I keep seeing folks say that the NYPD kept the contents of Weiner's laptop.

Where is this info coming from? Is there a real NYPD source for this?

Because I think this cannot be true.

The NYPD unit that would be involved in this would be the one that handles sex crimes, the Special Victims Unit. Is there any reason that the NYPD Special Victims Unit would have top level national security clearance?

Because the FBI warrant said the laptop would be seized and that the reason was there was probable cause the laptop contained contraband, aka classified information. Now one of the things the FBI does in a case like this in addition to determining if the mishandling of documents rises to the level of a crime is to retrieve and properly store the contraband. You can just leave copies of classified information out there.

The search warrant mentions that classified info may only be shared with people with a need to know. I don't think anyone on the NYPD Special Victims Unit has a need to know since they are not even federal employees. In fact the warrant says that any classified informaton would be "owned by the US government."

https://www.scribd.com/document/334714814/Weiner-Email-Search-Warrant

At the very end of the warrant, we have this

If the Government determines that the Subject Laptop is no longer necessary to retrieve and preserve the data on the device, and that the Subject Laptop is not subject to seizure pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41( c ), the Government will return the Subject Laptop.

So it's possible they could give the laptop back at some point, but if the NYPD wanted it, they would need their own warrant.

Also NYPD doesn't have jurisdiction in this case. The girl was in North Carolina. This cross state lines which is why is being handled by the US district attorney and not the NY County district attorney.

So there's no reason for the NYPD to have any of this material, it seems to me......so why do some many believe believe they have it? Seems like wishful thinking.