We all know Donald Trump’s ugly boast from 2016—that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and his voters would stick with him anyway. But what started out this week as news of an unprecedented FBI search for classified documents and their retrieval at his Mar-a-Lago home—suggesting likely violations of the Presidential Records Act—now looks like a far more serious probe by the Justice Department into his taking some of the nation’s most sensitive information and probable violation of the Espionage Act and related obstruction of justice.
The import was succinctly described by constitutional lawyer Neal Katyal last night in an interview with MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell: “The headline is, The former president of the United States is now under an investigation for violation of the Espionage Act and other federal crimes. Things are looking very serious for Donald Trump, and it’s far more likely he will face a criminal trial than at any point in his life…This is incredibly serious stuff that they found.”
Yes, we have seen elected Republicans largely close ranks as usual around Trump and refuse to openly criticize him—even after one Trump supporter fired on an Ohio field office of the FBI and was subsequently killed. But the seriousness of these latest charges and the apparent lack of a substantial defense beyond bogus claims that the documents were planted and/or that he had declassified these most sensitive documents raises the prospect that Attorney General Merrick Garland will pursue prosecution.
Even as we await the accelerating probe of Trump’s actions involving the Jan. 6 coup attempt and other election violations, will this latest case involving top-secret nuclear and other national security documents—meant to be viewed only in secure government facilities—be the one that even his supporters decide is too much? In the coming days and weeks, is it possible that we will learn that these materials have already been shared with the Saudis, the Russians or other US adversaries? I know that we have seen few signs that his most devoted followers can be swayed by any acts of criminality. But the latest revelations offer reason to wonder: Has Trump finally gone too far, even for many of those who have stuck with him until now?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts. As always, I ask that you respond to each other respectfully.
I believe trump is capable of doing any and every thing that will make him the Supreme dictator. His goal is to be like Putin and all the other dictators currently functioning in the world. It is still difficult understanding how we got here. I am 86 years old, born during FDR Presidency. Never in my life time have I ever been so frighten for our Country and our freedom. He cannot allow this continue. Justice must be served.
My daughter and her husband are research scientists at a Department of Energy lab. They each have ID cards that allow them into various buildings on the campus. There are places her card goes that his won’t, and vice versa. My daughter has told me that sometimes when they are talking at home they have to stop and think about whether she can discuss something with him (whether he has the clearance) and, again, vice versa. This stuff is taken VERY VERY Seriously!
Thank you for this. I always look forward to your work. But unfortunately, I fear there is not a, "too far," for Trump and his supporters - including those elected officials whose sworn oaths are supposed to hold them to a higher calling. And that is terrifying.
Aug 14, 2022·edited Aug 14, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss
Donald Trump is America's full-blown, relentless nightmare, in real time. He has ALWAYS operated outside the parameters of the law, exhibiting the actions and rhetoric of a quasi mob boss. During his tenure in the White House, Trump's alliances were highly questionable. He had a bromance with North Korea's Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un, and displayed fealty and adulation for Russia's strongman President Putin. Nothing is truly sacred or respected by the self-possessed 'Individual 1'. In response to your question of has he gone too far, this time: Trump has ALWAYS gone past the point of integrity and reason, and circumvented the rule of law. It is entirely possible that the Top Secret, Confidential and Classified documents recovered from Mar-a-.Lago may have ALREADY been copied,, and potentially shared with America's adversaries. Trump is a veritable grudge master, and vengeance is a priority on his get-even agenda. He exerts possessory rights over that which he considers his 'domain'. He claimed that as President, he could do anything he wanted. Losing the 2020 Election was tantamount to the ultimate personal failure, something he can never accept. It is extremely alarming that his sycophant GOP cult-like worshippers, e.g. Boebert, Cruz, Gomert, Johnson, MTG, Paul, Stefanik (just to name a few) continue to spin Trump's distorted web of untruths and wanton conspiracy theories. America's democracy is in peril, because of the GOP who prioritise their political careers ahead of their Country. They are, as Liz Cheney said, 'defending the indefensible'. Trump's enablers have caused America to devolve to where it is today; a Nation of volatile, deeply divided people, who can only agree to disagree. Sadly, this is the America I see, looking across the border from Canada.
