Breitbart: Mar-a-Lago Search Warrant Shows Feds Waited Three Days to Launch Raid on Trump Home; Politico and NBC: Trump Investigated for Suspected Espionage Act, Obstruction of Justice Violations (Update)

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Breitbart’s Matt Boyle reported an exclusive on the sealed search warrant used in the FBI raid on President Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, on Monday.

(UPDATE at end of article)

The warrant that authorized the search of former President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago shows it was issued by U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart on Aug. 5, 2022, at 12:12 p.m.—nearly three full days before the Justice Department and FBI conducted a raid to execute it.

The raid did not occur until the morning of Aug. 8, 2022, when federal agents from the FBI arrived at Mar-a-Lago to execute the search warrant.

Some of the details match an earlier leak to the Wall Street Journal:

FBI agents who searched former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home Monday removed 11 sets of classified documents, including some marked as top secret and meant to be only available in special government facilities, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation agents took around 20 boxes of items, binders of photos, a handwritten note and the executive grant of clemency for Mr. Trump’s ally Roger Stone, a list of items removed from the property shows. Also included in the list was information about the “President of France,” according to the three-page list. The list is contained in a seven-page document that also includes the warrant to search the premises which was granted by a federal magistrate judge in Florida.

Breitbart excerpt:

The first receipt lists out 28 numbered items, including some that have sub-headers. Some of the items are actually named like item number 1 which says it was an “Executive Grant of Clemency re: Roger Jason Stone, Jr.” or 1A which says it is “Info re: President of France.”

Others like item number 2 are less specific. That item says it is a “Leatherbound box of documents.” Item 2A says it contained “Various Classified/TS/SCI documents.”

Item number 3 says it was a “potential presidential record,” and items numbers 5 and 6 both say they were a “binder of photos.”

Breitbart also obtained the search warrant attachments, A & B, that detail the statutes cited for the warrant and locations to be searched.

The three statutes cited cover defense information, destroying federal documents and concealing, removing, or damaging federal documents.

The locations to be searched at Mar-a-Lago covers much of the property including storage rooms and “45 office”, except for areas occupied or rented by guests.

President Trump issued a response to Attorney General Merrick Garland late Thursday night calling for the release of the documents in the search warrant. Garland earlier had announced the Justice Department was moving to unseal the search warrant and property list but not the supporting affidavits.

Judicial Watch, which is trying to get the search warrant documents unsealed, filed a motion Friday afternoon bringing Trump’s statement to the attention of the south Florida federal court that issued the warrant.

Meanwhile Trump has continued to issue statements via Truth Social:

The National Archives released a statement Friday afternoon on Trump’s comments about Barack Obama’s documents.

UPDATE: Politico and NBC reported the warrant shows Trump is being investigated under the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice.

Trending: “Have a Seat!” – Fani Willis’ Top Prosecutor Screams at Judge (VIDEO)

NBC’s Chris Jansing, “NBC has obtained the Mar-a-Lago search warrant. It shows Donald Trump is under investigation for potential obstruction of justice and violations of the Espionage Act”

Politico (excerpt):

A search warrant viewed by POLITICO reveals that the FBI is investigating Donald Trump for a potential violation of the Espionage Act and removed classified documents from the former president’s Florida estate earlier this week.

A receipt accompanying the search warrant shows that Trump possessed documents including a handwritten note; documents marked with “TS/SCI,” which indicates one of the highest levels of government classification; and another item labeled “Info re: President of France.” Also among the items taken from Mar-a-Lago this week: An item labeled “Executive grant of clemency re: Roger Jason Stone, Jr.,” a reference to one of Trump’s closest confidants who received a pardon in late 2020.

The warrant shows federal law enforcement was investigating Trump for removal or destruction of records, obstruction of justice, and violating the Espionage Act. Conviction under the statutes can result in imprisonment or fines.

The documents, set to be unsealed later Friday after the Justice Department sought their public disclosure amid relentless attacks by Trump and his GOP allies, underscore the extraordinary national security threat that federal investigators believed the missing documents presented. The concern grew so acute that Attorney General Merrick Garland approved the unprecedented search of Trump’s estate last week.

DOJ lawyers have notified the court that Trump’s attorneys have no objection to the search warrant being unsealed.

UPDATE: Magistrate Judge Reinhart orders unsealing:

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Kristinn Taylor
Kristinn Taylor has contributed to The Gateway Pundit for over ten years. Mr. Taylor previously wrote for Breitbart, worked for Judicial Watch and was co-leader of the D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com. He studied journalism in high school, visited the Newseum and once met David Brinkley.

You can email Kristinn Taylor here, and read more of Kristinn Taylor's articles here.

 

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