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For example, from the Presidential Records Act: > Allows the incumbent President to dispose of records that no longer have administrative, historical, informat

by croon 4y ago

For example, from the Presidential Records Act: > Allows the incumbent President to dispose of records that no longer have administrative, historical, informational, or evidentiary value, once the views of the Archivist of the United States on the proposed disposal have been obtained in writing. (emphasis mine) > Establishes that Presidential records automatically transfer into the legal custody of the Archivist as soon as the President leaves office. https://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/laws/1978-act.html https://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/laws/1978-ac... I'm hesitant to entertain the idea of a chief executive who could do anything with impunity.

leereeves 4y ago
Yeah, I'm not surprised if Trump didn't follow proper procedures. Disdain for proper procedures is very on-brand. But the PRA [1] doesn't appear to contain any penalties. What happens when someone disobeys a law that doesn't specify a penalty? (One section, 2209, does specify a penalty for official business conducted using non-official electronic messaging accounts, but that penalty is limited to suspension or reduction in pay, and doesn't apply to the President, only his staff.) I suspect that all they can do based on the PRA is take the records, and we won't see any further action based on that. 1: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/44/chapter-22 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/44/chapter-22
- croon 4y ago
  > Whoever willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, or destroys, or attempts to do so, or, with intent to do so takes and carries away any record, proceeding, map, book, paper, document, or other thing, filed or deposited with any clerk or officer of any court of the United States, or in any public office, or with any judicial or public officer of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. > Whoever, having the custody of any such record, proceeding, map, book, document, paper, or other thing, willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2012-title18/html/USCODE-2012-title18-partI-chap101.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2012-title18/html...

by croon 4y ago

leereeves 4y ago

Yeah, I'm not surprised if Trump didn't follow proper procedures. Disdain for proper procedures is very on-brand. But the PRA [1] doesn't appear to contain any penalties. What happens when someone disobeys a law that doesn't specify a penalty? (One section, 2209, does specify a penalty for official business conducted using non-official electronic messaging accounts, but that penalty is limited to suspension or reduction in pay, and doesn't apply to the President, only his staff.) I suspect that all they can do based on the PRA is take the records, and we won't see any further action based on that. 1: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/44/chapter-22 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/44/chapter-22

croon 4y ago
> Whoever willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, or destroys, or attempts to do so, or, with intent to do so takes and carries away any record, proceeding, map, book, paper, document, or other thing, filed or deposited with any clerk or officer of any court of the United States, or in any public office, or with any judicial or public officer of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. > Whoever, having the custody of any such record, proceeding, map, book, document, paper, or other thing, willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and shall forfeit his office and be disqualified from holding any office under the United States. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2012-title18/html/USCODE-2012-title18-partI-chap101.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2012-title18/html...