The wrecker's motive for taking home secret documents may have been to threaten the government so it would not prosecute him for other, bigger crimes, such as trying to falsify the election's results.

If the US charges him with the crime of taking those records home and leaving them in an insecure place, that will appear to be a political act. If it does not, that too will appear to be a political act. Faced with the choice, it should take the bold choice.

As we have seen, the Espionage Act needs to be amended to allow a public interest defense so heroes such as Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange will not be convicted. That would have no effect on the wrecker's trial; he cannot point to any public interest purpose for taking those secret documents home.