David S. Ferriero, the head of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), has confirmed to leaders of the House Oversight Committee that his agency has been in touch with the Department of Justice regarding what would by all appearances be former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified material. (Trump has directly involved himself in the matter through public remarks defending his side.) Specifically, Archives officials have discovered classified items in 15 boxes of White House records that were recently obtained from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where they’d been taken after his presidency, and Ferriero directly connected this discovery to communications between the Archives and the Justice Department. As Ferriero explained it, referring to the 15 recovered boxes:
‘NARA has identified items marked as classified national security information within the boxes… Because NARA identified classified information in the boxes, NARA staff has been in communication with the Department of Justice.’
BREAKING:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Archives says Trump records retrieved from his private club had classified information, Justice Department informed.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 18, 2022
The Archives leader’s letter is dated February 18, which was this past Friday. The House Oversight Committee recently launched an investigation into the records scandal, with committee chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) having shared (referring to the boxes) that she is “deeply concerned that these records were not provided to NARA promptly at the end of the Trump Administration and that they appear to have been removed from the White House in violation of the Presidential Records Act (PRA).” That law demands that a broad array of records from presidential administrations be preserved and provided to the National Archives following the conclusion of a given administration’s time in office — not taken to Florida. Trump has also been revealed to have torn up various documents throughout his presidency, threatening the ability of those coming after him to examine what exactly went on — and potentially hold him accountable.
The National Archives told the House Oversight Committee that the Trump admin "did not fully capture, and therefore NARA did not receive," all of the presidential records created by Trump and Trump White House staff that were posted on social media platforms.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 19, 2022
Torn records were among those recently obtained from the Archives by the House committee investigating the Capitol riot. Ferriero added in his letter that his agency “has identified certain social media records that were not captured and preserved by the Trump Administration,” explaining: “NARA has also learned that some White House staff conducted official business using non-official electronic messaging accounts that were not copied or forwarded into their official electronic messaging accounts, as required by section 2209 of the PRA. NARA has already obtained or is in the process of obtaining some of those records.” It’s obviously noteworthy that Trump and certain individuals around him mishandled government records, considering the staggering amount of energy that many on Trump’s side have expended in going after Hillary Clinton for her handling of government-related materials. Not that there was a convincing appearance of sincerity to begin with, but the hypocrisy makes their Clinton concerns seem even more like a show.
In his ruling, Judge Mehta says the evidence suggests Trump instructed the Jan. 6 crowd to march on the Capitol, despite knowing it likely included violent elements.
He rejected Trump's claim that he's immune from lawsuits.
He rejected Trump's claim his conduct was protected.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 19, 2022
