
<p>So far, we do not know the answer to that question. ; That has led to wild unsubstantiated speculation. ; The reasons seem to be known only to President Trump – and perhaps a few other folks close to him. ; Family and friends.</p>



<p>The speculation proffers all kinds of bad reasons he took his files home. ; That is understandable since there is not an obvious good reason. ; As President, he would have had access to them no matter where they were archived. ; ;</p>



<p>Most White House and Executive Branch records are archived in Washington. ; A small portion is archived at various presidential libraries. ; Some of those are copies of documents that are held by the National Archives. ; Secret and classified documents are almost never moved out of Washington or made available to the public – at least for years or decades. ; ;</p>



<p>One of the reasons archiving is also important is because the documents are professionally cataloged – making it easier for researching and referencing.</p>



<p>The records Trump took home creates two issues. ; Has Trump removed classified information improperly beyond the protective guiderails – a potential serious crime of espionage? ; Or has he essentially declassified them by saying he did – and that taking them home was evidence of declassification?</p>



<p>As much as Trump-haters would like to pin espionage on Trump, that is a very steep legal climb because it is very arguable that he has unfettered right to declassify any document within the Executive Branch – at any time and in any manner. ; As long as he is President at the time.</p>



<p>Despite the public debate of Trump’s powers in that regard, it is an unsettled constitutional issue. It will take a Supreme Court decision or a constitutional amendment (which I favor) to clarify the issue.</p>



<p>Then there is the issue of taking the records home … period. ; That creates a much more serious problem for Trump because of the 1978 Presidential Records Act. In brief, it says sending those records to Mar-a-Lago without some specific authorizations is a no-no. ; Illegal. ; ;</p>



<p>There is not a lot of wiggle room in that law. ; Conceivably, Trump could challenge the constitutionality of that law, but that is a stretch. ; Personally, I doubt the Court would take the case.</p>



<p>The next issue is just how serious is violating that law. ; It all depends. ; If you take them home unwittingly – or with some reasonable explanation – it could be no big deal. ; It would depend on the volume of records taken home and the types of records.  ; Also on the President’s willingness to return them expeditiously. ;</p>



<p>Previous records and objects taken home by previous presidents have been returned upon request. ; As I recall, President Clinton had to return some of the gifts from other heads-of-state. ; (I wonder if they returned all the “W” keys the Clinton folks took from the keyboards as a jibe at incoming President George W. Bush.)</p>



<p>Trump, on the other hand, has put up a fight through statements and legal actions. ; He returned some, but not all.</p>



<p>And that brings the question as to “why”. ; Why does Trump want to maintain personal and exclusive possession? ; That is the Achilles Heel of his position. ; He has offered no good explanation.</p>



<p>One can easily argue that the Department of Justice overreacted in raiding Mar-a-Lago. ; One can speculate that Attorney General Merrick Garland has political motives &#8212; like revenge on Trump and the GOP for denying him a seat on the Supreme Court. Unsubstantiated speculation can go both ways in this environment.</p>



<p>Trump’s insistence on maintaining whatever he is maintaining without a credible explanation does not bode well for his image or legal vulnerabilities.</p>



<p>Those on the left seem to believe that Trump has committed a plethora of crimes – and will be subjected to multiple indictments, convictions and jail terms.  ; That is more likely wishful thinking than good legal analysis.</p>



<p>However, I think Trump could get indicted for violating the Presidential Records Act – but not because he took records home, but because he refused to return them, and may having fibbed in the process.</p>



<p>What is so important that Trump feels the need to fight so hard to keep something he has no reason to maintain personally? ; Why? ; Why? ; Why? ; ;</p>



<p>My wise mother used to say that everything will make sense if you know all the facts. ; It is what we know we do not know that is the problem. ; In many of the other legal cases Trump faces, I can envision a defense argument, but not in this case. ; Blustering that they are “my records” is not enough.</p>



<p>The raid on Mar-a-Lago still bothers me, but on the larger issue, I do not see how Trump avoids an indictment if he continues with his current strategy of irrational defiance.</p>



<p>In the meantime, Trump is just providing political fodder for the Democrats &#8212; mucking up the Republicans’ midterm election campaigns. Too often he is the bull in the GOP china shop.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>

Why did Trump want the White House records?
