Even if, and that is a huge "if" finding the "nuclear codes" is a moot point. The minute that a new president is sworn in, the old Emergency Action Message (EAM) system for the Senior Release Authorities is halted and de-authorized. A moment later after the de-authorization takes place (it is all done electronically via a secure circuit from NSA), the new Senior Authority System is established. The NSA Cryptologic Museum at Ft Meade has on display a complete but obsolete and superseded "Football" and all of the accompany materials in plain view for visitors. BTW, a complete explanation and other supporting materials were provided to the USSR (now Russia, etc) and the other nuclear powers who acknowledge their possession and capabilities. Only the Jews in Israel have not been included (at least as far as we know) since they have never revealed that they have over 150 nukes ready to go. This information was provided as part of the Strategic Limitations Agreements. That agreement also gave the geographic locations of all of US missile launching facilities, although not the Submarine Ballistic Missile Fleet movements.