“My point is not to trash Judge Cannon’s integrity, intelligence, or fairness. She has already done so beyond my meager ability to add to the opprobrium already heaped upon her. Rather, the point is that Judge Cannon now understands she is universally regarded as the most incompetent, biased, and clueless federal district judge in the nation—and that is saying something!”
Oh my goodness, wiping away a tear from your cute Cora grandparenting pictures--thank you for sharing!
Robert, in case you didn't know, a subscription plus compliment from TCinLA is indeed high praise from one of the more acerbically witted commenters on HCR's "Letters from an American" Substack. Tom also provides fascinating history with inside stories of WW 2, Korean War, and Vietnam War.
Shout out to Christina (FL) who sang your praises in a comment on the LFAA of 9/05/22, sparking a number of people to discover your sage optimism, TCinLA included!
Thanks for the note about TCinLA. An honor to share readers with Professor Richardson--a national treasure! Welcome to all of you--and please let me know what you are thinking. As I noted above, I read and consider what readers have to say. Indeed, sometimes I borrow from reader comments for the newsletter!
As I mentioned in comments on HCR’s column….when will we find out what is happening with investigations as to what went wrong with the people and systems designed to track, and keep safe classified materials? Something or someone(s) went very wrong. I am surprised not to have heard anything yet. There should be, and I suspect, will be serious consequences and changes.
Hi, Neil. Thanks for raising this point. I agree 100%. I hope that someone in the administration is taking this issue VERY seriously. If Trump failed to return a single classified document, there should have been a five-alarm fire in the White House and Intelligence Community. The fact that Trump failed to return hundreds of classified documents is a scandal of major proportions. It should have resulted in an "all hands on deck" drill to protect those secrets immediately.
All Americans should be shocked by the dereliction of duty by those charged with keeping our intelligence secrets safe. Let's hope that an investigation will result in a house-cleaning of those who looked the other way when Trump acted recklessly with national defense secrets. And, yes, Cipollone and Meadows are at the top of the list.
Trump went through chiefs of staff like ………(fill in the blank) until he found the consummate toady, Meadows! A backwoods NC politician whose district had more cows and corn stalks than constituents!
Sep 7, 2022·edited Sep 7, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Louis, when a classified document is taken from storage, safe and SCIF, it must be signed out. A custodian manages this process. You must provide appropriate ID and signature. It is then secured in a folder, or secure envelope and you leave. That document is now your responsibility to properly handle, protect AND return. The custodians have records of the transactions and sign the document back in when returned.
They know exactly when it left and when it should be returned. My experience is you would get a call, or visit, if the document was not returned when expected.
Obviously, something went terribly wrong in the tangerine tinted Loser’s administration. It will, I am sure, be investigated as to who, what and where the system failed. Heads will roll and prison time should be expected.
Thanks for adding that detail--and the perspective of your personal experience.
Neil (and others reading this): I think this issue deserves more attention. If you are aware of media sources that I might leverage to write about it, I would be appreciative. Write to me at rhubbell@outlook.com.
Thanks, Neil. Do you know if custodians who keep track of classified documents can be easily replaced by new administrations? If so, my guess would be the greased watermelon put toadies in charge of the classified documents so he could take them without signing them out and without any repercussions.
Good question, I do not know the answer. I suspect the department head may be a political appointee and the custodians are civil service. However, that does not mean they can't be moved to different jobs/departments and toadies moved in.
Sep 7, 2022·edited Sep 7, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
My question exactly! Who dropped the ball on tracking classified documents. If they don't already have it sounds like there should be a SCIF room next to the Oval Office and no classified material can be taken out of that room even the President. Sounds like Mark Meadows wasn't helping anything. I'm sure this wouldn't have occurred if General Kelly had been the Chief of Staff at the end of DTs term.
When the heart button doesn’t turn red, refresh your page and it should then show it’s red. If not, just click on it again, and it should turn red. You may have to scroll to find it.
