President Trump is being indicted for additional "crimes" related to his possession of documents created during his time as President of the United States. The specific charges have not been revealed, but they don't have to be for us to know that the swamp is trying to protect itself. As an aside, the House failing to file contempt of Congress charges against FBI director Christopher Wray proves once again how deep the swamp is. Let's look at a little history regarding retention of documents.
The Presidential Records Act was put in place in response to Richard Nixon's Watergate debacle. Understand it is not a law per se, but encourages administration officials, primarily a president or vice president, to cooperate with the National Archives in providing documents or access to documents taken by the official when their term in office ends. A failure to do so in and of itself is not a criminal violation but can carry civil penalties. An individual, whether the former president or vice president or someone acting on their behalf, must abuse the possession and dissemination of those records in violation of other laws in order to be held criminally responsible. For example providing classified information to a foreign entity.
Ronald Reagan was challenged for his retention of records after he left office. The Department of Justice argued that the former president had the authority to declare any documents produced during their term in office as personal documents. A position reiterated by the Department of Justice 10 years after Bill Clinton left office and found audio recordings of security meetings in his sock drawer at his house.
Barack Obama, through his attorneys, argued in 2018 that classified documents retained by the former president, which included top secret classified documents, were his work product and did not need to be turned over to the National Archives. It was a position the Department of Justice agreed with and a court ruled in favor of the former president.
We all know the story of Joe Biden's retention of records from his time as vice president. He not only stored them in his garage where hunter Biden had access but it seems like a month doesn't go by without someone else 'finding' more boxes of documents at unsecured locations. It's more likely than not that Chinese government officials have had access to thousands of documents containing classified information at the University of Penn.
Why is Donald Trump being treated differently from every other president that has served since Nixon? Because he is not part of the swamp and wants to expose the corruption of our federal government. Is it possible that in those boxes of documents there is also information regarding multiple politicians and bureaucrats in our federal government that have accepted money or other benefits to change policy or treat others differently? I'd say it's not only possible but it's probable given the time and energy being put into taking those documents away from Donald Trump. The fear of those that are leading the charge is almost palpable.
But just like the situation with Christopher Wray, the persecution of Donald Trump is exposing the corruption and the power structure of our federal government. Those that are not on the inside are treated differently from anybody else. The attacks upon Donald Trump are actually attacks upon our form of government and the rule of law. I have heard several people make the observation that we are becoming a Banana Republic. Folks, the reality is we have been a Banana Republic for decades. It's just being exposed now.