Trump pointed to a memo related to the declassification of some documents that undermines his own defense.
Video of former NSA General Counsel Glenn Gerstell on MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports:
Gerstell said:
The story gets more confusing almost every day. The latest news that was posted on Truth Social about the declassification of the so-called Crossfire Hurricane documents actually I don’t think helps the former president’s case at all.
First, as you absolutely correctly pointed out, the three statutes mentioned in the search warrant do not have anything to do with classification or declassification of documents. One could be guilty of a crime of improperly mishandling government records under those three statutes whether or not something was declassified.
Secondly, I don’t think this is going to help the president because if it turns out that this new note that he just posted about specific declassification, in fact, led to something that was declassified, that would undercut his argument that he just generally has the right to announce that something is declassified by taking a document upstairs.
The memo that Trump posted about was not a universal declassification of records. Instead, it was focused on one binder of records from one investigation and acknowledged the declassification process. Trump claims that no declassification process was necessary and that he could declare documents declassified. The memo contradicts the former president’s defense.
Trump is sabotaging himself by continuing to act as his PR person and lawyer. Unlike investigations that he had a degree of control over as president, Donald Trump is now up against the DOJ.
Trump is so focused on winning the battle to protect his political future that he is losing the legal war.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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