jrdausti said:
Up until Jan 6th, I think Trump believed that the election was fraudulent and that his presidency would continue. If that's the case, then the WH had 14 days to prepare to vacate. Basically, just enough time to throw everything into boxes and sort it out later.
Perhaps part of Trump believed so, but his own lawyers and inner-circle have stated Trump knew otherwise (claims of fraud).
But regardless, Trump indeed then had until
May 2021,
106 days later, to "sort it out" before the National Archives
first requests he turn over any presidential records he may have kept upon leaving WH.
The National Archives
again requests Trump return missing records through
Dec 2021, 345 days after leaving office.
And according to the indictment, we know boxes are moved several times between
May and Dec 2021 within MAR. So they are sorting things out, let's say.
Trump and team do turnover the 15 boxes to the National Archives in
Jan 2022, one year since leaving office and ~256 days since the National Archives' first request. The Trump presidency ends and not until
385 days have past does the National Archives finally call up DOJ in
Feb 2022, over a year later.
aggiehawg said:
And they asked for additional locks to be placed on the storage locations there, which Trump did. He was cooperating, negotiating with them, even returning 15 boxes.
Cooperating? That seems like a stretch given the timeline above before anything is handed over.
But yes, he returns 15 boxes one year later. And one month after that, in Feb 2022, the National Archives pings DOJ because of what they see in those 15 boxes. But even if you consider that as "cooperation", leading up to the 15 boxes being returned ...
... ta dah! In June 2022, Trump lawyer hands over (at MAR) 38 classified documents to DOJ/FBI five months after handing over the 15 initial boxes (now
500 days since leaving office). And then again in August 2022, ta dah!, during the MAL raid, 102 additional classified documents are found. That is what the charges focus on, the possession yes, but the retaining of possession after being asked over and over and creating opportunities to hand those over ...
for 565 days leading up to the raid.
March 30, 2022
FBI opens its investigation
April 12, 2022
Trump team is informed that National Archives, via request of DOJ, will be handing over the 15 boxes to FBI. Trump team asks for "extension", until April 29, 2022.
April 29, 2022
DOJ asks Trump's lawyers for immediate access to the 15 boxes. Trump's lawyers again ask for extension. By now,
465 days have past since Trump left office.
May 10, 2022
National Archives informs Trump's lawyers that it will provide the FBI access to the boxes as soon as 5/12.
May 11, 2022
A grand jury issues a subpoena to Trump and his office requiring that they turn over all classified materials in their possession.
371 days have past since the National Archives first requested all documents and Trump has been out of office for
476 days.
May 23, 2022
Trump's lawyers advise him to comply with the subpoena, but Trump (allegedly) balks, telling them, "I don't want anybody looking through my boxes."
June 2, 2022
A Trump's lawyer returns to Mar-a-Lago to search boxes in the storage room and finds 38 additional classified documents. After the search, Trump (allegedly) asks: "Did you find anything? ... Is it bad? Good?".
June 3, 2022 - 500 days since leaving office
FBI agents and a DOJ lawyer visit Mar-a-Lago to collect the 38 classified documents from Trump's lawyer. Another Trump lawyer, acting as his custodian of records, provides investigators a sworn certification that prosecutors say falsely claimed they had conducted a "diligent search" of boxes moved from the White House and "any and all responsive documents" were turned over.
June 8, 2022
DOJ sends Trump's lawyer a letter asking that the storage room be secured, and that "all of the boxes that were moved from the White House to Mar-a-Lago (along with any other items in that room) be preserved in that room in their current condition until farther notice."
July 2022
The grand jury is shown surveillance video of boxes being moved at Mar-a-Lago.
August 5, 2022
DOJ applies for a warrant to search Mar-a-Lago, citing "probable cause" that additional presidential records and classified documents were being stored there. Warrant approved same day.
August 8, 2022
FBI searches searches Mar-a-Lago, seizing 102 classified documents 75 in the storage room and 27 in Trump's office, including three found in office desks. 460 days have past since the National Archives first requested all documents, 566 days since leaving office.
DOJ says in a subsequent court filing that the results call "into serious question" earlier representations by Trump's legal team that they had conducted a "diligent search" and that no classified documents remained.
https://tips.fbi.gov/
1-800-225-5324