# 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:** 225
**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:** [February 11, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4481 "2023-02-11T20:04:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Oh, yeah and everyone present has to have the appropriate TS-SAP/SAR clearances. _And_ the need-to-know. When I was in the navy I had clearances as high as the Skippers’ but there was a _lot_ of stuff he knew I did not, because he needed it to do his job while I didn’t. ---
**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:** [February 11, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4482 "2023-02-11T21:20:46Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > USA Today has a graphic to demonstrate the difference in the number of documents found so far in the Trump, Biden, and Pence properties. I wanted to say thanks for posting that USA Today graphic. I think it’s quite useful to help the average person grasp the significant differences in scope of various stray documents between the 3 men. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4483 "2023-02-12T00:06:38Z")
The graphic can’t include the point that Teams Biden and Pence are cooperating, and following proper procedure as best as possible. 45 and team have fought and obstructed every nanometer of the way. ---
**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:** [February 12, 2023, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4484 "2023-02-12T00:42:15Z")
> [@Jihi](#): > > Kenneth Chesebro is the one that always stuck in my mind. IIRC he was one of Trump’s lawyers connected to the fake electors scheme. Yes, I choose to believe it is pronounced exactly as it appears. We called him Cheesy. The reason for that was because his mom always gave him slices of cheese. You’d think it was because of his surname, but it wasn’t. And, he had a really big head, _[sniper’s dream](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey5MP4e2QOQ)_, they used to call him. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4485 "2023-02-12T00:46:00Z")
The stuff on Clinton’s server wasn’t properly marked classified. IIRC it wasn’t until a security review that officials decided that the information in some of those emails shouldn’t have been sent via unclassified email. In other words, we don’t know if the files on this thumb drive were marked. Them not being marked doesn’t change the classification of the material but it could provide an alibi. Also, classified documents aren’t usually numbered and you’re allowed to make copies. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4486 "2023-02-12T00:52:30Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > In other words, we don’t know if the files on this thumb drive were marked. Them not being marked doesn’t change the classification of the material but it could provide an alibi. Only a folder with Classified markings on it was discovered, and I was under the impression that the documents came from that folder; in which case they would have been marked. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4487 "2023-02-12T00:57:13Z")
I see. I missed that they were the same files as the hard copies that were turned over. I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4488 "2023-02-12T01:01:22Z")
I was under the impression. I may be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4489 "2023-02-12T01:04:54Z")
Nope, thats what was reported, you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4490 "2023-02-12T01:05:28Z")
Thank you for looking into it. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4491 "2023-02-12T03:13:52Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > classified documents aren’t usually numbered and you’re allowed to make copies Do you have a reference for that? I’ve been retired for a few years but that was never the case. Everything I pulled in NucWep world was numbered and you signed them out be that number; 4/7, 3/12 …etc. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4492 "2023-02-12T06:53:07Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Some of the stuff Trump had (as I understand he had) would require two persons be present at all times when the materials are out of the safe (which has two locks, and only one combination is known to each of the two people present), inside of a two-person rule environment with two locks and two alarm access, inside of a secured facility with two locks and two-person access alarm, in a TEMPEST shielded building that is as nondescript as possible. Oh, yeah and everyone present has to have the appropriate TS-SAP/SAR clearances. Which makes it all the more remarkable that this system was defeated in its entirety by a spoiled child saying “MINE MINE MINE!” ---
**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:** [February 12, 2023, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4493 "2023-02-12T07:54:56Z")
When that spoiled child gets elected President of the United States… ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4494 "2023-02-12T08:19:10Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > > [@steronz](#): > > > > classified documents aren’t usually numbered and you’re allowed to make copies > > Do you have a reference for that? I’ve been retired for a few years but that was never the case. Everything I pulled in NucWep world was numbered and you signed them out be that number; 4/7, 3/12 …etc. Depends on the level of classification. In my experience, SCI level stuff gets the full document numbers with a documented chain of custody on file for every instance of the document. Even when it’s in the safe, someone is responsible for it. If you don’t need it anymore, you sign it over to someone who does need it, or to someone in document destruction. On the other hand, plain old DoD Confidential/Secret/Top Secret stuff doesn’t have control numbers and can be tossed in a burn barrel when done. No traceability whatsoever. You can’t make copies yourself, but you can print out stuff yourself as long as the printer is in a SCIF. Then you can walk out the door and read it at your desk in your unclassified office, as long as you close the door and stick it in an approved safe before you go home. Cite: My experience in the 90s, 00s and 10s at various defense contractors. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4495 "2023-02-12T17:28:25Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > In other words, we don’t know if the files on this thumb drive were marked. Them not being marked doesn’t change the classification of the material but it could provide an alibi. Even if the documents are marked, if you are copying them to a thumb drive, you aren’t opening them to see if they are classified. As an aside, my company pushed updates to everone’s computers probably two years ago that disabled plugging in thumb drives. I don’t recall if that was mostly to prevent the drives from importing viruses or to prevent people from exporting documents. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4496 "2023-02-12T17:34:20Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > . I don’t recall if that was mostly to prevent the drives from importing viruses or to prevent people from exporting documents. Most likely, it is both. No one wants their intellectual property compromised or stolen in this manner any longer. ---
**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:** [February 12, 2023, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4497 "2023-02-12T20:51:26Z")
Another subpoena executed on Trump last month, to get a folder marker “classified”: > **[Trump was subpoenaed over 'Classified Evening Briefing' folder still at...](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-was-subpoenaed-over-classified-evening-briefing-folder-still-at-mar-a-lago-last-month-report/ar-AA17oala?item=flights%3Aprg-tipsubsc-v1a&ocid=windirect)** > > Donald Trump's battle with the Department of Justice over sensitive government documents he took with him to Mar-a-Lago continued last month with the former president receiving an unreported subpoena seeking a folder that was not previously turned... ---
**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:** [February 13, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4498 "2023-02-13T14:14:28Z")
From [here](https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-attorney-gives-bizarre-explanation-070230651.html): > An attorney for [Donald Trump](https://www.huffpost.com/news/topic/donald-trump) said the [latest classified folder](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-legal-team-page-marked-classified-turned-over_n_63e7109be4b022eb3e30567b) turned over to investigators was just that ― a folder, and a folder alone ― which the former president used to block a light that was bothering him at night. > “He has one of those landline telephones next to his bed, and it has a blue light on it, and it keeps him up at night,” Parlatore said. “So he took the manila folder and he put it over it so that it would keep the light down so he could sleep at night.” But wait, it gets stupider: > “Now the president has to find a different way to keep the blue light out of his eyes,” he said. I can’t understand how anyone can support this guy for any position of power when he can’t even figure out how to block the light from his phone at night without committing a federal crime and risking national security. The funny thing is he very likely assumes that we all do it. He has no clue how bizarrely out of touch he is with reality. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2023, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4499 "2023-02-13T14:18:36Z")
They actually make a product for that. I have a sheet of light-dimming LED covers just for that purpose. But only because I don’t have access to classified material, which make the best light blocking tools. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/4500 "2023-02-13T14:20:44Z")
I guess Donnie never listened to Car Talk, where they taught us how to take care of a pesky Check Engine Light by covering it with black electrical tape. [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=224) [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=226)