U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the press at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. on February 22, 2022. (Photo: Nicholas Kamm/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Nov 17, 2022
A model prosecution memorandum published Thursday by a team of U.S. legal experts lays out potential charges against Donald Trump related to the former Republican president and 2024 presidential candidate's handling of classified government documents since he left office last year.
"Trump's conduct is indeed much worse than most of those prior cases and involves a host of aggravating factors."
The memo, which is based on publicly available information, was authored by a group of former federal prosecutors, defense attorneys, and other legal experts and published at Just Security.
Before issuing an indictment, prosecutors compile a pros memo listing admissible evidence, possible charges, and legal issues pertaining to the case. According to the experts, that document subsequently "provides a basis for prosecutors and their supervisors to assess whether the case meets the standard set forth in the Federal Principles of Prosecution, which permit prosecution only when there is sufficient evidence to obtain and sustain a prosecution."
Ryan Goodman, a former Pentagon special counsel, current New York University law professor, and co-author of the new memo, said the team's "exhaustive analysis of all prior prosecutions brought under the same criminal statute that most directly applies to Trump shows how difficult it will be for the Justice Department to decline to issue an indictment here."
"Trump's conduct is indeed much worse than most of those prior cases and involves a host of aggravating factors that one seldom sees in cases brought under the Espionage Act's retention clause," Goodman added.
\u201cWith team of astounding colleagues, we published the culmination of massive undertaking:\n\nUnited States v. Donald J. Trump\nA Model DOJ Prosecution Memo in Mar-a-Lago Investigation\n\n169-page document\nCatalogues and compares all prior case DOJ prosecuted...\nhttps://t.co/kpzrpRykSW\u201d— Ryan Goodman (@Ryan Goodman) 1668695939
The controversial Espionage Act is a World War I-era law used to prosecute dissidents and whistleblowers from Eugene V. Debbs, Emma Goldman, and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to Daniel Ellsberg, Chelsea Manning, Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and Reality Winner.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently probing possible Espionage Act violations committed by Trump, who was found in possession of classified documents allegedly including materials related to a foreign country's nuclear weapons.
Democracy 21 president and memo co-author Fred Wertheimer said that "Trump's status as a former president and as a current presidential candidate is and must be treated as irrelevant by Attorney General Merrick Garland in deciding whether to indict Trump."
"Garland's decision must be based on the facts, the law, and the standard of applying the law equally for all citizens, as detailed in our report," he added. "The process also is far too advanced to now start over with a special counsel to lead the investigation."
\u201cThe "Model DOJ Prosecution Memo" compares Trump\u2019s conduct in retaining classified info to the entire universe of cases that DOJ has prosecuted under the same laws.\n\nListen to @AWeissmann_, @JoyceWhiteVance, and @rgoodlaw discuss the memo.\ud83d\udc47\n\nwith @pshah518\nhttps://t.co/X9zO3I4MPr\u201d— Just Security (@Just Security) 1668699130
The memo analyzes six federal crimes:
- Retention of national defense information (18 USC SS 793(e));
- Concealing government records (18 USC SS 2071);
- Conversion of government property (18 USC SS 641);
- Obstruction of justice (18 USC SS 1519);
- Criminal contempt (18 USC SS 402); and
- False statements to federal investigators (18 USC SS 1001)
"Based on the publicly available information to date, a powerful case exists for charging Trump under several of these federal criminal statutes," the memo argues.
The document's authors explain that they "begin with the standard articulated" by Garland: "'Upholding the rule of law means applying the law evenly, without fear or favor.' In other words, this case must be evaluated for prosecution like any other case with similar evidence would be, without regard to the fact that the case is focused on the conduct of a former president of the United States."
Memo co-author and Brookings Institution senior fellow Norman L. Eisen asserted that "if anyone else had handled even a single highly classified document in this way, they would be subject to investigation and likely prosecution."
\u201cTrump making his announcement after stealing 300+ classified docs\n\nReality Winner jailed for 1 doc shared trying to protect our elections\u201d— Sarah Reese Jones (@Sarah Reese Jones) 1668557757
"Donald Trump mishandled a huge volume of them," Eisen added. "No wonder that prosecutors seem to be closing in."
The memo's authors also walk through "every defense we could imagine" Trump might invoke.
"Our conclusion," wrote Goodman, is that "none of these potential defenses would provide a complete or effective defense."
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A model prosecution memorandum published Thursday by a team of U.S. legal experts lays out potential charges against Donald Trump related to the former Republican president and 2024 presidential candidate's handling of classified government documents since he left office last year.
