# 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:** 97
**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:** [August 29, 2022, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1921 "2022-08-29T22:04:13Z")
Somebody sent that to me earlier today. Is there any context at all? A new story on some whackadoo right-wing site? Or is it literally just leftover hash? ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1922 "2022-08-29T22:06:58Z")
Probably nothing specific, but it is continued evidence that he is not getting (or perhaps, accepting) any helpful legal advice. That would be, Shut Up! ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1923 "2022-08-29T22:07:45Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Team can we lay off the “the right’s gonna get upset” comments from, like, here until eternity? I hear ya. But Biden really should keep his mouth shut about this, and keep his distance. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1924 "2022-08-29T22:08:11Z")
Quoth the Orange Shit-Gibbon: > … the FBI BURIED THE HUNTER BIDEN LAPTOP STORY BEFORE THE ELECTION knowing that, if they didn’t, “Trump would have easily won the 2020 Presidential Election.” But, Orange Shit-Gibbon claims that the FBI _ **did** _ bury the “Hunter Biden laptop story”, and therefore Orange Shit-Gibbon _ **did** _ lose the election. Stable Genius though he may be, the Orange One does seem to lack a working brain capable of any kind of consistent logical argument. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2022, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1925 "2022-08-29T22:09:02Z")
Maybe Trump is making a deal. There could be some incredibly damning stuff in that pile. We can dream can’t we? ---
**Author:** ![Temporary\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1926 "2022-08-29T22:22:47Z")
In light of the Yellow Letterbox of Shame, I withdraw any suggestion of a wager. I will however honor my commitment and if Trump is convicted on any of the related charges within one year-- I will gladly donate Fifty United States Dollars ($50.00) to a suitable left leaning cause. Should Trump be convicted on any of these offenses: > [@Temporary\_Name](#): > > 18 USC 793, 18 USC 2071, or 18 USC 1519 Simply remind me of this Declaration of Commitment and I will gladly make the contribution. While I will be shocked that it happened, it is not likely any would be more pleased than me should this be the case. Consider it what it was originally- an offer to back up my views by putting skin in the game-- if anyone else does or not. Further, this was done offhandedly and not as any device to ridicule **Atamasama** or any other poster. I had meant to demonstrate that I am not just spouting gibberish, that I am espousing a sincerely held belief. Frankly, I am really surprised by how many of you are counting on this being the one thing that brings him down when this is such familiar ground. This is Mueller Report 2.0 as far as I am concerned (until proven differently). ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1927 "2022-08-29T22:42:42Z")
I won’t be giving any charity any money, but I sincerely doubt this will have any change on Orangeanus running on the GOP ticket again. If they can’t pull out evidence-- given testimony-- that these documents were to be used for some kind of personal leverage of debt, some kind of revenge against the GOP for not automatically reinstating him as president, or that they were to be sold to non-allies eventually threatening the United States, Trump gains office in 2025. I think that a lot of you are giving too much credence to how stupid and hot-headed the whole Trump family is. They ARE that stupid and hot-headed. But when someone more powerful and much, much more rich comes along and tells them what they want to hear, that’s all they need. “He didn’t understand the laws. He thought he could declassify because someone he likes told him he could. He got confused, Your Honor appointed by the great Orange One.” I honestly believe a lame defense like that is all his lawyers need to say, then back in the saddle. ---
**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 29, 2022, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1928 "2022-08-29T23:04:54Z")
🙄 Sorry, but that is preposterous. Yes, it takes one, but the idea that he didn’t know what he is doing is _already discreted by the evidence already publicly available_. Didn’t you read the NARA letter? And who on the margins is going to vote for him? You? ---
**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 29, 2022, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1929 "2022-08-29T23:08:10Z")
Btw, the judge agreed to the Department of Justice request to _exceed the standard number of pages_ in their response filing. This has already been granted. > ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1930 "2022-08-29T23:40:32Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I think he pretty clearly is actively selling US secrets. > > Last year, [a top-secret memo sent to every C.I.A. station around the world](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/05/us/politics/cia-informants-killed-captured.html) warned about troubling numbers of informants being captured or killed, a stark reminder of [how important human source networks](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/08/podcasts/the-daily/cia-informants-compromised.html) are to the basic functions of the spy agency. It could be Trump telling our enemies “I have all these top secret documents, what do you want to pay me for them?”. It could be Trump saying “Look at how special I am; I have all these top secret documents that nobody else has”, and the foreign agents he was showing them to offered to buy them. It could be that he said that, and the foreign agents he was showing them to took pictures with a hidden camera. But the thing is, all of these lead to the same place: Because of Trump’s crimes, a bunch of Americans got killed, and our nation’s security is imperiled. His precise motives are irrelevant. Oh, and about the Special Master: I’m guessing that it’s just about feeding Trump all the rope he wants, and that the Special Master is going to agree with the DoJ that none of the materials fall under attorney-client privilege or executive privilege. