The head of the National Archives needs to be fired.

[moniss]

23. I think they knew

because some staff knew the seriousness and volume of documents he took and let it be known. They probably took awhile to figure out how to approach the whole thing knowing the social media/conservative media howl that would ensue no matter which way they went. So I think that's why they initially took the "pretty please" approach. I also think it's possible that someone at Mar-A-Ghastly, either staff or SS, may have been aware of the situation before DOJ/Archives stepped in. Especially in the case of the SS if they knew what those file markings look like and mean. I can imagine it would raise a suspicion since these files didn't all just sit in the boxes they were transported in but rather he had taken many out and had some in his office and some had the documents missing. I don't think it's too likely that people in the WH in the final days would have packed up empty file folders. So for example if an SS guy saw files with these markings go into the office and then a foreign visitor goes in for a "meeting" I think it's possible he might say something to someone still in government maybe on the QT.

It's possible that DOJ got wind that documents were "leaving" and that spurred a far more urgent response.