Trump has mocked New York Times journalist, Maggie Haberman for having to resort to using “fabricated” photographs of torn notes in a toilet bowl to sell her new book.
Haberman, who has been conducting research for a new book that is obviously going to be highly critical of Trump’s time as president, alleged a White House official sent her the images which she claims show official, hand-written notes and documents which had been ripped up and discarded in toilets.
Images of the toileted papers which appear to show blocky, hand-written notes in marker pen were published by Axios earlier today. One of the images is reportedly of a bathroom in the White House while the other was supposedly taken in an undisclosed location abroad.
What’s written on the notes is mainly undecipherable, but one appears to show different lawmaker’s names including Rogers and Stefanick written in black sharpie.
It’s possible the names in on the note could be referencing Republican Representatives Mike Rogers and GOP Conference Chair Elsie Stefanick who is an avid Trump supporter.
But Trump has poo-pooed the claim that he had attempted to flush any notes or documents down toilets. His spokesman, Taylor Budowich accused Trump-hater, Haberman of resorting to desperate measures to sell her book:
“You have to be pretty desperate to sell books if pictures of paper in a toilet bowl is part of your promotional plan,” said Budowich.
“There’s enough people willing to fabricate stories like this in order to impress the media class — a media class who is willing to run with anything, as long as it’s anti-Trump.”
Trump flushed notes down the toilet in violation of the Federal Records Act. @TheJusticeDept #TrumpToilet #TrumpToilet pic.twitter.com/9l12seranH
— J. Cessa (@DiffGeometer1) August 8, 2022
Haberman was seemingly delighted that she’d obtained the photos of the notes in the toilets, proudly remarking:
“Here’s some reporting from the book’s later years — White House residence staff periodically found papers had clogged a toilet, leaving staff believing Trump had flushed material he’d ripped into pieces,” as part of a promotion piece for her book, Confidence Man.
Determined that the former president destroying some hand-written doodles and prompt notes (which, let’s face it, Biden can’t function without) is so relevant and important, she said it would “still be a story if it were a fireplace”.
“The point is about the destruction of records which are supposed to be preserved under the presidential records act, which is a Watergate-era creation,” she continued.
“I have had additional reporting afterward from people confirming that Trump had indeed done this and that it happened on at least two foreign trips, and in the White House throughout his presidency.
“Again, it’s important because who knows what this paper was? Only he would know and presumably whoever was dealing with him, but the important point is about the records.”
The law she’s referring to is the Presidential Records Act which was put in place in 1978 after Watergate.
It basically says that all presidents must preserve all ‘historically relevant material’. Of course, it’s arguable as to whether private notes or prompt cards should be considered ‘historically relevant.
Trump blasted the toilet-flushing accusations back in February when they first started circulating. He said the claims were “categorically untrue and simply made up by a reporter in order to get publicity for a mostly fictitious book”.
He referred to Haberman as “maggot” instead of Maggie.
This story syndicated with permission from Jo Marney, Author at Trending Politics
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