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Good advice and perspective, Robert, Thank you! I listened to Ali Velshi read the entire indictment. https://www.msnbc.com/ali-velshi/watch/why-you-should-listen-to-the-indictment-of-donald-trump-181702213911 What struck me was these documents on military plans and nuclear weapons and who knows what else were NOT something that even a President could just wave his little hands over and declassify. The classifying agency needs a say and the process should have strict guidelines and process. It should never be up to one person especially the President who gets his clearance simply by election rather than on merit, integrity and the discipline to keep his mouth shut. This episode along with the Pence and Biden documents indicates the US must tighten up its classification and use process so that each document is tracked, has a documented chain of custody and never leaves its SCIF. If I were another country I certainly wouldn't share any secrets with the U.S. government which is one of the reasons this is a big deal.

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Jun 12, 2023·edited Jun 12, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Cathy, your comment, "It should never be up to one person especially the President who gets his clearance simply by election rather than on merit, integrity and the discipline to keep his mouth shut," relates to something I believe is overlooked in this morass. We concentrate too much unchecked power in the hands of one person, who may have risen to the top of a cesspool of candidates because he or she is full of hot air, highly inflammable gas, or worse.

Thru executive orders, judicial appointments, putting "tools" in the Cabinet, and other such things, a president like TFG can destroy the guardrails and our democracy with it. We are not the subjects of any president and we should never allow ourselves to be treated as such.

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Excellent point, Bob. Checks and balances like in good accounting always has at least two people involved. One does not get to approve one's own expense reports! Love your hot air analogy!

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Thanks, Cathy! I like your note about accounting. It applies elsewhere as well, for the simple reason that it's tougher to corrupt two people than it is to corrupt one. Unfortunately, that's one of TFG's most well-developed skills.

p.s. I just added "highly inflammable gas" as an alternative source of buoyancy.

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The "highly inflammable gas" along with the violence oriented reaction of the MAGA Republicans leads me to the highly inflammable danger of DT as a Malignant Narcissistic Personality Disorder. In April of 2016 when it was becoming evident DT might get the Republican nomination, I studied narcissistic personality disorder for two weeks. The poster child at that time was Jim Jones and his Kool-Aid and his end stage killing 900 "followers" Here is a great article written in 2020 on the danger DT presents TODAY as he feels cornered and at his end stage. Big emphasis on the word Malignant - https://artprofiler.com/personality-disorder-afflicting-mary-trumps-uncle/ and the original article I found in 2016 on Jim Jones and his end stage. https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=40230 I think I'll post this at the top level. This needs our attention!

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Jun 12, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

As a therapist, I recognized early on Trump's narcissism and sociopathy. It's shocking to me how many people have been fooled by him. I think this indictment might change some borderline Maga Republicans' minds. We just can't count on it! Let's get on it, do the postcards, donate and get Biden re-elected!

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Yes, MAGA people don't realize they are simply narcissistic supply and nothing else to DT. What I'd like to see is his enablers -- Republican members of Congress etc -- wake up to the no-win situation they are in and how they enable someone so sick. Thank you for taking action!

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Kathleen DE BLOIS,

Thank you! GOTV, turnout, turnout, turnout, postcards, letters, door-to-door canvassing, phone banking, texting, writing letters, registering new voters -- everything the grassroots are working at tirelessly is our best hope to prevent the unholy one from a second term.

Fingers crossed for at least some Maga followers to wake up, vote for Biden, and support all levels of sane candidates from local to national to protect our Democracy.

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Very interesting and scary articles. I'm not sure what stage TFG is in, but it's clear that he'll stop at nothing. It seems there's little we can do to keep him from continuing to do damage, but maybe his impending life sentence in various courtrooms will occupy some of his time.

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They say the only stupid questions are the ones not asked. Here's mine! In today's digital age, I am assuming "document" encompasses that which is housed on various government computers. How is that incorporated into the mix of what needs to be tracked and protected?

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author

Yes; document includes digital files. See case against Air National Guardsman Jack Texiera

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One fact is Trump doesn’t use a computer and needs printed copies and they also gives him something to wave around.

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That's a really good point, and as with the current debate about AI, there's no easy solution. Despite any tracking capabilities, anybody can take a picture with their phone and send it anywhere they want. Unless such a person is under surveillance, it's not likely to be caught. What it means is that classified docs need to be handled very carefully by people who are fully vetted, understand and abide by the rules, and have a need to know. TFG exposed a big hole in that concept.

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Speaking of AI, I just watched the first AI generated short movie in MIT Technology Review. https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/06/01/1073858/surreal-ai-generative-video-changing-film/ It shook me up a bit.

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My guess is that the online documents are encrypted and can be tracked each time it is opened or moved. Only those with the encryption keys can access them.

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Thanks, Cathy. I'll take that explanation.

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Cathy, you write: "... the US must tighten up its classification and use process so that each document is tracked, has a documented chain of custody and never leaves its SCIF." Even a librarian knows exactly who has what book and when it's due back.

