Donald Trump and His Employees Face More Charges

By Nate Parker | Politics | July 28, 2023 |

By Nate Parker | Politics | July 28, 2023 |

Trump’s habit of keeping federal documents at his golf resort has led to more charges being filed by special counsel Jack Smith, related specifically to an employee’s attempt to destroy evidence on his orders. This accusation brings the total list of charges to … 38? 39? I’ve honestly lost count.

Yesterday, Mar-a-Lago employee Carlos De Oliveira was added to the indictment against Trump and his butler, Walt Nauta, after a conversation between Trump’s lawyers and Smith. De Oliveira, you may remember, was the employee who “accidentally” emptied a swimming pool into Mar-a-Lago’s server room in what many suspect was a clumsy attempt to destroy security records. He also helped Nauta move boxes with incriminating documents around the resort and onto Trump’s plane.

Smith alleges that Trump directed De Oliveira, who was recently promoted from valet to property manager, to have the security footage deleted. De Oliveira told Mar-a-Lago’s IT director that “the boss” wanted the entire server deleted. The IT director, apparently the only employee with any sense, told De Oliveira that he should not and could not do so. After pressing the director and being rebuffed a second time, De Oliveira canceled plans to travel with Trump to Mar-a-Lago to Illinois and remained in Florida. He texted one person that he had to help a sick family member — and included several “shushing emojis,” my own personal favorite part of the indictment — then texted a particular Secret Service agent multiple times. If that sounds suspicious to you, you aren’t the only one.

Oh my god.

"Used 'shushing' emojis." pic.twitter.com/90WqjeIKnW

— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) July 27, 2023

De Oliveira — who was assured by his employer that Trump would hire an attorney for him — is now facing multiple charges of obstruction and tampering with evidence, as is Walt Nauta. Trump, who is facing multiple unrelated investigations into his electoral and business actions, continues to be the object of Jack Smith’s scrutiny. It can’t be a comfortable position. The bad news for fans of law and order is that this may delay Trump’s May 2024 trial by several months. It’s impossible to say how that might affect next year’s election because nothing makes sense any longer. Suffice it to say, Trump and his employees continue to dig their own graves.