"He said he thought they were copies which is utter BS."
If he were permitted to take anything, he wouldn't be stuffing them in his clothes.
BTW, this was a former National Security Advisor? What, he didn't think he might be watched? Sheesh.
Do you know when he took the files and when the FBI searched his home??
This suggests he thought that base was somehow covered. Perhaps a friendly was going to lose the tape, but then someone may have precluded the action.
I don't believe for a moment he didn't premeditatively cover what could only reasonably have been considered the vulnerabilities of such an action.
Some guys who were able to lose the tapes of Vince leaving the White House "have presumably still been able to hold down jobs."
HF