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An expert reveals that Donald Trump could face up to 10 years if he's convicted of violating the Espionage Act.
While appearing on The Rachel Maddow Show, legal analyst Lisa Rubin said that the former US President has possibly infringed three parts of the act, one of which includes a lengthy prison sentence.
She said: “That puts him in the most danger is far as I know right now, is 18 U.S.C. §§ 793, that's a portion of The Espionage Act, for which each violation carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.”
She added: "We're talking about real serious crimes here."
Rubin also noted the charges weren’t linked to the January 6th riots, which Trump also faces separate charges for possibly inciting violence amongst his supporters.
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"We're not even contemplating anything related to the 6th right now," she said.
The 10-year prison sentence is ‘just solely with respect to the alteration, destruction, and removal of government documents. Some of which might be classified, some of which might not be'.
The FBI raid was allegedly part of an inquiry over the former President's unlawful removal of documents from the White House that led to property destruction and documents being removed, according to The Guardian.
While raiding Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Florida, authorities seized loads of items deemed as ‘classified information’.
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The former President was the first to confirm the operation as he penned a lengthy statement, which said in part: “My beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents.
“They even broke into my safe!”
He added: “Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before.
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"After working and cooperating with the relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate.”
As the investigation unfolded, Trump’s supporters rallied across the street from his private estate.
Many were holding up Trump-Pence flags while sporting the Republican’s famous logo ‘Make America Great Again’, according to The New York Times.
BBC News reports that White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre notified reporters that the White House was not notified the FBI would seize his home.
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Instead, President Joe Biden was alerted through ‘public reports’.
"The President was not briefed and was not aware of it," she said.
"No one at the White House was given a heads-up."
Topics: Donald Trump, Crime, Politics, News
Charisa Bossinakis