I have no doubt that he has not gone too far; I don't think there IS a too far. Look at the excuses that are being made for him across the board on the right. I don't understand what ugly magic this guy has, but his hoodoo has disconnected the ability to think for hundreds of thousands if not millions of people in this country. I will gladly retract my opinion if he's arrested, tried, convicted, and actually serves some kind of sentence, but I don't see it happening.
Steven TY for this! Phyllis, I too am frightened for our Country. I see Adam & Liz standing up yet being ostracized by gop. YES, this must be donny's last crime, must be held accountable - including never holding any office again. His enablers must also pay price. Question: how we convince hard core gop et al, to see damage being done to USA?
Living as we do in our post-Democracy “democracy” (small ‘d’), I am still finding it very hard to believe Trump, or any of the “wealthy elites” who run this country as if it were their own Multinational Corporation, will ever be held accountable in any meaningful way. The cynicism, forged by too many times getting my hopes up only for them to be dashed, prevents me from daring to believe it might be different, finally. I automatically discount it as political “Kabuki Theatre”, to make it appear to the masses as if there really aren’t one set of rules for them and another set for us. It would be nice to be proven wrong. But.... I won’t hold my breath, as the saying goes.
All of his life, Trump has pushed the envelope. This past week demonstrates just how ignorant the man truly is, how pathetic to even think he would get away with keeping government documents. Personally, I want that psychopath to squirm until he is indicted.
Unquestionably 40% or so of Republicans will not reject Trump under any and all circumstances—the hardcore MAGA base. Similarly, consistent polling demonstrates that somewhere between 15% to 20% of voting “moderate and/or business” Republicans have already rejected him and this shocking new evidence certainly will confirm to them that they have been right all along! That leaves roughly another 20-25% who could say enough is enough while the remainder remains undecided. And while they are not likely to be vocal about it, it is reasonable to expect that most of them would not now vote for the array of crazy and/or extreme winners of Republican primaries for Federal and State office who have been (or will be) endorsed by him! Therefore, this new information will have significant (and welcome) impact on November elections throughout the country.
Yes. Because this time when he broke the law he left a paper trail, literally !!! I admit that I was getting frustrated with AG Merrick Garland and the DOJ for seeming to not be adjudicating this. But I should have realized that they have to do their work out of the limelight, out of the media, for it to be valid and according to the law. And now I see that their work was happening just as it should have. We are all equal under the law in this country. And the former president must be held accountable for laws he has broken. And we must have justice. Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof. Justice justice shall thou pursue. From Deuteronomy. So often voiced by RBG. We must mete out justice according to the Constitution. We must again become the greatest democracy in the world.
Donald Trump went too far the moment he began to run in 2015..there has been countless instances of treasonous, criminal and corrupt behavior on top of failure to honor his oath of office. He’s gotten a pass from the Republicans, the leadership to the rank and file the whole time. Democrats failed to apply the right kind of pressure onto the right people from the beginning..And here we are..
I believe trump is capable of doing any and every thing that will make him the Supreme dictator. His goal is to be like Putin and all the other dictators currently functioning in the world. It is still difficult understanding how we got here. I am 86 years old, born during FDR Presidency. Never in my life time have I ever been so frighten for our Country and our freedom. He cannot allow this continue. Justice must be served.
My daughter and her husband are research scientists at a Department of Energy lab. They each have ID cards that allow them into various buildings on the campus. There are places her card goes that his won’t, and vice versa. My daughter has told me that sometimes when they are talking at home they have to stop and think about whether she can discuss something with him (whether he has the clearance) and, again, vice versa. This stuff is taken VERY VERY Seriously!
Thank you for this. I always look forward to your work. But unfortunately, I fear there is not a, "too far," for Trump and his supporters - including those elected officials whose sworn oaths are supposed to hold them to a higher calling. And that is terrifying.