As an author, your voice would be an important one to notify support@substack.zendesk.com about the issue that has been going on for quite a long time. I've reported it, but they say they cannot replicate it.
How precious Cora is! How sweet and young and vivacious. I have six - and i remember those days of holding them in my arms, of walking their first steps with them, of little league, high school graduation and now seeing them off to college.
Who knew Robert, you would be fighting to preserve the greatest country in the world for Cora. Who knew an autocratic sick individual could be standing in Cora’s way to build on our cherished freedom, of Cora’s right to choose, of Cora’s right to learn of our history and to understand that all men are created equal really means what it says.
This fight is for all of us lucky enough to have Cora’s in our lives.
Cora deserves to be proud of her country. We need to insure that democracy still stands strong. This fight is truly for Cora!
Frederick, thanks for your sweet comments. And yes, we are all in this effort for our children, grandchildren, and complete strangers who are counting on us to do our duty.
As am I - six times- it doesn't get any better. I could not help watching Cora this morning linking her beauty and ebullience with the beauty of our country and the need to purify its spirit and unify its goals. We just can not fail all the Coras in this world.
"Opprobrium." I didn't know that word, had to look it up. You and your editor selected a perfect word.
Aileen Cannon is now a joke and the perfect example of a Trump puppet. She is now roundly referred to as a member of Trump's defense team. Her name will sustain years of ridicule: "Judge Cannon's new moniker will be "My name is Aileen , as in Aileen whichever way Trump wants me to lean." And the "The Loose Cannon Rule" is like the arrow in FedEx, "once you've seen it (heard it), you never can forget it." It is unlikely she will ever be asked to address a Michigan Law School graduation ceremony, unless they graduate on April 1. [Sadly, Loose Cannon is also an example of the power that Mitch and the Federalists have wielded to savage our justice system. Mitch is probably proud of Aileen, but wishes she weren't so brazen about serving Trump.] And how many of you think Loose Cannon unilaterally decided to write such a decision? How long will it be before some resourceful reporter reveals the person(s) who got to Judge Cannon and pressured her to help Trump?
I am certain Loose Cannon was compensated in some way, i.e., promises about her future politically, money, or both (my bet would be both). Something/someone emboldened her. Her decision is too egregious to think otherwise.
Unfortunately, many of us share your view. I am embarrassed that the Judiciary has to explain away her very politicised decision. She agreed with Trump's personal argument "Finally, Plaintiff [Trump} has claimed injury from the threat of future prosecution and the serious, often indelible stigma associated therewith. . . . As a function of Plaintiff’s former position as President of the United States, the stigma associated with the subject seizure is in a league of its own. A future indictment, based to any degree on property that ought to be returned, would result in reputational harm of a decidedly different order of magnitude."
So, the Loose Cannon Rule is now that every time law enforcement searches a criminal's property, the criminal can ask for a special master because of the potential "stigma." AND, if the criminal is politically famous, they get special treatment. So much for equal treatment under the law.
She overstepped her bounds. Her ruling should be challenged by the DOJ if for no other reason that it not establish a legal precedent. There was, imho, no legality in her judgment.
But look at her strategy: She is part of Trump's legal strategy of delay, delay, delay, deflect, deflect, deflect. She wrote a decision that dares DOJ to appeal, first to 11th Circuit, and then to Supreme Court. All that because it would delay things. The more delay, the more chances that DOJ will commit a "foot fault," that Trump will magnify and demand that all charges be dismissed. Trump is banking on delaying things until after November 2024.
Seems to me she did what she was told to do - she ain't that well-versed in the law apparently. Yes, it will cause a delay - because hopefully the DOJ will appeal. And yes, it would go to SCOTUS - and we know who's side they are on. What's happening on the judicial level in this country is blatant and appalling. But really, all Trea45son has to do is announce and the DOJ can't touch him (until 2024 when he loses AGAIN). 45 just wants to continue the grift and con the suckers who believe him. It's Jim Jones and The Kool-Aid Gang all over again.
