Let’s just say i think your re-cap is a bit biased and not accurate. But let’s go through it and discuss (and In all seriousness, let’s try to to discuss as adults).
This is not true. Since Nixon, they implemented specific rules about how ex-Presidents can take documents from their time in office. At a very high level … they need to go through NARA to determine what is OK to potentially take to a presidential library or other use and what needs to stay behind. This is at the core of the arguments. Pretty much any document a president touches during their time in office belongs to the people, not the president. All of the Presidents since Nixon have apparently followed this without a problem until now.
Congress changed the law in the 1970s when President Nixon prepared to leave with his documents — and infamous tape recordings.
www.npr.org
This isn’t really clear at this point. What we know is the FBI got a subpoena to retrieve documents and had to go get them. I don’t think Trump ever returned anything. It’s also not clear that NAM asked for ’more’ documents, but it’s clear they didn’t get everything they wanted when the subpoena process was followed earlier this year.
Trump’s legal team did sign off saying they gave them all the confidential records (based upon current reporting). Honest question for you … what ground does Trump have to stand in playing ‘hard ball’ on defending what documents the government can take? I don’t think it’s really in dispute the records relate to presidential activity. Those belong to the USA and the current president has a right to them. I really don’t understand any argument to keep them (note: I’m not saying this means Trump is guilty of a crime, but he has no grounds to keep anything the government says they want .. at least as it relates to documents generated by him or given to him as President).
Ok, this is all just your opinion (which of course, is your right to express). I don’t think Trump is really disputing that at least some of what was taken in the most recent search was at least sensitive. The classification status can be debated.
Also … can you answer … if this is all just political theater by the Dems, why did Trump’s story change from … they planted these documents to Obama did worse to I already de-classified them? If Trump’s position was these are all documents i declassified and had a right to keep … why didn’t he just say that from the start?