# So why isn't Trump being investigated or prosecuted for using insecure communications **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 25, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828 "2017-06-25T13:41:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/1 "2017-06-25T13:41:23Z")
Hillary’s email server was a huge issue during the election. She didn’t use secured government communication devices. But Trump has used an insecure android phone, and Mar A lago is very easy to hack. I know Trump is already under investigation for collusion with Russia, obstruction of justice and supposedly mafia ties. Why not also add using insecure communication devices to the list of investigations? Is this being investigated? > **[Is Trump Tweeting From a 'Secure' Smartphone? The White House Won't Say](https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/02/03/513256171/is-trump-tweeting-from-a-secure-smartphone-the-white-house-wont-say)** > > Cybersecurity experts agree that if President Trump is using his old Android smartphone, it poses a big risk. The same experts say there are ways for Trump to tweet securely. > **[Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort is a hacker's dream, investigation alleges](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mar-a-lago-weak-security-investigation/)** > > Internet security at president's frequent retreat is full of gaping holes, according to new report ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/2 "2017-06-25T13:45:36Z")
Which law did you have in mind that he would have broken? ---
**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/3 "2017-06-25T13:48:32Z")
I am not a Trump supporter by any means, but I believe the issue would be using insecure communications to transfer or discuss secret documents. Otherwise no president would be able to call a sports team to congratulate them on their recent win, and they all do that. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/4 "2017-06-25T13:52:53Z")
Because the whole thing was a bullshit charge all along? ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/5 "2017-06-25T14:02:57Z")
I heard he licked a stamp instead of touching it to the tongue of a flunky as protocol demands: clearly one of the Russian spies in the White House could swipe the letter, send it to the Kremlin where their top scientists could extract Donald’s DNA and clone a million extra Donalds _a la_ **The Boys From Brazil** and flood the world with spare presidents, spreading alarm and doubt. _ **Why** hasn’t Trump been prosecuted yet ?_ ---
**Author:** ![igor\_frankensteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/839c29/32.png) [@igor\_frankensteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igor_frankensteen)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/6 "2017-06-25T14:14:05Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Hillary’s email server was a huge issue during the election. She didn’t use secured government communication devices. > > But Trump has used an insecure android phone, and Mar A lago is very easy to hack. > > I know Trump is already under investigation for collusion with Russia, obstruction of justice and supposedly mafia ties. Why not also add using insecure communication devices to the list of investigations? Is this being investigated? > > [Is Trump Tweeting From a 'Secure' Smartphone? The White House Won't Say : All Tech Considered : NPR](http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/02/03/513256171/is-trump-tweeting-from-a-secure-smartphone-the-white-house-wont-say) > > [Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort is a hacker's dream, investigation alleges - CBS News](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mar-a-lago-weak-security-investigation/) You need to get the exact facts right, first. Clinton wasn’t prosecuted at all. She was investigated, but not for using unsecured media, she was investigated for putting classified information through the unsecured channels. Per the FBI, she was sloppy, but not criminal. Also, we DO NOT in fact “know Trump is already under investigation for collusion with Russia, obstruction of justice and supposedly mafia ties.” That is still only ALLEGED, and only by some people who have no authoritative standing. There is no law against a government official using unsecured communication systems. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/7 "2017-06-25T14:17:08Z")
I’m guessing because the communications in question felt really bad about themselves, anxious and depressed. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/8 "2017-06-25T15:01:11Z")
I remember how when Obama was elected there was a whole issue with getting him a special “hardened” Blackberry, as he was a big user of that system. Now we just take for granted the 3AM Twitstorm. > [@igor\_frankensteen](#): > > You need to get the exact facts right, first. Clinton wasn’t prosecuted at all. She was investigated, but not for using unsecured media, she was investigated for putting classified information through the unsecured channels. Per the FBI, she was sloppy, but not criminal. Which was used against her in the campaign as if it were. > [@](#): > > There is no law against a government official using unsecured communication systems. _“Because you’d be in jail”_ - Trump to Clinton during the debate. What for? It was something that the FBI felt forced to follow up on so they would not be accused of shielding someone who was part of the administration. So, being sloppy about secure communications is still not a crime as long as you don’t actually send the classified information without the authority to do so. …which as far as I can tell, the Trumpeteers’ understand the Combover In Chief would have license to do, ex officio. Their attitude, carried over from their private-held CEO perspective, seems to be that the boss can do whatever the Hell s/he wants but appointees had better toe the line. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/9 "2017-06-25T16:13:32Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > I heard he licked a stamp instead of touching it to the tongue of a flunky as protocol demands: clearly one of the Russian spies in the White House could swipe the letter, send it to the Kremlin where their top scientists could extract Donald’s DNA and clone a million extra Donalds _a la_ **The Boys From Brazil** and flood the world with spare presidents, spreading alarm and doubt. > > - Which is more scary? A million Hitlers or a million Trumps? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/10 "2017-06-25T21:44:59Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Which is more scary? A million Hitlers or a million Trumps? And who would win in a fight? ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/11 "2017-06-26T19:57:33Z")
Using an unsecured device would only be a potential issue if he were discussing sensitive information. If you’ve got evidence that this was indeed the case, I’m sure the FBI has an office reasonably close to you and would love to hear from you. Otherwise, you might as well go queue up with the birthers looking for someone to take them seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/12 "2017-06-26T20:05:02Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Otherwise, you might as well go queue up with\*\* the birthers looking for someone to take them seriously\*\*. So, the President of the United States? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-isnt-trump-being-investigated-or-prosecuted-for-using-insecure-communications/789828/13 "2017-06-26T20:05:31Z")
He ran as a Republican, therefore he can do pretty much anything without being punished for it. It’s the same way he could call for his opponent Hillary’s\* murder \*via a “Second Amendment solution” and get away with it; he ran as a Republican therefore he is free of all laws and social restrictions.