"Trump's conduct is indeed much worse than most of those prior cases and involves a host of aggravating factors."
The memo, which is based on publicly available information, was authored by a group of former federal prosecutors, defense attorneys, and other legal experts and published at Just Security.
Before issuing an indictment, prosecutors compile a pros memo listing admissible evidence, possible charges, and legal issues pertaining to the case. According to the experts, that document subsequently "provides a basis for prosecutors and their supervisors to assess whether the case meets the standard set forth in the Federal Principles of Prosecution, which permit prosecution only when there is sufficient evidence to obtain and sustain a prosecution."
Ryan Goodman, a former Pentagon special counsel, current New York University law professor, and co-author of the new memo, said the team's "exhaustive analysis of all prior prosecutions brought under the same criminal statute that most directly applies to Trump shows how difficult it will be for the Justice Department to decline to issue an indictment here."
"Trump's conduct is indeed much worse than most of those prior cases and involves a host of aggravating factors that one seldom sees in cases brought under the Espionage Act's retention clause," Goodman added.
\u201cWith team of astounding colleagues, we published the culmination of massive undertaking:\n\nUnited States v. Donald J. Trump\nA Model DOJ Prosecution Memo in Mar-a-Lago Investigation\n\n169-page document\nCatalogues and compares all prior case DOJ prosecuted...\nhttps://t.co/kpzrpRykSW\u201d— Ryan Goodman (@Ryan Goodman) 1668695939
The controversial Espionage Act is a World War I-era law used to prosecute dissidents and whistleblowers from Eugene V. Debbs, Emma Goldman, and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to Daniel Ellsberg, Chelsea Manning, Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and Reality Winner.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently probing possible Espionage Act violations committed by Trump, who was found in possession of classified documents allegedly including materials related to a foreign country's nuclear weapons.
Democracy 21 president and memo co-author Fred Wertheimer said that "Trump's status as a former president and as a current presidential candidate is and must be treated as irrelevant by Attorney General Merrick Garland in deciding whether to indict Trump."
"Garland's decision must be based on the facts, the law, and the standard of applying the law equally for all citizens, as detailed in our report," he added. "The process also is far too advanced to now start over with a special counsel to lead the investigation."
\u201cThe "Model DOJ Prosecution Memo" compares Trump\u2019s conduct in retaining classified info to the entire universe of cases that DOJ has prosecuted under the same laws.\n\nListen to @AWeissmann_, @JoyceWhiteVance, and @rgoodlaw discuss the memo.\ud83d\udc47\n\nwith @pshah518\nhttps://t.co/X9zO3I4MPr\u201d— Just Security (@Just Security) 1668699130
The memo analyzes six federal crimes:
- Retention of national defense information (18 USC SS 793(e));
- Concealing government records (18 USC SS 2071);
- Conversion of government property (18 USC SS 641);
- Obstruction of justice (18 USC SS 1519);
- Criminal contempt (18 USC SS 402); and
- False statements to federal investigators (18 USC SS 1001)
"Based on the publicly available information to date, a powerful case exists for charging Trump under several of these federal criminal statutes," the memo argues.
The document's authors explain that they "begin with the standard articulated" by Garland: "'Upholding the rule of law means applying the law evenly, without fear or favor.' In other words, this case must be evaluated for prosecution like any other case with similar evidence would be, without regard to the fact that the case is focused on the conduct of a former president of the United States."
Memo co-author and Brookings Institution senior fellow Norman L. Eisen asserted that "if anyone else had handled even a single highly classified document in this way, they would be subject to investigation and likely prosecution."
\u201cTrump making his announcement after stealing 300+ classified docs\n\nReality Winner jailed for 1 doc shared trying to protect our elections\u201d— Sarah Reese Jones (@Sarah Reese Jones) 1668557757
"Donald Trump mishandled a huge volume of them," Eisen added. "No wonder that prosecutors seem to be closing in."
The memo's authors also walk through "every defense we could imagine" Trump might invoke.
"Our conclusion," wrote Goodman, is that "none of these potential defenses would provide a complete or effective defense."
From Your Site Articles
- Jan. 6 Panel Created Subcommittee for Potential Criminal Referrals to DOJ ›
- Trump Likely to Face Criminal Charges Over Stormy Daniels Hush Money Payment: Report ›
- Trump Says He's Been Indicted in Federal Classified Docs Probe ›
- Opinion | Trump Indictment Is a Stress Test of American Democracy | Common Dreams ›
- Unlike Trump, No Charges in Biden Classified Documents Case ›
A model prosecution memorandum published Thursday by a team of U.S. legal experts lays out potential charges against Donald Trump related to the former Republican president and 2024 presidential candidate's handling of classified government documents since he left office last year.
