Hours after a federal judge gave the Justice Department a deadline to establish former President Donald Trump’s stance on releasing the search warrant used to raid Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump made his position abundantly clear.
In a pair of posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he wants the warrant to be made public.
“Not only will I not oppose the release of documents related to the unAmerican, unwarranted, and unnecessary raid and break-in of my home in Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago, I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents, even though they have been drawn up by radical left Democrats and possible future political opponents, who have a strong and powerful vested interest in attacking me, much as they have done for the last 6 years,” the former president wrote.
“My poll numbers are the strongest they have ever been, fundraising by the Republican Party is breaking all records, and midterm elections are fast approaching,” he said.
Trump then slammed the political machinations he said loomed behind the raid on his Palm Beach, Florida, residence.
“This unprecedented political weaponization of law enforcement is inappropriate and highly unethical,” he wrote.
“The world is watching as our Country is being brought to a new low, not only on our border, crime, economy, energy, national security, and so much more, but also with respect to our sacred elections!” the former president said.
“Release the documents now!” he said.
Earlier Thursday, a federal judge had told the Justice Department it needed Trump’s approval by 3 p.m. Friday, according to Fox News.
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“The United States shall immediately serve a copy of its Motion on counsel for former President Trump,” Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhard wrote after the Justice Department said it wanted to unseal the warrant and property receipt.
“On or before 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on August 12, 2022, the United States shall file a certificate of conferral advising whether former President Trump opposes the Government’s motion to unseal,” Reinhard said.
Also on Thursday, Attorney General Merrick Garland said he personally approved the search of Mar-a-Lago, prompting outrage from Republicans, according to Fox News.
“Merrick Garland personally approved a search warrant to take down Joe Biden’s top political opponent,” Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said. “This is a politically motivated witch hunt.”
“Half the country believes that when it comes to President Trump, there are no rules. They have lost faith in the system,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said. “The only way to address that problem is full disclosure of the facts and circumstances, which led to this unprecedented action.”
The Biden administration has crossed a line. We can’t wait 2 more years to correct it. After the 2022 elections, Congress must use the power of the purse to rein in the DOJ and FBI. Any Republican who tells you that’s not possible is too addicted to big government to fix this.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) August 10, 2022
In writing about the Mar-a-Lago raid, legal scholar Jonathan Turley wrote on his website that even if classified documents were found, there might not be a criminal case against Trump, meaning “there likely will be continuing questions over the use of a sensational raid to look for classified material, particularly this close to the midterm elections.”
“The Biden administration has engaged repeatedly in heavy-handed FBI raids without any clear necessity, including searches or arrests targeting Rudy Giuliani, Roger Stone, Peter Navarro and other Trump associates; each played out on television, despite the obvious alternatives of voluntary surrenders,” Turley wrote.
“It remains unclear whether some of these raids even uncovered criminal evidence or will result in criminal charges,” he said.
“There is a documented history of bias against Trump by top FBI officials, including prior falsification or misrepresentations used to facilitate the Russia conspiracy investigation,” Turley said. “Thus, Attorney General Merrick Garland surely knew this raid would rekindle suspicions that this could be another example of what fired FBI official Peter Strzok once called an ‘insurance policy’ against Trump becoming president in 2016 — only this time in 2024.
“For that reason, the Justice Department has an added burden to show this raid was a step toward actual criminal prosecution and not just a political indemnification.”