Donald Trump is America's full-blown, relentless nightmare, in real time. He has ALWAYS operated outside the parameters of the law, exhibiting the actions and rhetoric of a quasi mob boss. During his tenure in the White House, Trump's alliances were highly questionable. He had a bromance with North Korea's Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-un, and displayed fealty and adulation for Russia's strongman President Putin. Nothing is truly sacred or respected by the self-possessed 'Individual 1'. In response to your question of has he gone too far, this time: Trump has ALWAYS gone past the point of integrity and reason, and circumvented the rule of law. It is entirely possible that the Top Secret, Confidential and Classified documents recovered from Mar-a-.Lago may have ALREADY been copied,, and potentially shared with America's adversaries. Trump is a veritable grudge master, and vengeance is a priority on his get-even agenda. He exerts possessory rights over that which he considers his 'domain'. He claimed that as President, he could do anything he wanted. Losing the 2020 Election was tantamount to the ultimate personal failure, something he can never accept. It is extremely alarming that his sycophant GOP cult-like worshippers, e.g. Boebert, Cruz, Gomert, Johnson, MTG, Paul, Stefanik (just to name a few) continue to spin Trump's distorted web of untruths and wanton conspiracy theories. America's democracy is in peril, because of the GOP who prioritise their political careers ahead of their Country. They are, as Liz Cheney said, 'defending the indefensible'. Trump's enablers have caused America to devolve to where it is today; a Nation of volatile, deeply divided people, who can only agree to disagree. Sadly, this is the America I see, looking across the border from Canada.
With our separate but unequal justice system, one for the wealthy, one for the rest, he will die of old age before he gets near a jail.
I have no doubt that he has not gone too far; I don't think there IS a too far. Look at the excuses that are being made for him across the board on the right. I don't understand what ugly magic this guy has, but his hoodoo has disconnected the ability to think for hundreds of thousands if not millions of people in this country. I will gladly retract my opinion if he's arrested, tried, convicted, and actually serves some kind of sentence, but I don't see it happening.
Steven TY for this! Phyllis, I too am frightened for our Country. I see Adam & Liz standing up yet being ostracized by gop. YES, this must be donny's last crime, must be held accountable - including never holding any office again. His enablers must also pay price. Question: how we convince hard core gop et al, to see damage being done to USA?
VOTE. VOTE. VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
Living as we do in our post-Democracy “democracy” (small ‘d’), I am still finding it very hard to believe Trump, or any of the “wealthy elites” who run this country as if it were their own Multinational Corporation, will ever be held accountable in any meaningful way. The cynicism, forged by too many times getting my hopes up only for them to be dashed, prevents me from daring to believe it might be different, finally. I automatically discount it as political “Kabuki Theatre”, to make it appear to the masses as if there really aren’t one set of rules for them and another set for us. It would be nice to be proven wrong. But.... I won’t hold my breath, as the saying goes.
All of his life, Trump has pushed the envelope. This past week demonstrates just how ignorant the man truly is, how pathetic to even think he would get away with keeping government documents. Personally, I want that psychopath to squirm until he is indicted.
Unquestionably 40% or so of Republicans will not reject Trump under any and all circumstances—the hardcore MAGA base. Similarly, consistent polling demonstrates that somewhere between 15% to 20% of voting “moderate and/or business” Republicans have already rejected him and this shocking new evidence certainly will confirm to them that they have been right all along! That leaves roughly another 20-25% who could say enough is enough while the remainder remains undecided. And while they are not likely to be vocal about it, it is reasonable to expect that most of them would not now vote for the array of crazy and/or extreme winners of Republican primaries for Federal and State office who have been (or will be) endorsed by him! Therefore, this new information will have significant (and welcome) impact on November elections throughout the country.
It’s clearly time for the Garland apologists to put up or shut up. We’ll see. I am not convinced he’s going to indict Trump anytime soon.
Yes. Because this time when he broke the law he left a paper trail, literally !!! I admit that I was getting frustrated with AG Merrick Garland and the DOJ for seeming to not be adjudicating this. But I should have realized that they have to do their work out of the limelight, out of the media, for it to be valid and according to the law. And now I see that their work was happening just as it should have. We are all equal under the law in this country. And the former president must be held accountable for laws he has broken. And we must have justice. Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof. Justice justice shall thou pursue. From Deuteronomy. So often voiced by RBG. We must mete out justice according to the Constitution. We must again become the greatest democracy in the world.
Donald Trump went too far the moment he began to run in 2015..there has been countless instances of treasonous, criminal and corrupt behavior on top of failure to honor his oath of office. He’s gotten a pass from the Republicans, the leadership to the rank and file the whole time. Democrats failed to apply the right kind of pressure onto the right people from the beginning..And here we are..