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Good point, Mim. It may only be in the White House and with the VPs that are given more leeway. I suspect General Kelly when he was Chief of Staff to DT ran a tight ship on classified documents.

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Thank you, as always, Robert Hubbell, for your calming, reassuring interpretation of how to endure the dreaded Judge Cannon trial.

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“ the US must tighten up its classification and use process so that each document is tracked, has a documented chain of custody and never leaves its SCIF.” –

This has been standard policy for a long time – although it’s conceivable that the White House, or parts of it, gets treated as a kind of SCIF, so there isn’t a time burden on Very Important People (no sarcasm intended).

As for tracking: we really don’t know what the authorities knew about the documents. They might have checked off documents when the documents were returned, and noticed that certain ones were missing – think of how a lending library operates. The government does have a system for tracking classified documents.

Of course, the system possibly might have broken down.

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I would also spectulate that the system needs to be upgraded to better technolgy which is a common problem with government systems!

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founding

Cathy, your points are well make, as were Robert’s today. It is great to have such smart people contributing to our understanding. We will endure and learn a lot. Thank you.

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The fact that he can still run for president while being charged under the ESPIONAGE act is insane. We need an amendment to the constitution.

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Jun 12, 2023·edited Jun 12, 2023

You are right! Tell one! Tell all! Remind everyone that trump is indicted for violations of the espionage act and that a vote for trump is a vote for someone who does not uphold the Constitution or put the well being and safety of our country first.

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founding

Sorry, but I think you’re wrong. Imagine if Trump’s DOJ had cooked up an indictment of Joe Biden in the summer of 2020. Democracy depends, in the end, on the good sense of the citizens.

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Kind of is—called the 25th amendment ….but as divided and stacked as things are, not a likely outcome.

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I would agree he's extremely disabled...

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Jun 12, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Excellent post here, bringing home the point that it's up to us, the voters, ~not~ a judge or prosecutor or jury, to ensure that the former guy or other comparably corrupt, toxic, wacko extremist gets to the White House.

Also see this evening's Joyce Vance post on Civil Discourse for some discussion of constraints on Judge Cannon, the prospects for recusal (spoiler: don't get your hopes up), potential prosecution strategies, and lots more. https://joycevance.substack.com/p/the-week-ahead-4d4

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Jun 12, 2023·edited Jun 12, 2023Author

If Judge Cannon were honest, she would recuse herself immediately. The appearance of impropriety is overwhelming. She should do so to maintain the public's trust in the judiciary. She won't.

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This is (yet another) example of serious flaws in our system: how in the world can a system leave it up to the individuals to have the integrity and good judgement to recuse themselves? How in the world can a system allow a president make a lifetime appointment, then have that appointee serve as the judge in his case? How (for crying out loud!) did we allow anyone the power to pardon themselves? Lordy. These points are matters that can't be fixed in time to help in this but they sure do need to be fixed.

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Federal judges are *nominated*, not appointed, by the President. They must be confirmed by the Senate.

The Senate may be being lax in the confirmation process. Senators figure that if they eviscerate people nominated by a President from the other party, retaliation will ensue when their party wins the presidency. So rejection of nominees is infrequent, usually limited to cases like Robert Bork and Harriet Miers.

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I agree that this would be best but won't happen. Second best is that she's been sufficiently stung by the venom she faced from the 11th Circuit, and will be careful around hornets' nests in the future.

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Oops, error belatedly discovered. Please read, "...ensure that the former guy or other comparably corrupt, toxic, wacko extremist ~never~ gets to the White House."

My bad; apologies. (I fired my editor.)

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If you click on the three dots below your post, you can do a self-edit.

To then see the revision, refresh the page.

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Roger that; great pointer; thanks!

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Given the 33 likes, I bet folks read it the way you intended!

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And aren't we all thankful we are the final arbiters of who wins our Presidency [well not talking about the Electoral College which should be abolished]. It should be up to us!

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Having read the full indictment, I cannot think the trial of our spoiled brat, infant horrilibis should be our focus.

Richard Nixon was tried and convicted by the American public as more evidence came out in congressional hesrings, not by the trial he never received. Nixon has gone down in history as a criminal rat without a defense.

TFG will be shocked by the unrelenting poisonous vapers seeping out of the indictment and related press stories. The crimes are so rationally and clearly delineated in the indictment, that Trump's allies will only be made more and more foolish the longer they stand up for him and deny his attack on American democracy.

I'm hoping the will begin the slow bleed out of citizen Donald Trump. If his diehard supporters get him through the Republican presidential nomination for 2024, the Party will have achieved its final dramatic suicide.

Democratic chances for a BLUE landslide in 2024 keep getting better.

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Jun 12, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Reading the indictment was actually soothing for me. As Robert says, read on !

Agreed looking better for a 💙 landslide in 2024 but we all have much work to do..

