Friday, August 12, 2022

He's Toast

Never accuse Donald Trump of being subtle;  his go-to tool is a sledge-hammer.  Take the laws that govern the handling of sensitive documents, a trove of which were recovered from his Mar-a-Lago property.  Whatever their specific nature, these materials should never have left the custody of the National Archives.  By ferrying them to Florida, 45 violated at least two of the laws that govern such scenarios.

18 USC 1519 pertains to the destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in Federal investigations.   Specifically, the law, adopted in 2002, says Whoever knowingly alters, destroys, mutilates, conceals, covers up, falsifies, or makes a false entry in any record, document, or tangible object with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence the investigation or proper administration of any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States or any case filed under title 11, or in relation to or contemplation of any such matter or case, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

But wait; there's more.  18 USC 2071 declares:

(a) Whoever willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, or destroys, or attempts to do so, or, with intent to do so takes and carries away any record, proceeding, map, book, paper, document, or other thing, filed or deposited with any clerk or officer of any court of the United States, or in any public office, or with any judicial or public officer of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

(b) Whoever, having the custody of any such record, proceeding, map, book, document, paper, or other thing, willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States.

If we're at all lucky, 45, because he insisted on retaining custody of more than 10 boxes of  records, proceedings, ...  documents, [or] papers,  will  be disqualified from holding any office under the United States.  GOTV wonders how or to what degree 18 USC 2071 will affect Mr. Trump's long-anticipated declaration of his 2024 candidacy.

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