# FBI Search and Seizure at Trump's Mar-A-Lago Residence, August 8, 2022, Case Dismissed July 15, 2024 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [August 8, 2022, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329 "2022-08-08T23:18:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/281 "2022-08-10T00:44:49Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I know we have a freedom of speech, of sorts, in this country. I take it that it is not illegal to accuse the FBI of planting evidence. Just speaking in public it’s not. It’s not illegal to say all kinds of nonsense in a press conference or talk show or whatever. Once you’re in court it’s a different story. That’s why Trump’s lawyers often say something completely opposite in front of a judge than what they’d say in front of Tucker Carlson. The problem for Trump’s team is that after lie #10,000 the only people who are going to believe it are the diehard cultists. The people they don’t need to convince, really. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/282 "2022-08-10T00:46:34Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > So it’s like reading the graffiti on the inside of a public toilet stall. But not as erudite as what you find in a toilet stall. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/283 "2022-08-10T00:49:57Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > The problem for Trump’s team is that after lie #10,000 the only people who are going to believe it are the diehard cultists. The people they don’t need to convince, really. I’m pretty sure that they don’t believe anything. It’s the home team. “If the home team can win by filling the ball with helium and get away with it then good on them.” That’s the start and end of the matter. ---
**Author:** ![Ssounder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@Ssounder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ssounder)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/284 "2022-08-10T01:12:17Z")
My humble guess is that they went in and secured Trump’s handwritten notes. Maybe they didn’t get those in the earlier exchange. Apparently, even Executive Post-It notes are official documents. -I don’t have any proof, but it sings… ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/285 "2022-08-10T01:49:11Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > Some people utterly cannot be swayed by any means short of a lobotomy (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Ah, David. You’re a man after my own heart. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/286 "2022-08-10T01:53:57Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > The ledger was in the safe! Melania in the tanning salon with the candlestick! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/287 "2022-08-10T01:59:12Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > or trying Trump’s birthday as a combination Before he got banned from Twitter, security researchers discovered that they could get into his account by guessing (on one occasion) “yourefired” and (on a later occasion) “maga2020!”. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/288 "2022-08-10T01:59:59Z")
You really think he used the right ‘youre’? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/289 "2022-08-10T02:24:23Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > [The FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago is just the beginning for Trump.](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/08/fbi-raid-mar-a-lago-trump-criminal-liability.html) The Slate article posted by TroutMan makes several interesting points. The one that caught my eye is the requirement that to obtain a search warrant, the affiant has to provide probable cause to the judge that the matter sought in the search warrant was _recently_ at the location to be searched. That leads to this bit of speculation in the article: > [@](#): > > In sum, it seems very plausible that someone heretofore considered loyal by the ex-president is now serving as a key inside witness against him. > > Who might that be? It would have to be someone who would have had the ability to observe documents that might show the elements of a crime at Mar-a-Lago _recently_. And it would have to be someone with credibility. Trump must be throwing more ketchup around the golden walls and toilets of his luxurious Trump Tower residence trying to figure out who it could have been. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/290 "2022-08-10T02:27:06Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Melania in the tanning salon with the candlestick! Argh! I need brain bleach!!! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/291 "2022-08-10T02:43:34Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > the affiant has to provide probable cause to the judge that the matter sought in the search warrant was _recently_ at the location to be searched. That leads to this bit of speculation in the article: I am not a lawyer and I’ve read (I believe it was) Andrew Weissman saying effectively the same thing. However, my feeling would be that you might be able to make an argument like, “I have a witness saying that it was in the house in April, just before the suspect left the state for the summer. The witness affirms that, during the suspects absence, no one is allowed into these rooms, that they are locked, and only the suspect has a key. We have other witnesses who all confirm that the suspect has not returned to the state at any time since April.” So I’m not sure that I’m _personally_ 100% sold on the “recency” argument, but certainly they would need to know and be certain that the materials exist and can be found successfully. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/292 "2022-08-10T03:01:34Z")
No, no, it’s the murder weapon, not a sex toy. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/293 "2022-08-10T03:11:21Z")
Come on. You’ve been paying attention. You know who they’re referring to, right? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/294 "2022-08-10T03:17:39Z")
A point I made to a MAGA earlier was that if you have a Presidential Records Act, a law aimed at the President for the keeping of his or her records, it’s OK to criminally charge those ex-Presidents who break that law. Not really interested in debating this proposition _here_, but it sure made some heads froth on the Book of Faces. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/295 "2022-08-10T03:32:24Z")
I think it’s simpler than that. The PGA will no longer play tournaments at TFG’s courses, and that’s a fairly sizeable loss of revenue for him. Since the PGA also won’t do business with the Saudi golf league (and I think has threatened not to do business with any course that does with the Saudis … I think, maybe?), the Saudis need a place to play, and TFG needs a new source of revenue. It’s a marriage made in Perdition. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/296 "2022-08-10T03:35:28Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > You can’t get the other side’s perspective if nobody is really giving one. They’re doing the best they can. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > But not as erudite as what you find in a toilet stall. Or the bowl, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/297 "2022-08-10T03:42:49Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > A point I made to a MAGA earlier was that if you have a Presidential Records Act, a law aimed at the President for the keeping of his or her records, it’s OK to criminally charge those ex-Presidents who break that law. > > Not really interested in debating this proposition _here_, but it sure made some heads froth on the Book of Faces. Oh, they’ll be comforted by their fellow travellers on the RWNJ message board I look at from time to time. Over there, the belief is that the Presidential Records Act is unenforceable, and thus null and void, because the Constitution has nothing to say about such an act. Basically, it’s the same thing they used in arguing against abortion. I’m pretty sure that the US has tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of statutes; the subject matter of which is not mentioned in the Constitution. Of course, they never mention those. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/298 "2022-08-10T03:53:48Z")
Another development. > ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/299 "2022-08-10T04:13:34Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > and thus null and void, because the Constitution has nothing to say about such an act I then quote the Constitution on Treason, cite the Founder’s familiarity with Cromwell, and note that raising a rabble and sacking the Capitol was _precisely_ what the Framers had in mind and it was _precisely_ what Trump did, and they get mad about that, lol. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2022, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/300 "2022-08-10T05:42:38Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > That leads to this bit of speculation in the article: > > > [@](#): > > > > In sum, it seems very plausible that someone heretofore considered loyal by the ex-president is now serving as a key inside witness against him. Even if there is not such a currently active mole, I welcome and encourage speculation along these lines, because of how it will serve to inflame Trump’s paranoia and further isolate him within his ever-shrinking circle. I very much enjoy the mental image of the man slumping angrily through a gold-plated bunker, shifting his bleary eyes from one minion to the next, uncertain which one — or more than one — may be his betrayer. It’s delicious. > [@JohnT](#): > > A point I made to a MAGA earlier was that if you have a Presidential Records Act, a law aimed at the President for the keeping of his or her records, it’s OK to criminally charge those ex-Presidents who break that law. _Especially_ when the felony-level charge and multi-year incarceration associated with the crime of destruction of records was signed into law by Trump himself, as a posturing threat against one H. Clinton related to her email server. You should ask your MAGA to resolve the paradox of a records-protection law being meaningless and unenforceable when said law was personally christened by their infallible worm-god. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329.md?page=16)