So if I took a load of documents from your house, some of which you claim are important to you, such as the deeds to your house, and if I claim that I can't give them back to you because I don't have them, can't remember taking them, and wouldn't even know where to look for them because if for sake of argument I did take them (but I didn't) they could be miss-placed after accidentally being buried in 100 boxes, you'd be OK with that?Not true. The espionage went from prosecuting people for spying to those who leaked classified information.
What is the Espionage Act?
What to know about the law that is used to prosecute spying and leaks of classified informationwww.voanews.com
"The Espionage Act was enacted decades before the executive branch established the current system of classifying national security secrets in 1951. In modern times, the law is often used to prosecute the disclosure of classified documents, but it can also be used in the case of a disclosure of any national defense documents that could harm the United States."
Also
"
18 U.S.C. §§ 793, (d) makes it a crime to remove, copy or share national defense information, or to “willfully [retain]” national defense information and “[fail] to deliver it to the officer or employee of the United States entitled to receive it”—"
Saying you haven't found it yet as they are buried in 100 boxes is not willfully . After moving out no wonder so many are accused of having misplaced documents, its just the one who is being prosecuted.
This was 4 years ago, or getting on for it. Its amazing how all these crimes are being prosecuted in an election year, pure coincidence no doubt. In fact theres been one case to get it moved into the election run in which the supreme court booted, brought by prosecutor smith.
The essence of Trump's bullshit is that he is claiming (or maybe it's just you) that he didn't take anything classified, because nothing classified has yet been found. But once a classified document has been found he is a guilty as if he had taken the deeds from your house. You are attempting to exonerate him from willfully (knowingly) taking classified material on the grounds that someone (Trump himself?) 'can't find' the documents? Wow.
I'll remember that going forward. It means I can steal anything, and as long as I can't remember whether I stole it, or where I put it, I can claim innocence. And what's more, anyone who disagrees is a persecutor.