Obstruction of Justice, Federal.
10 years.
And there are multiple, multiple back-ups of the database.
This is a good, high profile case to use to send a message to state workers everywhere. Prison is effective that way.
More directly, that makes California a sanctuary state. Cutting federal funds to cities amounts to mostly grants to law enforcement, etc. Federal welfare, SNAP, Medicaid come down from the state. A sanctuary state status would destroy California.
I was just thinking “Subpoena/search-warrant the backup tapes”.
And now you know why they are holding up Sessions vote.