Judge Cannon will select the special master if the parties cannot agree. I suspect that TRump's team will not agree--so as to slow down the process.
I may be naive, but I believe a special master will work quickly and confirm 99.9% of what the filter team did--thereby adding legitimacy to the DOJ / FBI efforts. But the principle of the court taking over management of a criminal investigation is horrible!!
Thanks Robert! But wouldn't Cannon select someone awful who would side with Trump. We got a bad GOP Special Master in NY choosing the lines for new districts. I still don't see how we got stuck with a Republican Special Master in NY. SO UNFAIR!
Robert, I don’t think anything has given as much joy lately as Jill’s video of you both with Cora! What a beautiful way to keep all of this in perspective. My god! Even slime ball Barr weighing in! Let’s appoint him Special Master!
As usual, your managing editor knows best! Thank you for elucidating what Judge Cannon has hoisted upon herself with her decision, and also for sharing time you spent with your precious Cora. With grandparents such as you and Jill, I have remained here thinking about the woman Cora will grow up to be, and her contributions to our world. An extremely positive and wonderful way to begin my day, indeed.
Awfulness has never been a disqualifier for Trump. What matters above all else is overt and obvious displays of loyalty. Recall that she was nominated and jammed through by Trump/McConnell AFTER HE LOST the election. She has performed exactly as she was paid to (Oops, I didn't say paid, did I?)
Sep 7, 2022·edited Sep 7, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
One hopeful note about the Trudge Cannon's ruling is since she touches the Presidential Records Act this is now out of her jurisdiction. The PRA can only be adjudicated in the Washington DC District Court.
Sep 7, 2022·edited Sep 7, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
“Trump stole classified documents, concealed them, lied about it, and refused to return them after being served with a grand jury subpoena.”
This single sentence describes Trump’s illegal activity as succinctly and accurately as possible. Judge Cannon’s flawed opinion is indescribably flawed and should not excuse this clearly criminal behavior nor interfere with it's swift prosecution.
Sep 7, 2022·edited Sep 7, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Robert, the short film was precious adorable and wonderful! Thank you for sharing! I have stepped up my efforts as Senior Advisor for Women for Charlie Crist/Karla Hernandez (LT Gov). I have formed a Kitchen Cabinet of women's organizations across the state representing thousands of women. We will begin shortly phonebanking and texting to Democratic FL women voters who vote ONLY in presidential elections. We can do this! FYI, Charlie and Karla have begun a Florida Tour, THE CHOICE IS CHOICE! As Charlie and Karla say, Let's WIN this! Si Se Puede! Hugs, your loyal reader in Orlando, Susan Windmiller
Thanks, as always, for your wise perspective.
I would also like to let this community know about Force Multiplier's
Wednesday night ( 7 P.M.) zoom conversation with Mandela Barnes
and our special guest, Elizabeth Warren. https://www.forcemultiplierus.org/events
Steven Krugman
Pinning this to the top of the comments so others will see it.
“My point is not to trash Judge Cannon’s integrity, intelligence, or fairness. She has already done so beyond my meager ability to add to the opprobrium already heaped upon her. Rather, the point is that Judge Cannon now understands she is universally regarded as the most incompetent, biased, and clueless federal district judge in the nation—and that is saying something!”
Perfectly penned!
I’m not sure she cares because loyalty to the Federalist Society is her career ticket not a reasonable and correct response to Trump’s request.
Follow the money.
Well, I think we can be pretty confident that any further judicial career—I.e. advancement—is now out the window.
The Federalist will protect and provide for her.
Let's hope so.
I'm really glad I have subscribed to your work, sir.
Welcome! I look forward to your comments. I take inspiration and direction from reader comments, so please let me know what you are thinking!
Take a peak at TC's " That's Another Fine Mess" Substack column. It's a terrific ride (literally, too!).
Of course! Me too!!!!