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I also read the entire indictment. Just WOW! It is amazing there is so much detail, times, dates, statements, etc. Very easy to read and get the magnitude of the charges, and very well written. Jack Smith-my newest crush.

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Jun 12, 2023·edited Jun 12, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Your newsletter tonight is a wonderful antidote to my Aileen Cannon fears - thank you, Robert. It's not an antidote in a Kumbaya-everything-will-be-OK way; but rather in a splash-of-cold-water-reality way. Initially, when I found myself in a sudden state of high anxiety after hearing she would be the judge, I realized that I'd started believing this case could be the key to preventing a second Trump presidency. Under my personal cloud of angst, I did a little research that forced me to realize conviction under the Espionage Act wouldn't lock T out of the presidency. I imagine many people are confused on that point. Your clarification of the purposes - and limitations - of this case splashed more cold water on my wishful thinking/ incorrect understanding of the Espionage Act. I think I'll be able to move forward, pushing for and appreciating all the case CAN do, while continuing to do all I can to get Joe Biden reelected.

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Silly question (maybe) but if a convicted felon can’t vote while in custody, how can a convicted felon be President of the US if Trump is found guilty of Espionage against the US? A car thief has less rights than a post President that steals classified top secrets? That’s an open door for abuse of power.

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Jun 12, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

The qualifications for holding the office are in the constitution.

US citizen by birth.

35 years of age.

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No one who wrote the constitution or amendments considered a citizenry that would vote a treasonous candidate (neither merely indicted nor fully convicted) into the highest office in the land. Before trump, who could have had such an imagination to consider such a thing? It's a comically tragic miscalculation we are witnessing of information being weaponized on a such a grand scale.

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He already has abused his power. 🤬

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There is no way to calculate all of the damage done by Donald Trump's ascent into our national dialog. He picked loose the scab that our country was attempting to use to cover the divide that started The Great Civil War. Like then, this attack on our national decency will also be defeated, albeit with great pain and consternation. The inevitable submission of this uprising will take place at the polls. Our fellow citizens need to send the correct message to those attempting to disrupt America. Every concerned American has at their disposal 2 such weapons..1) the right to vote and 2. ) The exercise of that right. Let us not wring our hands in despair. Let us use the tools the Constitution has given us.

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The Fintan O Toole article is excellent and would recommend everyone to read it. Robert is dead on that our work is at the polls. The issue is the continual trauma we will not be able to ignore in the next two years. Thanks Robert

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founding

I think Robert is absolutely right. We cannot become a hostage to the unpredictable course of this trial, diverting our attention from the work it will take to ensure that Donald Trump never again becomes president. That is the job of democracy.

If one is looking for consolation, whatever the impact on the Republican base, it seems more likely than not that this indictment, and the one or more to follow , will add to the fatigue and aversion to Trump building among the independent and suburban voters, who will play a critical role in 2024. In the eyes of many, it will become increasingly obvious that he is too self- involved, and unstable to return to the White House.

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Indeed. There is such a focus on the small minority of MAGA devotees. Amplified by FNC and Twitterdom. Roughly 25% of American voters are registered with the Republican party. Same with Democrats. It's the other 50% that will decide our future and I truly believe there are enough of them who are suffering from TFS. Trump fatigue syndrome. Keep your eyes on Christie and Hutchinson. Barr is right in more than one way. He's toast.

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I have read some of Christie’s comments and he really delivers in reality based, lay person language. No one (with a brain) could misunderstand his point.

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Love TFS. I have it in spades. And I am sick of hearing about the damn base. They really seem to be pretty much off their collective nuts, which is no way to run an airline and certainly no way to run a country.

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One would certainly hope so.

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Jun 12, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Thank you thank you thank you for this superb analysis of what we can anticipate. Specifically, thank you for the explanation about the process.

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Don't sell yourself short, Robert. Your incredibly clear way with words is plenty good enough for this layperson, but am happy to read what others have to say whether or not they pass the clarity test. Thank you!

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We HAVE beaten Trump before and we CAN do it again! Thank you Robert for

your level headed essay.

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Jun 12, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Thank you, Robert, for your exceptionally clear and wise analysis! Your humor and dedication to reader understanding also are appreciated immensely.

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Thans for the "eat your vegetables" lecture. There are several people posting at Civil Discourse tonight who have fallen down Alice's rabbit hole.

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Living in France my friend, host, told me Chirac said to only have one serving at dinner.

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THIS is just one of the reasons why I truly value your newsletter. A perfect recap of the legal aspects and ramifications - from one who knows. Thank you, Robert Hubbell!

Now, back to winning with a Blue Tsunami - the Blue Trifecta of 2024! The GQP is damaged beyond repair. Our President is doing his job very well as the world focuses on a circus. People are ready for some plain old competent governance. The MAGAs are far from a majority. They shouldn't get the majority of attention.

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"The MAGAs are far from a majority. They shouldn't get the majority of attention." I wish the media would pick up on that truth.

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Jun 12, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Oh! How I love this newsletter!

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