Trump’s team initiated the declassification process weeks ago. They objected to almost all of the original redactions, with written reasons why they objected.
According to written doj declassification process rules, Wray and Rosenstein need to sign off. They have had the “modified unredaction release proposal” for a couple weeks.
The procedure is, Wray and Rosenstsin first give it to the Deep state SES people who still control the process, and they came up with the usual reasons (sources and methods, etc.) for not unredacting. This part is done, and where the front line battle is right now.
Sessions is useless, as usual, supporting “the process” and “the career guys,” and otherwise taking a pass. Coward.
Now there are options.
1. The line-by-line objection/response battle is ongoing. The deep state SES a$$holes are relenting slowly, one word at a time. Back and forth with Trump’s people. Eventually, a less redacted version can be released, whenever Trump’s team says f’it, time’s too short (midterms).
2. Trump can override “The Declassification Process,” and go with the minimal redactions versions. He is daily considering it. There will be “hell to pay” for doing it, from the usual suspects. “Let the process play out!” is the cowardly motto even of supposed good guys. Bad guys are tossing out “Treason!” etc. DOJ (Wray, Rosenstein) will refuse the order. But Trump’s team has the docs and can do it on their own. Big big big nuclear blowup, if that happens. Wray and Rosenstein will certainly be fired, just likely delayed till after midterms. Likely.
3. A certain Congressman, with true copies of the documents, can read them into the Congressional Record. This is the main reason the DOJ fought so hard to only let them read the docs, and not get copies. This may require Trump to give a direct order to give the Congressman true copies. This likely has already taken place, as Trump’s declass guys have them anyway and can bypass the doj. So the certain Congressman is waiting on Trump to give him the ok. Said Congressman will take a big hit, and Trump hates letting someone else do that.
My guess? There is a “drop dead deadline” in Trump’s head, and will pull the trigger on #2 or #3. Deadline?
Very soon. Days, not weeks.
Trump should employ The Booker Process to justify the release of the docs.
Sorry. That is incorrect.
Trump is the Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Justice.
Trump can access any DOJ document, declassify it, print it out, and release it to the public.
Any document.
Any time he wants to.