The hidden side of politics

Affidavit: Top-secret docs, classified material stored at Mar-a-Lago triggered Trump raid, FBI says

Reported by Washington Times:

The FBI justified its unprecedented raid of former President Donald Trump’s home based on agents’ previous recovery of 184 classified documents Mr. Trump had removed from the White House, according to the affidavit for the search.

The heavily-redacted affidavit, which was made public Friday, revealed that FBI agents in May reviewed 15 boxes Mr. Trump returned to the National Archives and discovered the classified documents. 

Some of the documents detailed particularly sensitive national security information, including foreign surveillance, according to the affidavit.

Roughly 30 armed FBI agents raided Mr. Trump’s residence on Aug. 8 and removed dozens of boxes of documents and other materials, including 11 sets of classified documents. Some documents were marked “top secret” and “sensitive compartmented information,” the federal government’s two highest security classifications.

So far, no details have been released about what the documents may have contained.

The redacted affidavit was released after the Justice Department on Thursday submitted its proposed redactions to the document, prompting the judge to order the unsealing on Friday.

It is highly unusual for an affidavit to be unsealed in a criminal investigation. Typically, such documents remain under seal until criminal charges are filed or an investigation is closed to protect cooperating witnesses and shield documents that could compromise the investigation.

Judge Reinhart said after reviewing the Justice Department’s proposed redactions he believes the government showed compelling reasons to keep portions of the affidavit redacted because disclosure could reveal the identities of witnesses, law enforcement agents, uncharged parties as well as the investigation’s strategy, direction and sources.

But Judge Reinhart had said he was not inclined to keep the full affidavit under seal, saying that national interest in the case was too great to keep it shielded from the public.

The Justice Department has fought to keep it the affidavit under seal, arguing that its Trump investigation is still in “the early stages” and making it public could jeopardize the probe.

Several news organizations and the conservative advocacy group Judicial Watch have mounted a legal challenge to unseal the affidavit. Mr. Trump has not joined the lawsuit, despite his repeated insistence that the affidavit goes public.

Taylor Budowich, a spokesman for the former president, called the Justice Department’s efforts to shield the affidavit from the public a “cynical attempt” to cover up its political bias.

“The whole affidavit should be released, given the Democrats’ penchant for using redactions to hide government corruption, just like they did with the Russia hoax,” Mr. Budowich said last week.

Several news organizations and the conservative advocacy group Judicial Watch have mounted a legal challenge to unseal the affidavit. Mr. Trump has not joined the lawsuit, despite his repeated insistence that the affidavit goes public.

Justice Department lawyers argued that releasing the affidavit could set a precedent in other high-profile cases, thus jeopardizing those investigations.

However, Judge Reinhart said in his court filing that those cases are not his immediate concern.

“I do not need to reach the question of whether, in some other case, these concerns could justify denying public access; they very well might. Particularly given the intense public and historical interest in an unprecedented search of a former President’s residence, the Government has not yet shown that these administrative concerns are sufficient to justify sealing,” he wrote.

Source:Washington Times

Share

41 Comments

  1. vap packaging shenzhen

    Hi! I know this is kinda off topic but I’d figured I’d ask.
    Would you be interested in exchanging links or
    maybe guest authoring a blog post or vice-versa? My website covers a lot of
    the same topics as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit from each other.
    If you happen to be interested feel free to shoot me
    an e-mail. I look forward to hearing from you! Wonderful blog by the way!

    vap packaging shenzhen
    fda custom

  2. Travel Articles

    you’re truly a excellent webmaster. The website loading speed is amazing.
    It kind of feels that you are doing any unique trick.
    In addition, The contents are masterwork. you have performed
    a wonderful task on this topic!

    Stop by my page; Travel Articles

  3. poka 88

    Unquestionably believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the net the easiest thing to be
    aware of. I say to you, I certainly get irked
    while people consider worries that they just don’t know about.
    You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people could take a signal.
    Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

  4. reindeer emoji

    Heya i’m for the first time here. I came across this
    board and I to find It really useful & it helped me out a lot.
    I hope to present one thing again and aid others like you
    aided me.

  5. lingerie outlet store

    When I originally commented I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added-
    checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails
    with the same comment. There has to be an easy method you can remove
    me from that service? Thanks!

  6. zayıflama

    I don’t know if it’s just me or if everyone else experiencing problems with your
    site. It seems like some of the written text in your posts are running off the screen. Can somebody else please provide feedback and let me
    know if this is happening to them too? This may be a issue with
    my internet browser because I’ve had this happen previously.
    Kudos

  7. leci123

    Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It in truth was once a leisure account
    it. Look complex to more introduced agreeable from you!
    However, how could we keep in touch?

  8. Moses

    Good day I am so excited I found your blog, I really found you by error, while I was researching
    on Google for something else, Nonetheless I am
    here now and would just like to say kudos for a incredible post and a all round entertaining blog (I also
    love the theme/design), I don’t have time to browse it all at the moment but I have book-marked it and also added in your RSS feeds,
    so when I have time I will be back to read a great deal more, Please do keep
    up the superb job.

  9. สล็อตแตกง่าย 2022

    Hello there, I found your site via Google while looking
    for a sikmilar matter, your web site came up, it appears
    to be like good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.

    Hi there, just turned into aware of your blog thru Google,
    and found that iit is truly informative. I’m gonna watch
    out forr brussels. I’ll be grateful in case you proceed this
    in future. Lots of folks shall be benefited from your writing.

    Cheers!

    Here is my website :: สล็อตแตกง่าย 2022

  10. caoviet

    Howdy, i read your blog from time to time and i
    own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam
    responses? If so how do you stop it, any
    plugin or anything you can suggest? I get
    so much lately it’s driving me insane so any support is very much appreciated.

  11. Replica Clothings

    I truly love your blog.. Great colors & theme. Did you build
    this amazing site yourself? Please reply back as I’m
    hoping to create my own personal blog and want to find out where you got this from or just what the theme is named.
    Thanks!

  12. sbo

    Wonderful goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too great.

    I actually like what you have acquired here,
    really like what you are stating and the way in which you say it.
    You make it entertaining and you still care for to keep it smart.

    I can’t wait to read much more from you. This is really a great website.

  13. best gambling tips

    Nice blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere?
    A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would
    really make my blog jump out. Please let me know where
    you got your design. Bless you

  14. https://linki.ee/lotre4d

    Do you mind if I quote a couple of your posts as long as I provide credit
    and sources back to your blog? My blog is in the exact same area of interest as yours and my visitors would certainly
    benefit from some of the information you present here. Please let me know if
    this ok with you. Cheers!

  15. lending bear

    Useful information. Fortunate me I found your
    site accidentally, and I’m stunned why this coincidence did not happened in advance!
    I bookmarked it.

  16. paste

    A fascinating discussion is definitely worth comment. There’s no
    doubt that that you need to publish more on this topic,
    it might not be a taboo subject but typically people don’t speak about such subjects.
    To the next! Many thanks!!

  17. Gacor77 Daftar

    I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but
    your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your
    site to come back later. Many thanks

FOLLOW @ NATIONAL HILL