Peter1469
12-31-2018, 10:44 AM
Trump's tweets: Judges in government secrecy cases say they are 'speculation' and not pure fact (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/30/trump-tweets-judges-doj-lawyers-foia-lawsuits/2197524002/)
Well other judges have ruled that Trump's tweets are "public documents" that must be stored according to the Federal Records Act. So I am not sure how this will play out in the long run. If they are indeed public records, they must be stored and made available to FOIA requests - assuming that one of the exemptions do not apply.
"Speculation." "Unofficial information." "Political statements rather than assertions of pure fact."
Those are words federal judges have used to describe President Donald Trump’s tweets while guarding the secrecy of ongoing investigations (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/30/forces-threaten-donald-trumps-presidency-robert-mueller/2347032002/) that have shadowed his presidency.
And in an unusual twist, these rulings mark victories for Trump’s own Justice Department, which has argued repeatedly that the president’s comments on the probes are not always to be taken literally, or to be trusted.
In one tweet in March 2017, Trump claimed (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/03/04/trump-accuses-obama-wiretapping-him-before-election/98734316/)that the Obama administration tapped his phones as a candidate in Trump Tower. He insisted in May 2017 that he had the "absolute right" (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/16/heres-what-we-know-trump-disclosing-classified-intel-russian-officials/101743194/)to meet with Russians in the Oval Office, even if critics worried he revealed state secrets. And he announced in June 2017 that he was under investigation (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/16/donald-trump-russia-james-comey/102911374/) for firing the FBI director.
Presidents don't tend to announce they are under investigation.
Trump's voluminous tweeting and other public statements offer regular insight into his thinking – and his disregard for the secrecy that traditionally surrounds national security issues.
Well other judges have ruled that Trump's tweets are "public documents" that must be stored according to the Federal Records Act. So I am not sure how this will play out in the long run. If they are indeed public records, they must be stored and made available to FOIA requests - assuming that one of the exemptions do not apply.
"Speculation." "Unofficial information." "Political statements rather than assertions of pure fact."
Those are words federal judges have used to describe President Donald Trump’s tweets while guarding the secrecy of ongoing investigations (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/30/forces-threaten-donald-trumps-presidency-robert-mueller/2347032002/) that have shadowed his presidency.
And in an unusual twist, these rulings mark victories for Trump’s own Justice Department, which has argued repeatedly that the president’s comments on the probes are not always to be taken literally, or to be trusted.
In one tweet in March 2017, Trump claimed (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/03/04/trump-accuses-obama-wiretapping-him-before-election/98734316/)that the Obama administration tapped his phones as a candidate in Trump Tower. He insisted in May 2017 that he had the "absolute right" (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/16/heres-what-we-know-trump-disclosing-classified-intel-russian-officials/101743194/)to meet with Russians in the Oval Office, even if critics worried he revealed state secrets. And he announced in June 2017 that he was under investigation (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/16/donald-trump-russia-james-comey/102911374/) for firing the FBI director.
Presidents don't tend to announce they are under investigation.
Trump's voluminous tweeting and other public statements offer regular insight into his thinking – and his disregard for the secrecy that traditionally surrounds national security issues.