that they have no intention to do so.

[Bigun]

https://twitter.com/barnes_law/status/1558203278558605312

[Bigun]

[aligncare]

It's time for the DOJ and FBI to answer questions   ---- not Trump.

Exactly. Let’s hear them justify their aggressive enforcement actions on a popular, former president and likely presidential candidate in 2024–in plain english so that even democrats can understand.

[libertybele]

I disagree....He should call a presser and let them have hell....the DOJ and FBI will NEVER tell the truth..they have been preparing this for 18mos.....100 days before an election....

Who's going to air his presser?  I doubt any of the networks are going to cover him and that's the audience he truly needs to reach.

[libertybele]

Exactly. Let’s hear them justify their aggressive enforcement actions on a popular, former president and likely presidential candidate in 2024–in plain english so that even democrats can understand.

It's hard to say.  IMHO the questions would be asked in such a fashion that the only conclusion people are going to come to is Trump's guilt.

[DCPatriot]

Exactly right! Anybody that thinks these corrupt bastards are going to play by the rules is delusional!

They have already amply demonstrated that they have no intention to do so.

Good luck, sir!

You're not even recognizing that without an honest, objective media/social media...nothing is going to work.

We're "this close" to losing it all!  ALL.  OF.  IT.

[libertybele]

Good luck, sir!

You're not even recognizing that without an honest, objective media/social media...nothing is going to work.

We're "this close" to losing it all!  ALL.  OF.  IT.

Yes we are. 

[libertybele]

The search warrant identifies three possible federal crimes as the reasoning behind the search: violations of the Espionage Act, obstruction of justice and criminal handling of government records. Read the full warrant @link.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/12/politics/read-search-warrant-trump-mar-a-lago/index.html

[mystery-ak]

Who's going to air his presser?  I doubt any of the networks are going to cover him and that's the audience he truly needs to reach.

You don't think the press would cover this..I sure do..everyone wants to hear what he has to say...

[aligncare]

It's hard to say.  IMHO the questions would be asked in such a fashion that the only conclusion people are going to come to is Trump's guilt.

I guess my real point is, they can’t justify it in any way — legally, morally, sanity (hello?)

And if Garland should try to he should use spirit-of-the-law language like Comey did in his nation wide address regarding Hillary’s careless handling of 30k emails. She could’ve been president for heaven’s sake!

[libertybele]

You don't think the press would cover this..I sure do..everyone wants to hear what he has to say...

Yes, everyone wants to hear what he has to say, but I'm thinking that the MSM has already been warned not to cover him.  You can sure bet though that they will  broadcast all the charges and allegations and will never give Trump a chance to tell his side of the story. Just my opinion.

[libertybele]

I guess my real point is, they can’t justify it in any way — legally, morally, sanity (hello?)

And if Garland should try to he should use spirit-of-the-law language like Comey did in his nation wide address regarding Hillary’s careless handling of 30k emails. She could’ve been president for heaven’s sake!

The evilness and insanity keeps prevailing. 

[mystery-ak]

‘They wanted this attention’: Former acting AG accuses FBI of intentionally creating ‘firestorm’ with Mar-a-Lago raid
August 12, 2022 | Melissa Fine

Former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker accused the FBI of intentionally creating a “firestorm” when they raided former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

Whitaker appeared on Fox News’s “Fox and Friends” on Friday and was asked by co-host Brian Kilmeade about the FBI’s decision to raid Mar-a-Lago when Trump was out of town in order, as reports claim, to avoid creating a firestorm.

“How clueless are they to think they can slide up with guards, take over a compound for nine hours with the FBI and countless trucks along with aerial, I think, with airplanes and not think it’s going to create a firestorm?” Kilmeade asked. “How much of an emergency can it be if they hold onto the warrant for a couple of days and don’t do anything?”

“Brian, you are absolutely right,” Whitaker replied. “This has caused a complete firestorm. They should have anticipated. And it does demonstrate how insulted on the fifth floor of the Department of Justice is. [Attorney General] Merrick Garland said one thing that I just disagree with. And he said that this, obviously DOJ policy, they need to use the least intrusive means [in] obtaining this evidence.”

“In this case, they went in with dozens of agents to execute a search warrant,” he continued. “And there had to be a way to not cause this firestorm. They didn’t want to do it, they wanted this attention.”

more
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2022/08/12/they-wanted-this-attention-former-acting-ag-accuses-fbi-of-intentionally-creating-firestorm-with-mar-a-lago-raid-1272736/

[mountaineer]

Jay Altons
@jayaltons
They are now legitimately mad that Trump's lawyers released the search warrant without any of the agents names redacted from it....

....Including agents which are also curiously involved with the January 6th incident....
3:43 PM · Aug 12, 2022

[libertybele]

Jay Altons
@jayaltons
They are now legitimately mad that Trump's lawyers released the search warrant without any of the agents names redacted from it....

....Including agents which are also curiously involved with the January 6th incident....
3:43 PM · Aug 12, 2022

Mad?? Gee, for some reason I could give two sheets about the agents.

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1558204697193881604