Yay, TC. Glad to hear it.
Oh my goodness, wiping away a tear from your cute Cora grandparenting pictures--thank you for sharing!
Robert, in case you didn't know, a subscription plus compliment from TCinLA is indeed high praise from one of the more acerbically witted commenters on HCR's "Letters from an American" Substack. Tom also provides fascinating history with inside stories of WW 2, Korean War, and Vietnam War.
Shout out to Christina (FL) who sang your praises in a comment on the LFAA of 9/05/22, sparking a number of people to discover your sage optimism, TCinLA included!
Did I mention I am a proud grandpa?
Thanks for the note about TCinLA. An honor to share readers with Professor Richardson--a national treasure! Welcome to all of you--and please let me know what you are thinking. As I noted above, I read and consider what readers have to say. Indeed, sometimes I borrow from reader comments for the newsletter!
The tenderness in your face in the granddaughter pictures illustrated how children bring out the best in us. It was heartwarming!
Yes! I am also one who discovered Robert Hubbell via Christina (FL) on LFAM.
Yes, Tom has written "a few" books about military aviation:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Thomas+McKelvey+Cleaver&crid=107T6049XBBW8&sprefix=thomas+mckelvey+cleaver+%2Caps%2C76&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Have his newest, " A Cactus Air Force" on order.
As I mentioned in comments on HCR’s column….when will we find out what is happening with investigations as to what went wrong with the people and systems designed to track, and keep safe classified materials? Something or someone(s) went very wrong. I am surprised not to have heard anything yet. There should be, and I suspect, will be serious consequences and changes.
Hi, Neil. Thanks for raising this point. I agree 100%. I hope that someone in the administration is taking this issue VERY seriously. If Trump failed to return a single classified document, there should have been a five-alarm fire in the White House and Intelligence Community. The fact that Trump failed to return hundreds of classified documents is a scandal of major proportions. It should have resulted in an "all hands on deck" drill to protect those secrets immediately.
All Americans should be shocked by the dereliction of duty by those charged with keeping our intelligence secrets safe. Let's hope that an investigation will result in a house-cleaning of those who looked the other way when Trump acted recklessly with national defense secrets. And, yes, Cipollone and Meadows are at the top of the list.
Trump went through chiefs of staff like ………(fill in the blank) until he found the consummate toady, Meadows! A backwoods NC politician whose district had more cows and corn stalks than constituents!
Totally agree! Cippolone, ignored ? If so to whom should he have notified that trump took the boxes?
Secret service obligation to their oath as law officers? Did they help carry the boxes? WH police? Turned blind eye to looting of WH by trumps goons?
Seriously? Security? Homeland defense? Not getting our $$$$ worth from these agencies!
Louis, when a classified document is taken from storage, safe and SCIF, it must be signed out. A custodian manages this process. You must provide appropriate ID and signature. It is then secured in a folder, or secure envelope and you leave. That document is now your responsibility to properly handle, protect AND return. The custodians have records of the transactions and sign the document back in when returned.
They know exactly when it left and when it should be returned. My experience is you would get a call, or visit, if the document was not returned when expected.
Obviously, something went terribly wrong in the tangerine tinted Loser’s administration. It will, I am sure, be investigated as to who, what and where the system failed. Heads will roll and prison time should be expected.
Thanks for adding that detail--and the perspective of your personal experience.
Neil (and others reading this): I think this issue deserves more attention. If you are aware of media sources that I might leverage to write about it, I would be appreciative. Write to me at rhubbell@outlook.com.
Thanks, Neil. Do you know if custodians who keep track of classified documents can be easily replaced by new administrations? If so, my guess would be the greased watermelon put toadies in charge of the classified documents so he could take them without signing them out and without any repercussions.
Hi CC,
Good question, I do not know the answer. I suspect the department head may be a political appointee and the custodians are civil service. However, that does not mean they can't be moved to different jobs/departments and toadies moved in.
Just a guess on my part.
