Dear Editor,

Alarmingly, it has recently been reported that former president Donald J. Trump, allegedly, took no fewer than 15 boxes of official government records with him to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, upon his leaving the White House, following his 2020 Presidential electoral defeat, which he was required by law to have turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration, and, as a result, the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as the FBI will be investigating what crimes, if any, had been committed by the former president in his seemingly desperate attempt to conceal such critical documents from the American people.

In addition, former president Trump reportedly had a “habit” of tearing up and destroying documents while in the White House, many of which were found and taped back together by White House staff members when found in the trash. Incredible!

Such unprecedented, and unlawful, acts are in violation of the Presidential Records Act of 1978, which became law as a result of former president Richard M. Nixon’s expressed desire to destroy existing documents related to the Watergate scandal, which led to his resignation from office in 1974, as it was then determined that presidential records were the property of the U.S. Government and not the president, and it is a crime to intentionally destroy and/or remove such records, punishable for up to five years in prison, if convicted.

Recall that during the 2016 presidential election, then-candidate Trump accused his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, of sending classified information via a less-than-secure email server. That was investigated just prior to the election, which undoubtedly contributed to her defeat, although she was eventually exonerated of any wrongdoing. However, at that time Mr. Trump began frequently referring to Mrs. Clinton as “Crooked Hillary” and led his followers with the chant of “Lock her up.”

How personally arrogant, and hypocritical, of Mr. Trump as he openly places himself apparently above the law, while being extremely critical of political adversaries for being even accused of such inappropriate behavior, which he unashamedly flaunts.

It will be quite interesting, indeed, to witness how this matter of grave concern is addressed and eventually resolved, as for the good of our great country and our democratic system of government, it is imperative that those entrusted to hold these to be in violation of the law accountable.

Richard Hord

Martins Ferry