# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/101 "2022-08-09T06:04:34Z")
> [@Temporary\_Name](#): > > It is possible to be (almost literally) the straw that broke the camel’s back, but I have serious doubts. If applied too slowly, the straw doesn’t break the camel’s back-it merely feeds the camel. ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/102 "2022-08-09T06:33:45Z")
I’m sorry, but I was really hoping for a **pre-dawn** raid - the best kind. Maybe they’re saving that one for the arrest warrant. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/103 "2022-08-09T06:43:58Z")
My first impulse is that if it were just a matter of “a secretary misfiling documents” that we’ve known he had “for months,” it wouldn’t have warranted federal law enforcement to apply for and execute a raid against a former and possibly future President of the United States to begin with. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > If applied too slowly, the straw doesn’t break the camel’s back-it merely feeds the camel. I’m afraid I can’t tell who you’re agreeing with, if anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/104 "2022-08-09T07:14:21Z")
To reiterate a few points from a thread by Twitter’s favorite law-talking-guy; [https://twitter.com/Popehat/status/1556783608345415681](https://twitter.com/Popehat/status/1556783608345415681) [https://twitter.com/Popehat/status/1556786624268103681](https://twitter.com/Popehat/status/1556786624268103681) [https://twitter.com/Popehat/status/1556787082730749952](https://twitter.com/Popehat/status/1556787082730749952) [https://twitter.com/Popehat/status/1556794835092119552](https://twitter.com/Popehat/status/1556794835092119552) The gist of it is that it’s highly likely that the feds expect there to be evidence at Mar-a-Lago that will result in an indictment, and they have RECENT indications that it’s currently there that they haven’t had in the past eighteen months. One wonders if that trove of Alex Jones texts and emails that just got turned over to the 1/6 committee the other day might have been key to getting this warrant. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/105 "2022-08-09T08:33:59Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > I’m afraid I can’t tell who you’re agreeing with, if anyone. I am saying that there is NO straw that will break this camel’s back, because the public has been trained to ignore the little bits that add up to the big finish-they are burned out. If Trump is to be taken down it will _have_ to be with one BIG thing that in and of itself is too much for the public to take in at once. Forget the straw, and use a 2x4. ---
**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 9, 2022, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/106 "2022-08-09T08:43:40Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > It amuses me that Trump thinks the DOJ and FBI are being weaponized against him. > > What the hell does he think _he_ did during his term? Remember the mantra — “every accusation is a confession.” ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/107 "2022-08-09T08:48:17Z")
Taking classified documents is no slap on the wrist. This could take him out of the 2024 running by law. Which I think is what the Democrats really want. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/108 "2022-08-09T09:23:05Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > It amuses me that Trump thinks the DOJ and FBI are being weaponized against him. The people who have been chanting “LOCK HER UP!” for the last seven years have suddenly and abruptly become apoplectic about the idea of the government pursuing a criminal case against a candidate for office. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/109 "2022-08-09T11:28:58Z")
Legally you may be right but politically this would be a problem because Trump’s supporters would see Trump being taken down by him having some classified documents as a quibbling cheap shot - particularly given they would see no one as more entitled to have classified documents. The US is at the point where the law is only part of it, I think. Trump needs to go down for something that turns (at least) moderate Republican stomachs. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/110 "2022-08-09T11:40:47Z")
This is what drives me batty. Millitary and DoD engineering types still seem to be in Trump’s corner, even though tue importance of taking security rules seriously is just drilled in with these groups. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/111 "2022-08-09T11:44:25Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Taking classified documents is no slap on the wrist. This could take him out of the 2024 running by law. > > Which I think is what the Democrats really want. ⁢ I would think the Republicans would want that more than the Democrats. A rerun of Trump vs. Biden would probably work out even better than before, as Trump has only lost more support. Democrats would still come out in droves. I mean, it’s Republicans who keep on telling Trump not to announce he’s running before the midterms. Democrats want him to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/112 "2022-08-09T12:16:09Z")
From the NYT article: "Other right-wing pundits took an even darker view, hinting that the search of Mar-a-Lago could lead to unrest in the streets. “There is suddenly a very real risk of violent political instability in this country for the first time in more than 150 years,” Joel B. Pollak, a senior editor at the right-wing outlet Breitbart News, wrote on Twitter." Or in, you know, a year and a half. And if you think hinting that there is “a very real risk of violent political instability” gets you off the hook for instigating violence by MAGA-morons, you haven’t been playing attention. ---