My question exactly! Who dropped the ball on tracking classified documents. If they don't already have it sounds like there should be a SCIF room next to the Oval Office and no classified material can be taken out of that room even the President. Sounds like Mark Meadows wasn't helping anything. I'm sure this wouldn't have occurred if General Kelly had been the Chief of Staff at the end of DTs term.
Like button not working. "Like."
When the heart button doesn’t turn red, refresh your page and it should then show it’s red. If not, just click on it again, and it should turn red. You may have to scroll to find it.
As an author, your voice would be an important one to notify support@substack.zendesk.com about the issue that has been going on for quite a long time. I've reported it, but they say they cannot replicate it.
It usually shows up if you refresh the page.
WHAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR
How precious Cora is! How sweet and young and vivacious. I have six - and i remember those days of holding them in my arms, of walking their first steps with them, of little league, high school graduation and now seeing them off to college.
Who knew Robert, you would be fighting to preserve the greatest country in the world for Cora. Who knew an autocratic sick individual could be standing in Cora’s way to build on our cherished freedom, of Cora’s right to choose, of Cora’s right to learn of our history and to understand that all men are created equal really means what it says.
This fight is for all of us lucky enough to have Cora’s in our lives.
Cora deserves to be proud of her country. We need to insure that democracy still stands strong. This fight is truly for Cora!
Frederick, thanks for your sweet comments. And yes, we are all in this effort for our children, grandchildren, and complete strangers who are counting on us to do our duty.
Did I mention I am a proud grandpa?
As am I - six times- it doesn't get any better. I could not help watching Cora this morning linking her beauty and ebullience with the beauty of our country and the need to purify its spirit and unify its goals. We just can not fail all the Coras in this world.
“Bloviate” is such an appropriate verb!
"Opprobrium." I didn't know that word, had to look it up. You and your editor selected a perfect word.
Aileen Cannon is now a joke and the perfect example of a Trump puppet. She is now roundly referred to as a member of Trump's defense team. Her name will sustain years of ridicule: "Judge Cannon's new moniker will be "My name is Aileen , as in Aileen whichever way Trump wants me to lean." And the "The Loose Cannon Rule" is like the arrow in FedEx, "once you've seen it (heard it), you never can forget it." It is unlikely she will ever be asked to address a Michigan Law School graduation ceremony, unless they graduate on April 1. [Sadly, Loose Cannon is also an example of the power that Mitch and the Federalists have wielded to savage our justice system. Mitch is probably proud of Aileen, but wishes she weren't so brazen about serving Trump.] And how many of you think Loose Cannon unilaterally decided to write such a decision? How long will it be before some resourceful reporter reveals the person(s) who got to Judge Cannon and pressured her to help Trump?
I am certain Loose Cannon was compensated in some way, i.e., promises about her future politically, money, or both (my bet would be both). Something/someone emboldened her. Her decision is too egregious to think otherwise.
Unfortunately, many of us share your view. I am embarrassed that the Judiciary has to explain away her very politicised decision. She agreed with Trump's personal argument "Finally, Plaintiff [Trump} has claimed injury from the threat of future prosecution and the serious, often indelible stigma associated therewith. . . . As a function of Plaintiff’s former position as President of the United States, the stigma associated with the subject seizure is in a league of its own. A future indictment, based to any degree on property that ought to be returned, would result in reputational harm of a decidedly different order of magnitude."
So, the Loose Cannon Rule is now that every time law enforcement searches a criminal's property, the criminal can ask for a special master because of the potential "stigma." AND, if the criminal is politically famous, they get special treatment. So much for equal treatment under the law.
She overstepped her bounds. Her ruling should be challenged by the DOJ if for no other reason that it not establish a legal precedent. There was, imho, no legality in her judgment.