"Trump's conduct is indeed much worse than most of those prior cases and involves a host of aggravating factors."
The memo, which is based on publicly available information, was authored by a group of former federal prosecutors, defense attorneys, and other legal experts and published at Just Security.
Before issuing an indictment, prosecutors compile a pros memo listing admissible evidence, possible charges, and legal issues pertaining to the case. According to the experts, that document subsequently "provides a basis for prosecutors and their supervisors to assess whether the case meets the standard set forth in the Federal Principles of Prosecution, which permit prosecution only when there is sufficient evidence to obtain and sustain a prosecution."
Ryan Goodman, a former Pentagon special counsel, current New York University law professor, and co-author of the new memo, said the team's "exhaustive analysis of all prior prosecutions brought under the same criminal statute that most directly applies to Trump shows how difficult it will be for the Justice Department to decline to issue an indictment here."
"Trump's conduct is indeed much worse than most of those prior cases and involves a host of aggravating factors that one seldom sees in cases brought under the Espionage Act's retention clause," Goodman added.
\u201cWith team of astounding colleagues, we published the culmination of massive undertaking:\n\nUnited States v. Donald J. Trump\nA Model DOJ Prosecution Memo in Mar-a-Lago Investigation\n\n169-page document\nCatalogues and compares all prior case DOJ prosecuted...\nhttps://t.co/kpzrpRykSW\u201d— Ryan Goodman (@Ryan Goodman) 1668695939
The controversial Espionage Act is a World War I-era law used to prosecute dissidents and whistleblowers from Eugene V. Debbs, Emma Goldman, and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to Daniel Ellsberg, Chelsea Manning, Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and Reality Winner.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently probing possible Espionage Act violations committed by Trump, who was found in possession of classified documents allegedly including materials related to a foreign country's nuclear weapons.
Democracy 21 president and memo co-author Fred Wertheimer said that "Trump's status as a former president and as a current presidential candidate is and must be treated as irrelevant by Attorney General Merrick Garland in deciding whether to indict Trump."
"Garland's decision must be based on the facts, the law, and the standard of applying the law equally for all citizens, as detailed in our report," he added. "The process also is far too advanced to now start over with a special counsel to lead the investigation."
\u201cThe "Model DOJ Prosecution Memo" compares Trump\u2019s conduct in retaining classified info to the entire universe of cases that DOJ has prosecuted under the same laws.\n\nListen to @AWeissmann_, @JoyceWhiteVance, and @rgoodlaw discuss the memo.\ud83d\udc47\n\nwith @pshah518\nhttps://t.co/X9zO3I4MPr\u201d— Just Security (@Just Security) 1668699130
The memo analyzes six federal crimes:
- Retention of national defense information (18 USC SS 793(e));
- Concealing government records (18 USC SS 2071);
- Conversion of government property (18 USC SS 641);
- Obstruction of justice (18 USC SS 1519);
- Criminal contempt (18 USC SS 402); and
- False statements to federal investigators (18 USC SS 1001)
"Based on the publicly available information to date, a powerful case exists for charging Trump under several of these federal criminal statutes," the memo argues.
The document's authors explain that they "begin with the standard articulated" by Garland: "'Upholding the rule of law means applying the law evenly, without fear or favor.' In other words, this case must be evaluated for prosecution like any other case with similar evidence would be, without regard to the fact that the case is focused on the conduct of a former president of the United States."
Memo co-author and Brookings Institution senior fellow Norman L. Eisen asserted that "if anyone else had handled even a single highly classified document in this way, they would be subject to investigation and likely prosecution."
\u201cTrump making his announcement after stealing 300+ classified docs\n\nReality Winner jailed for 1 doc shared trying to protect our elections\u201d— Sarah Reese Jones (@Sarah Reese Jones) 1668557757
"Donald Trump mishandled a huge volume of them," Eisen added. "No wonder that prosecutors seem to be closing in."
The memo's authors also walk through "every defense we could imagine" Trump might invoke.
"Our conclusion," wrote Goodman, is that "none of these potential defenses would provide a complete or effective defense."
From Your Site Articles
- Jan. 6 Panel Created Subcommittee for Potential Criminal Referrals to DOJ ›
- Trump Likely to Face Criminal Charges Over Stormy Daniels Hush Money Payment: Report ›
- Trump Says He's Been Indicted in Federal Classified Docs Probe ›
- Opinion | Trump Indictment Is a Stress Test of American Democracy | Common Dreams ›
- Unlike Trump, No Charges in Biden Classified Documents Case ›
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.