Authorities' concern that Trump may have additional national security information at his private residence was spurred by a review of the 15 boxes recovered by the National Archives in January.
The affidavit indicates that among the 184 documents were 25 that contained top secret information, including those gained from "clandestine human sources," information prohibited from being shared with foreign governments, and information obtained by monitoring "foreign communications signals."
The 28-page affidavit contains numerous redactions but indicates authorities believed "evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items illegally possessed" would be found at Mar-a-Lago.
Entirely redacted is a provision explaining why the government believed additional "classified [national defense information]" would be found on the premises.
In a separate filing explaining the rationale behind its redactions, DOJ said it had to protect "a broad range of civilian witnesses," warning they would likely face intimidation.
The same federal magistrate judge who approved the search ordered DOJ to release the affidavit that convinced him to approve the warrant. Judge Bruce Reinhart concluded Thursday that proposed redactions from DOJ were narrow enough to allow for public disclosure while protecting their ongoing investigation.
The affidavit offers new information about the extent of the saga to recover documents from Mar-a-Lago. The document says the National Archives first reached out about retrieving records as early as May 6, 2021 - just a few months after Trump left office.
Yet it wasn't until late that year that the Trump team alerted Archives that they had 12 boxes ready for pick up. The agency would instead leave with 15.
The release of the redacted affidavit follows the disclosure of the warrant that allowed for the search of Trump's home, indicating that storing documents there may have violated the Espionage Act, as well as two other statutes.
One bars concealing, removing and mutilating government documents, and the other prohibits similar actions when done "with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence [an] investigation."An inventory released alongside the warrant indicated the FBI recovered 11 different sets of classified documents during the search, along with information about "the president of France" and Trump's pardon of his ally Roger Stone.
The affidavit consistently refers to the possibility of finding "national defense information" at Trump's home, a term used in the Espionage Act. The law does not require mishandling classified materials, only information that if released could injure the United States.
In a statement from Trump shortly after the affidavit's release, the former president called the document "a total public relations subterfuge by the FBI & DOJ" that was not reflective of "our close working relationship regarding document turnover - WE GAVE THEM MUCH."
But the affidavit counters some of the prior statements from Trump and his legal team.
While in prior statements Trump noted that he put a larger lock on his storage room at Mar-a-Lago at the request of the government - "We agreed. They were shown the secured area, and the boxes themselves" - the interaction does not appear to be as friendly as Trump suggested.
The Justice Department wrote in a June 8 letter:
"They have not been handled in an appropriate manner or stored in an appropriate location. Accordingly, we ask that the room at Mar-a-Lago where the documents had been stored be secured and that all of the boxes that were moved from the White House to Mar-a-Lago (along with any other items in that room) be preserved in that room in their current condition until further notice."That correspondence came after DOJ had already issued a May subpoena requesting Trump return classified materials kept at Mar-a-Lago.
An included letter from Trump's team also seems to indicate that they were aware that same month that the former president could face charges. An attorney for Trump wrote in a May 25 letter:
"Any attempt to impose criminal liability on a President or former President that involves his actions with respect to documents marked classified would implicate grave constitutional separation-of powers issues. Beyond that, the primary criminal statute that governs the unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material does not apply to the President."But that letter references a statute that was ultimately not listed among those included in the warrant for searching Trump's home. Trump's attorneys imply he is immune from charges under a law dealing with unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents. Violating that law now triggers felony charges rather than a misdemeanor following a bill passed by Republicans and signed into law by Trump.
Trump has not been charged in connection with the search, and the affidavit does not name him as having potentially violated various statutes, instead saying evidence of violations may be found at the premises.
Trump had called for the release of both the warrant and the affidavit. He filed a separate case, however, seeking an injunction to stall the FBI's investigation and asking a court to appoint a special master for the case. Doing so would let an outside party approved by the court first review the evidence taken during the search before the FBI can review it.
Reader Comments
The irony or reason for this illegal act is simple just like you Merrick Garland, Biden & the rest of the TDS American hating Bolsheviks don’t want to have to face Trump in the general as well Trump gave John Solomon and his legal team full access to the declassified documents. Solomon is writing a book about the Democratic fascist apparatus and needed the declassified Trump persecution documents; Clinton Fusion GPS, Russian Hoax, Obama NSA spying, Comey lying to Congress etc. As well Trump’s legal team as of this past March is suing both Clinton, Obama, Biden, the DNC and the FBI… This no more about espionage than you are an unbiased neutral party observing and wanting the best outcome for humanity….
Trump and his administration had collected very damaging information on current state department members. And exactly these government members used law enforcement agencies in the manner the Nazis used the Gestapo, or the Soviet Union used the NKVD.
1. What in my comment did I show to be biased one way or another?
2. What in my comment did I show that my thinking is somehow aligned with the very people that you mentioned that I abhor?
3. What in my comment shows that I'm a Bolshevik?
4. What in my comment shows so-called TDS?
(But like all questions that were ever asked in the past, I know you wont answer)
I posted another persons point of view that actually favors your statist need for a leader (because we know you can't live without one) ..........Donald Trump. And you call that biased, TDS, Bolshevik? It's pretty clear now who the asshole here is. You're so consumed with defending Trump that you're being delusional about it to the point that you can't distinguish between someone defending Trump and someone not. Is that orange Kool-Aid that powerful? Boy you are rabidly obsessed with Trump so much that you cant even tell a positive statement made about him or a neutral or negative statement. They're all three the same to you. Is it me with TDS or is it you with TWS, [Trump Worship Syndrome?].
Here is a simple diagram that shows your insanity and how delusional your logic is based on statism.
1. If someone attacks Trump = they're a leftist Biden supporter.
2. If someone makes a post that criticizes both Biden and Trump equally = they're still a leftist Biden supporter.
3. If someone post an article that supports Trump = they're still a leftist Biden supporter.
Blulight, are you fucking drunk ? And what are you doing posting in the wee hours of the night? I've noticed your time stamps showing that your posting all night and all day long. Now of course it's possible you could be outside of the US. Just asking?
With that in mind, I need to let you know that I'm not going to stay on the internet going back and forth. I have a life outside of that. But I gotta tell ya, it's looking more and more suspicious that you dont and that you are a paid troll to stay on the internet that long and all hours of the night as well. Look at the past few posts I made where I just didn't bother responding to your attacks at all. So it is apparent that you will stay until you get the last word in and take a fake victory lap that you won. Go ahead and flatter your weak ego son. Your desperation and low self-esteem is obviously perceived by you as your strength.
Tell me how that's something MSNBC, CNN or Pro-Garland would do?
Tell me how that works again Captain Delusion?
toss this salad with your supposed vote for him 2016 but now you think he’s Hitler lol! Who’s the whack job?
You know, I am rethinking that thing I said where you are obsessed with Trump more than anything else. I am now seeing that you are actually more obsessed with me more than you are with Trump. What is it about me that you're so obsessed with? You follow me on every article about Trump but you're strangely absent from articles I post on that have nothing to do with Trump. So is it me or is it Trump or is it both?
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There is nothing criminal about that.
But after all, it is called "Law and Order", and not "Justice and Order" ...