Still reeling from an employee lockout and chaos in allocated funds reaching recipients, USAID employees were ordered to shred and burn documents, according to communications obtained by NBC News.
The move comes as Donald Trump’s administration faces legal challenges over its attempt to shut down the federal agency. The document destruction was set to take place Tuesday, according to an email from Erica Carr, the agency’s acting executive secretary. It is unclear how many people received the email, which thanked workers for their ‘assistance in clearing our classified safes and personnel documents. Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break,’ Carr wrote.
Because of an earlier court ruling (upheld by SCOTUS) stating Trump is barred from unilaterally blocking funds allocated by Congress, the documents have become a flashpoint in plaintiffs’ challenging the destruction order.
Koh pointed to a ruling from U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, which was upheld by the Supreme Court, in which Ali said the Trump administration could not block congressionally appropriated foreign aid funds from reaching intended programs and agencies. He said that because of Ali’s ruling, documentation showing how funding was authorized and appropriated ‘should be preserved until the funds are fully expended.’
There are dire circumstances that would call for burning documents, NBC adds, but sources and public-court filings stated that the order was “inappropriate.” Approximately three dozen employees apparently received the email order.
Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee presiding over the case in federal court, gave parties various deadlines this week to provide updates.
AUTHOR FOOTNOTE
“Inappropriate” is a word that describes wearing white after Labor Day. *This* is not that. What’s notable here is we have lots of precedent for “skipping the shredder” and going right to lighting stuff on fire: Donald’s right-hand guy Mark Meadows, per CNN, had a notable affinity for burning documents, particularly between Trump’s loss in 2020 and Biden‘s inauguration in 2021.
We’d also be smart to view this specific scandal through the lens of Secret Service destroying (my apologies, “accidentally” “deleting”) text messages and other evidence connected to January 6th. Ask yourself this: If the Biden-Harris Administration ordered destruction of even one piece of critical evidence pertaining to legal proceedings, how would ensuing-GOP outrage be covered in media? 24/7 most likely.
Like squeezing toothpaste back in the tube, nobody can un-destroy documents. Whatever materials they destroyed are gone for good, and I think by now it’s clear attestations in court from Donald’s lawyers are inherently suspect.