But look at her strategy: She is part of Trump's legal strategy of delay, delay, delay, deflect, deflect, deflect. She wrote a decision that dares DOJ to appeal, first to 11th Circuit, and then to Supreme Court. All that because it would delay things. The more delay, the more chances that DOJ will commit a "foot fault," that Trump will magnify and demand that all charges be dismissed. Trump is banking on delaying things until after November 2024.
Seems to me she did what she was told to do - she ain't that well-versed in the law apparently. Yes, it will cause a delay - because hopefully the DOJ will appeal. And yes, it would go to SCOTUS - and we know who's side they are on. What's happening on the judicial level in this country is blatant and appalling. But really, all Trea45son has to do is announce and the DOJ can't touch him (until 2024 when he loses AGAIN). 45 just wants to continue the grift and con the suckers who believe him. It's Jim Jones and The Kool-Aid Gang all over again.
Emboldening can also be a form of intimidation.
Great letter! I'm guessing Cannon sticks by her work, like the My Pillow Guy and Guiliani. They are nuts.
Who would get to pick the Special Master anyway?
LOVED seeing Cora!! So cute!!
Hi, Sarah. Always good to hear from you.
Judge Cannon will select the special master if the parties cannot agree. I suspect that TRump's team will not agree--so as to slow down the process.
I may be naive, but I believe a special master will work quickly and confirm 99.9% of what the filter team did--thereby adding legitimacy to the DOJ / FBI efforts. But the principle of the court taking over management of a criminal investigation is horrible!!
Thanks Robert! But wouldn't Cannon select someone awful who would side with Trump. We got a bad GOP Special Master in NY choosing the lines for new districts. I still don't see how we got stuck with a Republican Special Master in NY. SO UNFAIR!
Thank you - your summary is a daily dose of sanity!
Robert, I don’t think anything has given as much joy lately as Jill’s video of you both with Cora! What a beautiful way to keep all of this in perspective. My god! Even slime ball Barr weighing in! Let’s appoint him Special Master!
As usual, your managing editor knows best! Thank you for elucidating what Judge Cannon has hoisted upon herself with her decision, and also for sharing time you spent with your precious Cora. With grandparents such as you and Jill, I have remained here thinking about the woman Cora will grow up to be, and her contributions to our world. An extremely positive and wonderful way to begin my day, indeed.
Awfulness has never been a disqualifier for Trump. What matters above all else is overt and obvious displays of loyalty. Recall that she was nominated and jammed through by Trump/McConnell AFTER HE LOST the election. She has performed exactly as she was paid to (Oops, I didn't say paid, did I?)
One hopeful note about the Trudge Cannon's ruling is since she touches the Presidential Records Act this is now out of her jurisdiction. The PRA can only be adjudicated in the Washington DC District Court.
"The PRA can only be adjudicated in the Washington DC District Court."
Yes! And thanks for "Trudge Cannon" Cathy!!
“Trump stole classified documents, concealed them, lied about it, and refused to return them after being served with a grand jury subpoena.”
This single sentence describes Trump’s illegal activity as succinctly and accurately as possible. Judge Cannon’s flawed opinion is indescribably flawed and should not excuse this clearly criminal behavior nor interfere with it's swift prosecution.
Robert, the short film was precious adorable and wonderful! Thank you for sharing! I have stepped up my efforts as Senior Advisor for Women for Charlie Crist/Karla Hernandez (LT Gov). I have formed a Kitchen Cabinet of women's organizations across the state representing thousands of women. We will begin shortly phonebanking and texting to Democratic FL women voters who vote ONLY in presidential elections. We can do this! FYI, Charlie and Karla have begun a Florida Tour, THE CHOICE IS CHOICE! As Charlie and Karla say, Let's WIN this! Si Se Puede! Hugs, your loyal reader in Orlando, Susan Windmiller
Susan, thanks for doing your part in FL! Is there some way I can promote your efforts? Write to me at rhubbell@outlook.com.
Robert, I am thrilled at your offer. I am talking to my colleague, Mindy Koch, to see what is best. I will let you know. Thank you! Susan