DOJ wants to scrap Watergate-era rule that makes presidential records public (theintercept.com)

by tlhunter 69 comments 264 points
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69 comments

[−] coldcode 35d ago
It's not a rule, it's a law passed by Congress and signed by the President in 1978. You can't just ignore it.
[−] overfeed 35d ago
The fourth estate is absolutely failing America. The headline ought to be "DOJ wants to break Watergate law", but instead, we get... this. Is Bari Weiss now running the Intercept too? WTAF is going on across the board?
[−] tombert 35d ago
It does not appear that this administration particularly cares about whether or not they're allowed to ignore laws.
[−] jauntywundrkind 34d ago
It appears the administration is working with the Federalist Society extremists to try to destroy the government as best it can, at least in all capacities not befitting the monopolization of suppression/silencing/violence against anyone it doesnt like.
[−] EGreg 35d ago
That's because everyone else is the enemies of the people! They have a mandate!

Get out of the way, so-called judges, RINOs and communists in Congress, the failing Media, and also the low IQ former MAGA people who helped get them elected. This was a landslide! Also, true republicans don't believe in mob rule, we don't have a democracy, we have a republic. Except if our guy wins by 1% then we totally believe in mob rule and have a mandate, compared to that 1% marginal win, what are laws passed by a supermajority? A mere trifle!

[−] garyfirestorm 35d ago
‘Let the law not get in our way’
[−] BuckRogers 34d ago
[flagged]
[−] collingreen 34d ago
This is a funny take. I'm imagining you unironically telling yourself that ONLY immigration laws matter and you're happy the administration is breaking other ones.
[−] BuckRogers 34d ago
[flagged]
[−] tombert 34d ago
I’m not sure what to tell you if you don’t understand the difference between an elected official actively and purposefully defying the constitution in order to directly weaken our institutions, and people wanting our immigration laws to be less strict.
[−] BuckRogers 34d ago
You probably don't have to tell me anything, because I'd be right and you'd be wrong. "Wanting" immigration laws to be "less strict" (mass illegal immigration in the tens of millions, sensible) != breaking the law. The mental gymnastics people do to fit in with their chosen ideology is insane to see, worse when your mouths open up and try to explain these broken thoughts.
[−] whatever1 35d ago
Why not? Are we gonna send the marshals to arrest the president?

Jokes aside, this presidency showed that it was not our written laws that enabled the expected operation of gov branches within their expected limits.

It was these unwritten laws we were taking for granted, because casually we assume that the gov will not be malicious.

It seems to me that we need to stop letting lawyers write laws, and instead start writing verified programs.

[−] elfly 35d ago
Right but who is going to prosecute? the Department of Justice?
[−] jfengel 35d ago
Sure you can, when you're the President. He's got presumptive immunity for all official acts. If election interference is an official act (as they decided in Trump v US), then surely ordering the destruction of all of his records is also an official act.
[−] lisper 35d ago
Want to bet?
[−] sassymuffinz 35d ago
The rules only apply to Democrats now, did you miss the memo? (Maybe you didn't see the memo as it was sealed).
[−] ninalanyon 33d ago
Trump and co. are ignoring every other law so why not this one too?

Even when their edicts are overturned by the courts they suffer no consequences.

[−] Bombthecat 34d ago
Aaaand it's gone lol
[−] dboreham 35d ago
Enforced by the following the rules police. Oh wait..
[−] koolba 35d ago

> It's not a rule, it's a law passed by Congress and signed by the President in 1978. You can't just ignore it.

They’re not ignoring. They’re saying they think the law itself is unconstitutional.

From the article:

>> In a sweeping new memorandum from the Office of Legal Counsel, the DOJ claims the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional. The department’s edict, which is already facing legal challenges, argues that a president’s records are private, rather than public, property.

[−] Incipient 34d ago
It's just 4 years...but I'm genuinely thinking you lot aren't going to survive it. Seeing what is happening from both sides, as well as 'independents' (the NY chap). I feel your society is just cooked. I am genuinely starting to believe it's irreparable to the extent it has progressed.
[−] tlhunter 35d ago
[−] josefritzishere 35d ago
That sounds like someone wants to hide the evidence.
[−] xtiansimon 34d ago
Not his house. Not his records. Get on board or get the bum out!
[−] jauntywundrkind 34d ago
These are dark days, perhaps the darkest for America. Perhaps the only time that somehow we didn't squeak out a win, the only time the insurrectionist rabble propogandized their cause for destruction of America, found the leverage points of lawfare, mediafare, an impotent Congress, and political lapdog Supreme Court with Federalist Society biases against any checks and balances at all, that all these factors aligned to allow complete vandalizing from within. A piracy & rampaging, a campaign of spite from conquerors wishing to salt the earth of that they have claimed.

It so unsurprising that these dark days would have an administration that argued it owes nothing to the American people, nothing to history. That they would want to hide their filthy destruction.

Back in 2018, Trump used to go around violating the law with his bare hands, ripping up documents that displeased him. Pitiful staffers were assigned to go tape the documents back together, in some sign of respect to the law & history. https://boingboing.net/2018/06/11/presidential-records-act.h...

I strongly dislike the "everyone is 12" or everyone is 15 tale being told now, that there are no adults. There are adults. They are all just wicked evil people working against America, are the pardoned insurrectionists and much much worse, with far more focused reign to do what Reagan and the Powell memorandum and Project 2025 (which is but a recent update to a long running document begat from the Powell Memorandum) set out to do: to unmake America, to bypass all checks, to dynamite the nation from the inside out. Heck yes they want to make sure no one sees them TNT'ing the Union.

[−] LightBug1 35d ago
Step'ity step towards a fascist state for the klep'ity klep ...
[−] ceejayoz 35d ago
Fine. I wanna scrap the pardon power. Trade?

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-promises-mass-pard...