Arrr! Cap'n Trump be facin' more reckonin' in the secret squabbles o' the special counsel's concealed archives.
2023-07-27
Arrr, me hearties! The scurvy dog Trump, aforetime President, be now charged with hoardin' secrets o' the National Defense, aye, and obstructin' justice as well! 'Tis a hornswogglin' affair, brought forth by Special Counsel Jack Smith! Methinks the rum won't be enough to calm his nerves now!
Former President Trump has been charged with additional offenses in relation to the alleged improper retention of classified records. The superseding indictment adds one defendant and four charges to the previous indictment filed against Trump and Waltine Nauta. The new charges include willful retention of National Defense Information and obstruction counts. Carlos de Oliveira has also been added to the obstruction conspiracy charged in the original indictment. The indictment alleges that the defendants attempted to delete surveillance video footage at The Mar-a-Lago Club in the summer of 2022. De Oliveira is additionally charged with false statements and representations during an FBI interview. He has been summoned to appear in court in July 2023.In response to the charges, a Trump campaign spokesperson dismissed them as a desperate attempt by the Biden administration to harass President Trump. The spokesperson referred to Special Counsel Jack Smith as "Deranged Jack Smith" and claimed that the investigation had no basis. Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Trump's alleged improper retention of classified records at his Mar-a-Lago home. The investigation began after the FBI conducted a search on Trump's residence in August 2022.
The Justice Department had been investigating the matter after the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) discovered that Trump had taken 15 boxes of presidential records to his personal residence in Florida. The boxes contained classified national security information and official correspondence with foreign heads of state. Similar discoveries were made at President Biden's office and former Vice President Mike Pence's home. Pence will not be charged in relation to the matter.
The status of the investigation into Biden's improper retention of classified records is unclear. This is a developing story, and updates are expected.