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2022, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1931 "2022-08-29T23:47:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Oh, and about the Special Master: I’m guessing that it’s just about feeding Trump all the rope he wants, and that the Special Master is going to agree with the DoJ that none of the materials fall under attorney-client privilege or executive privilege. Well…from an article in the Washington Post (emphasis mine): > [@](#): > > The “filter team” used by the Justice Department to sort through the documents and weed out any material that should not be reviewed by criminal investigators has completed its review, the brief filed by Justice Department prosecutors says. The filing came in response to [a decision](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/08/27/trump-judge-special-master-fbi/?itid=lk_inline_manual_4)[Saturday by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/08/27/trump-judge-special-master-fbi/?itid=lk_inline_manual_4) to hold a hearing this week on Trump’s motion seeking the appointment of a special master. > > The filing says prosecutors will provide more information later this week. But it notes that even before the judge’s weekend ruling, **the filter team had “identified a limited set of materials that potentially contain attorney-client privileged information, completed its review of those materials, and is in the process of following the procedures” spelled out in the search warrant to handle any privilege disputes**. > **[Trump’s Mar-a-Lago documents already examined by FBI, Justice Dept. tells judge](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/08/29/trumpspecial-master-documents/)** > > The filing was in response to a request from Donald Trump's attorneys two weeks after the search, seeking the appointment of an outside expert to review the materials. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2022, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1932 "2022-08-29T23:54:29Z")
So the idiot tipped his hand too soon again. ---
**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 29, 2022, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1933 "2022-08-29T23:54:32Z")
> [@Temporary\_Name](#): > > I had meant to demonstrate that I am not just spouting gibberish, that I am espousing a sincerely held belief. Frankly, I am really surprised by how many of you are counting on this being the one thing that brings him down when this is such familiar ground. This is Mueller Report 2.0 as far as I am concerned (until proven differently). [Trump v. Vance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_v._Vance) To summarize, Trump claimed that a President has absolute immunity to criminal prosecution, and that this extended into civil matters, therefore nobody could compel him to release his tax records. The Supreme Court, packed with Trump’s hand-picked judges, disagreed with him in a 7-2 decision. This fantasy about Trump’s super-control of the courts is not based in reality. Comparing this situation to the Mueller Report is apples and oranges. It was a report submitted to Trump’s own Attorney General who then chose not to act on it. In this case, the Attorney General authorized a warrant, where it was declared that there was probable cause that Trump committed serious crimes. Rather than apples and oranges, this is more like comparing Kitty Hawk to the Appolo 11 moon landing. It’s absurd to both claim that the courts are going to automatically side with Trump (they don’t, and haven’t), and that this is no different than the Mueller Report (it is nothing like it). You can hold whatever beliefs you want, but it seems to me that your beliefs are misinformed. ---
**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 30, 2022, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1934 "2022-08-30T00:15:41Z")
> [@Temporary\_Name](#): > > I had meant to demonstrate that I am not just spouting gibberish, that I am espousing a sincerely held belief. I forgot to add, I do not doubt your sincerity at all in this. Pessimism is also very understandable, as many times in the past it has seemed like Donald Trump was in legal peril and that such legal problems may hinder or prevent his future political ambitions and negative impact on the country and the world. And so, having a negative expectation is a good way to prevent yourself from being disappointed yet again. But I assure you that this is different. I have no crystal ball and can’t predict what will happen as a result of this. But all indications are that it will not be good for Trump or his allies and followers. ---
**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 30, 2022, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1935 "2022-08-30T00:16:19Z")
I was thinking Goofy Gophers. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 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-15-2024/969329/1936 "2022-08-30T00:46:38Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It could be Trump telling our enemies “I have all these top secret documents, what do you want to pay me for them?”. It could be Trump saying “Look at how special I am; I have all these top secret documents that nobody else has”, and the foreign agents he was showing them to offered to buy them. It could be that he said that, and the foreign agents he was showing them to took pictures with a hidden camera. Let’s just imagine the reaction if Obama had done any of this. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1937 "2022-08-30T00:51:33Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jmIIY9kmXZ4/maxresdefault.jpg "Trump's demand for Special Master moot? DOJ already reviewed the evidence of crime seized from Trump") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmIIY9kmXZ4) ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1938 "2022-08-30T00:57:40Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Yes, it takes one, but the idea that he didn’t know what he is doing is _already discreted by the evidence already publicly available_. Didn’t you read the NARA letter? Maybe my example of ignorance as a defense was a little too facetious. My point is, it’ll be a slap on the wrist. He WILL be allowed to run again. And, yes, I read the NARA letter. As well as the Mueller Report. I believe they will turn out to be of equal value, as well as both impeachments. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1939 "2022-08-30T00:59:05Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Trump is claiming that a _moving company_ handled classified documents? - He probably looked in the classified ads and…_bingo!_ ---
**Author:** ![Ssounder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@Ssounder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ssounder)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2022, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-search-and-seizure-at-trumps-mar-a-lago-residence-august-8-2022-case-dismissed-july-15-2024/969329/1940 "2022-08-30T01:01:50Z")
Is there any issue with the Special Master being a retired Judge Advocate General (JAG) from the military? I say this because it’s a good bet they could find a JAG with the proper security clearance to read and evaluate the contents of the seized documents. Also a JAG with a TS clearance would be familiar with the proper handling of such material. [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=96) [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=98)