**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 9, 2022, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/113 "2022-08-09T12:21:57Z")
> [@](#): > > There is suddenly a very real risk of violent political instability in this country for the first time in more than 150 years “…which we will be responsible for generating and pursuing.” ---
**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 9, 2022, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/114 "2022-08-09T12:28:49Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > A tip for Donald: maybe comparing yourself to Watergate isn’t the best idea, I’m genuinely curious about if he doesn’t understand Watergate and he’s just throwing words around or if he essentially (even if not directly) saying ‘I’m screwed, but I’m more screwed than any other president ever’. Essentially stealing the jokes all the Late Night shows had already written for tonight. We like to think he’s in his death throes, but he gets wound up every time he gets caught doing anything, so it’s likely he doesn’t consider this to be a bigger deal than anything else he’s been through (or, rather, put himself through). I can only assume that over the next few days we’ll quickly see people distancing themselves from him. Lets see how many of his supporters show up on MSNBC or CNN to tell the world they’ve always kept him at an arms length. Even better if they were one of the people that distanced themselves after he lost the election and then went on an apology tour to grovel for his forgiveness on right wing media outlets when he started dropping clues about running again. ---
**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 9, 2022, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/115 "2022-08-09T12:32:32Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > "Other right-wing pundits took an even darker view, hinting that the search of Mar-a-Lago could lead to unrest in the streets. I just assumed that was going to happen. In fact, my WAG for them doing this late at night was that it means that many more people won’t find out until morning. It would be much easier for the agents doing the search if the people milling around outside didn’t hit a critical mass required for them to get violent. At least not until after they’re gone. ---
**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 9, 2022, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/116 "2022-08-09T12:37:05Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > In fact, my WAG for them doing this late at night was that it means that many more people won’t find out until morning. They didn’t do it late at night. They started at 9am and continued for 9 hours, leaving after 6pm. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/117 "2022-08-09T12:44:59Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > Which does give them a chance at finding quite a bit of other evidence of illegality. There’s a limit to how much they can use that wasn’t specified in the warrant. Disappointing in this case, but in general a good thing for you & me. It’s interesting that while Trumpworld is howling about the raid, they’re not releasing any details whatsoever about the warrant. The warrant would tell a partial story about which statutes may have been violated and which documents are responsive. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/118 "2022-08-09T12:53:14Z")
I’m not really sure how to feel about this. I went through a gamut of emotions since first hearing the news, and then processing it and reading this thread: - **Elation:** It’s finally beginning! The ginormous grifter is going down! - **Caution:** Oh, it’s about the ‘mishandling of documents’ issue? I was hoping the reason for the search and seizure was something with more teeth, like January 6-related. - **Guarded optimism:** The FBI wouldn’t launch such a public move without a very good reason to do so, would they? There must be something more to this than just the mishandled documents, which has been a known issue for months. - **Pessimism:** trump could weasel out of this, like he has everything else so far, and even turn it to his advantage with his nutjob followers. - **Guarded optimism (take two):** even a conviction on a relatively minor charge where he doesn’t see jail time but is barred from running from office again is a win (the Capone Lite Scenario). ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2022, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/119 "2022-08-09T12:56:12Z")
Trump is unhinged and bad at presidenting and ignorant as shit, but he’s not stupid. If he took documents illegally and has been stonewalling the investigation, it’s because those documents are ones worth taking. If it were just a few documents, like a prized letter from a murderous tyrant of an isolated nation, I’d figure it was for sentimental reasons. But if it’s boxes and boxes of documents, it’s almost certainly because their contents are damning. He’s not going to take top-secret documents just because he thinks it’s fun to have them, or because he got confused. He’s going to take stuff that he didn’t want getting out. I don’t think this is going to end up being a technicality. ---
**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 9, 2022, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/120 "2022-08-09T12:58:47Z")
The particular section of US criminal code, 18 USC 2071, which is associated with this crime, prevents one from running for public office ever again. That is why. [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52273088907_e8f2864fa3_z.jpg "20220809\_075712") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/68782016@N08/52273088907/) [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=5) [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=7)