The Omarosa Tapes

[Ben]

I'm thinking if done on the job while Trump was President this would be a felony. If done when both were private citizens, may or may not be misdemeanor, no?

https://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2018/08/08/what-a-shocker-omarosa-reportedly-made-secret-recordings-of-conversations-with-trump/

One of the top 5 stupidest things Trump has done as President was give her a job. Can't help but wonder if she didn't have blackmail recordings to make that happen.

[Ben]

As many as 200 secret recordings:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/08/17/omarosa-acted-dishonorably-by-recording-confidential-white-house-conversations-but-here-s-bigger-problem.html

[Hawkmoon]

The federal law and the law of most states only requires the permission of one of the participants to record a conversation. There are twelve states that require the permission of both (or all) parties. Obviously, Washington, DC, is not a state and so it's not a two-party consent jurisdiction.

But this isn't a case of two people meeting at Starbucks for a blind date. This is the White House, the headquarters of the President of the United States. I would think there are some internal rules and regulations that govern what can be recorded, and by whom. What has me seriously concerned is just how the [bleep] she was able to make all these recordings without the Secret Service being aware of it. Aren't they supposed to on top of illicit bugs in the White House?

[Scout26]

One of the top 5 stupidest things Trump has done as President was give her a job. Can't help but wonder if she didn't have blackmail recordings to make that happen.

I'd put her and Sessions in the Top 2.   I could never figure out why he ever had her on his campaign, much less in the WH.

[zxcvbob]

I'd put her and Sessions in the Top 2.   I could never figure out why he ever had her on his campaign, much less in the WH.

The only thing I can think of is to create a lot of smoke with no fire, to keep the media chasing in the wrong direction.

[Fly320s]

Aren't they supposed to on top of illicit bugs in the White House?

I doubt she bugged the WH or even her own office.  More likely, she used a personal recorder or her smart phone to record everything.  As part of Trump's staff, she was a trusted person so she wasn't searched during her visits.

As far as the rules about recording in the WH, I think there is a law that says all communications, including recordings, must be turned over and made public (as much as possible).  Isn't that how Nixon got hung out to dry?

[TommyGunn]

I doubt she bugged the WH or even her own office.  More likely, she used a personal recorder or her smart phone to record everything.  As part of Trump's staff, she was a trusted person so she wasn't searched during her visits.

As far as the rules about recording in the WH, I think there is a law that says all communications, including recordings, must be turned over and made public (as much as possible).  Isn't that how Nixon got hung out to dry?

I think that was  spelled     SUBPOENA DUCES TECUM. 

[DittoHead]

I think there is a law that says all communications, including recordings, must be turned over and made public (as much as possible).

Yes, funny story about that:

Under the Presidential Records Act, the White House must preserve all memos, letters, emails and papers that the president touches, sending them to the National Archives for safekeeping as historical records.

But White House aides realized early on that they were unable to stop Trump from ripping up paper after he was done with it and throwing it in the trash or on the floor, according to people familiar with the practice. Instead, they chose to clean it up for him, in order to make sure that the president wasn’t violating the law.

[MechAg94]

I doubt she bugged the WH or even her own office.  More likely, she used a personal recorder or her smart phone to record everything.  As part of Trump's staff, she was a trusted person so she wasn't searched during her visits.

As far as the rules about recording in the WH, I think there is a law that says all communications, including recordings, must be turned over and made public (as much as possible).  Isn't that how Nixon got hung out to dry?

I thought Nixon was recording his conversations on his own and that became public knowledge from questioning of his aides.  I am certainly not an expert on the Watergate nonsense though.