Hey folks. It’s been a while since I’ve written a diary, mostly been lurking, reading, and standing back in consternation, watching all the crazy crap rain down. So… hello!
Today’s update to the Mar-a-Lago indictments around the possession and handling of secret documents by Trump and underlings raises a question that I’ve not yet seen addressed. Apologies if it has been addressed…
As I see it, Trump’s one and only long-shot actual chance at a defense against charges of illegal possession and improper handling of Top Secret (many versions and levels, I know) documents is based on the assertion on (flimsy and stupid) “constitutional” grounds that as President/Former President, he had the right to declassify, and the right to keep, read, and communicate the contents of those documents as part of his executive privilege.
His “best” defense is essentially “I had the right then, I have the right now, I am operating within the constitutionally defined boundaries of executive power, and everything I did is proper.”
(We all know this is utter bullshit, but it’s the only set of statements and assertions that rise above the level of mere incoherent insanity, the only defense that might be considered by a court on constitutional grounds.)
Here’s the problem/question with today’s revelations:
If Trump asserts executive privilege and claims based on that basis that his actions were legal and proper, and his behavior was “perfect”… then why did he actively attempt to and order others to hide records of his actions and the actions of those that he ordered to act? If having and keeping and sharing those documents is legitimate, then why erase video of his underlings moving them around? Why move them around in the first place? If he’s constitutionally empowered to have those documents, then he can do whatever the hell he likes with them. Who cares if there’s video?
If what he did was legal and constitutionally legitimate… then why hide evidence of what he did?
(We know that “logic” will do nothing to convince the folks who eagerly support him… but at the very least it may give pause to a few folks still silly enough to be on fence about all this nonsense).
Anyhoo, that’s my question/statement.
And now back to watching enormous numbers of stupid people doing stupid things in bad places at the wrong time!
Tra-la-la, and Cheerio!