At various times during my professional life, I have held security clearances from the United States government, including both Top Secret and Code levels from the Department of Defense, a “Q” clearance from the Department of Energy, and SCI (Secret/Compartmentalized) from the National Security Agency (NSA). I signed oaths to protect the secrets at all costs.
Most of us who held such clearances went through extensive background checks and investigations by Department of Defense, Energy, and NSA personnel before. We were given extended and intensive briefings on what would happen if we breached any of the protocols and protections that came with holding positions.
One person, however, is never vetted. The president of the United States receives the highest levels of security clearances simply because he or she won an election that may, or may not, have been legal.
This is why we today face the sad reality that a corrupt former president faces serious charges that include obstruction of justice, violations of the nation’s Espionage Act, and even treason.
Hundreds of documents, ranging from “Confidential” to “Top Secret” and higher are finally in the custody of America’s National Archives after an 18-month tug of war with Donald John Trump to get them back from his unsecured estate in Floriday and further investigations may find even more before the debacle ever ends.
As someone who has served in the country in various capacities over the years, I — like so many others — am furious that such an atrocity has occurred and many have pledged to do all that they can to make sure it does not happen again.
I would surrender my wireless phone, pager, and other electronic materials to enter “secure” rooms of the nation’s Capitol, the White House, the Pentagon, and other guarded locations to review materials that were necessary for my jobs for Uncle Sam.
When leaving, I confirmed that I did not have any of those documents in my possession or in my briefcase. A search, if made, would show that I was telling the truth. We have learned that Trump lied constantly when asked about having classified documents at Mar-a-Lago or other locations. His changing stories included claims that he had issued a “blanket” order that any such documents were no longer classified when they left the secure rooms of the White House.
Yet the National Security Advisor to Trump says he never heard such an order and the White House lawyers said such a “blanket order” is not legal, which meant yet another life from a former president whose relationship with the truth was nonexistent. As with so many other things, Trump lied, just like he lied when he said he had turned all classified material over to the National Archives before a search warrant allowed the FBI to search Mar-a-Lago and found more.
Additionally, the search warrant did not specify that they were seeking “classified” files but those declared “confidential,” “top secret” and those with higher classifications. Those files were found in the search. Trump lied, which is an overt violation of the Espionage Act.
Sadly, those who genuflect before an image of Trump that does not exist and insult the intelligence of anyone with an IQ of an average plant put their pathetic partisanship above their country and continue to support a liar, a con man and, we now know, a traitor to the United States of America. Now, as more and more damning information appears, many have gone quiet and refuse to comment. They backed a criminal and traitor, which incriminates them as well.
Trump must face his crimes and must be convicted and punished for them. Those who continue to support him should face indictment as co-conspirators in his attempt to seize control of the American government through plans that included violence and a coup.
In America’s justice system, a person charged with crimes is “presumed innocent until proven guilty,” but Trump lost that presumption with his barrage of lies and brazen attempts to take control of a government that was never his. His lies prove his guilt.
He deserves conviction and serious prison time. No less. No mercy and no deals.
