Affidavit Used In Search Of Trump S Mar A Lago To Be Partially Unsealed Judge Says

Marco Bello | Reuters A federal judge said portions of the affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort can be unsealed, NBC News reported Thursday. US Judge Bruce Rinehart’s ruling came after the Justice Department asked him not to unseal the highly sensitive document, which details the administration’s view that it had probable cause to believe the Mar-a-Lago investigation would show evidence of wrongdoing . . The administration’s investigation into the records seized from Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, residence is still in the “early stages,” said Jay Bratt, head of the Justice Department’s counterintelligence task force, NBC reported. The affidavit contains “important information from the grand jury” in a “national security” case, Bratt reportedly told the hearing. Reinhart disagreed, saying he believed “there are parts of him that can be unsealed.” He gave the government a week to file proposed amendments to the affidavit, NBC reported. Prosecutors had previously urged the court to reject calls from the media and other entities to release the affidavit, which supported the search warrant used by FBI agents in the Aug. 8 raid on Mar-a-Lago. Trump has publicly requested that the affidavit be released without redactions, though his lawyers have yet to file a motion asking the judge to do so. The former president “made clear his view that the American people should be allowed to see the unsealed affidavit related to the raid and invasion of his home,” his spokesman Taylor Budowitz said on Twitter after the hearing. His tweets praised Reinhart for rejecting “the Justice Department’s cynical attempt to hide the entire affidavit from the American people,” but insisted that “no redactions should be needed.” The search warrant itself was made public with DOJ approval last week. That document and the attached materials indicated that agents were seeking materials related to three pieces of criminal legislation, one of which was part of the Espionage Act. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who said he personally approved the warrant, argued for its disclosure in light of the “substantial public interest in this matter.” But the affidavit “presents a very different set of considerations,” federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing Monday. The still-sealed document contains “critically important and detailed investigative information” about witnesses and other “highly sensitive information” related to the ongoing criminal investigation, which “implicates national security,” prosecutors wrote. If disclosed, the affidavit is “highly likely to compromise future investigative steps,” said the filing, which was signed by Bratt, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Division. The current criminal investigation stems from an investigation of government records that were moved to Mar-a-Lago instead of the National Archives after Trump leaves office in 2021. FBI agents sought all records and other items that were “unlawfully possessed” in violation of three criminal laws, according to the search warrant and proof of ownership released last week. Agents seized 20 boxes of items and other materials, including multiple sets of documents marked top secret and classified, the proof of ownership showed. None of the three statutes — Title 18 of the United States Code, Sections 793, 1519 and 2071 — depends on whether the documents in question were classified.

title: “Affidavit Used In Search Of Trump S Mar A Lago To Be Partially Unsealed Judge Says Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-27” author: “Wanda Andrews”

Marco Bello | Reuters A federal judge said portions of the affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort can be unsealed, NBC News reported Thursday. US Judge Bruce Rinehart’s ruling came after the Justice Department asked him not to unseal the highly sensitive document, which details the administration’s view that it had probable cause to believe the Mar-a-Lago investigation would show evidence of wrongdoing . . The administration’s investigation into the records seized from Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, residence is still in the “early stages,” said Jay Bratt, head of the Justice Department’s counterintelligence task force, NBC reported. The affidavit contains “important information from the grand jury” in a “national security” case, Bratt reportedly told the hearing. Reinhart disagreed, saying he believed “there are parts of him that can be unsealed.” He gave the government a week to file proposed amendments to the affidavit, NBC reported. Prosecutors had previously urged the court to reject calls from the media and other entities to release the affidavit, which supported the search warrant used by FBI agents in the Aug. 8 raid on Mar-a-Lago. Trump has publicly requested that the affidavit be released without redactions, though his lawyers have yet to file a motion asking the judge to do so. The former president “made clear his view that the American people should be allowed to see the unsealed affidavit related to the raid and invasion of his home,” his spokesman Taylor Budowitz said on Twitter after the hearing. His tweets praised Reinhart for rejecting “the Justice Department’s cynical attempt to hide the entire affidavit from the American people,” but insisted that “no redactions should be needed.” The search warrant itself was made public with DOJ approval last week. That document and the attached materials indicated that agents were seeking materials related to three pieces of criminal legislation, one of which was part of the Espionage Act. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who said he personally approved the warrant, argued for its disclosure in light of the “substantial public interest in this matter.” But the affidavit “presents a very different set of considerations,” federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing Monday. The still-sealed document contains “critically important and detailed investigative information” about witnesses and other “highly sensitive information” related to the ongoing criminal investigation, which “implicates national security,” prosecutors wrote. If disclosed, the affidavit is “highly likely to compromise future investigative steps,” said the filing, which was signed by Bratt, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Division. The current criminal investigation stems from an investigation of government records that were moved to Mar-a-Lago instead of the National Archives after Trump leaves office in 2021. FBI agents sought all records and other items that were “unlawfully possessed” in violation of three criminal laws, according to the search warrant and proof of ownership released last week. Agents seized 20 boxes of items and other materials, including multiple sets of documents marked top secret and classified, the proof of ownership showed. None of the three statutes — Title 18 of the United States Code, Sections 793, 1519 and 2071 — depends on whether the documents in question were classified.

title: “Affidavit Used In Search Of Trump S Mar A Lago To Be Partially Unsealed Judge Says Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-08” author: “Rebecca Riggings”

Marco Bello | Reuters A federal judge said portions of the affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort can be unsealed, NBC News reported Thursday. US Judge Bruce Rinehart’s ruling came after the Justice Department asked him not to unseal the highly sensitive document, which details the administration’s view that it had probable cause to believe the Mar-a-Lago investigation would show evidence of wrongdoing . . The administration’s investigation into the records seized from Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, residence is still in the “early stages,” said Jay Bratt, head of the Justice Department’s counterintelligence task force, NBC reported. The affidavit contains “important information from the grand jury” in a “national security” case, Bratt reportedly told the hearing. Reinhart disagreed, saying he believed “there are parts of him that can be unsealed.” He gave the government a week to file proposed amendments to the affidavit, NBC reported. Prosecutors had previously urged the court to reject calls from the media and other entities to release the affidavit, which supported the search warrant used by FBI agents in the Aug. 8 raid on Mar-a-Lago. Trump has publicly requested that the affidavit be released without redactions, though his lawyers have yet to file a motion asking the judge to do so. The former president “made clear his view that the American people should be allowed to see the unsealed affidavit related to the raid and invasion of his home,” his spokesman Taylor Budowitz said on Twitter after the hearing. His tweets praised Reinhart for rejecting “the Justice Department’s cynical attempt to hide the entire affidavit from the American people,” but insisted that “no redactions should be needed.” The search warrant itself was made public with DOJ approval last week. That document and the attached materials indicated that agents were seeking materials related to three pieces of criminal legislation, one of which was part of the Espionage Act. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who said he personally approved the warrant, argued for its disclosure in light of the “substantial public interest in this matter.” But the affidavit “presents a very different set of considerations,” federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing Monday. The still-sealed document contains “critically important and detailed investigative information” about witnesses and other “highly sensitive information” related to the ongoing criminal investigation, which “implicates national security,” prosecutors wrote. If disclosed, the affidavit is “highly likely to compromise future investigative steps,” said the filing, which was signed by Bratt, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Division. The current criminal investigation stems from an investigation of government records that were moved to Mar-a-Lago instead of the National Archives after Trump leaves office in 2021. FBI agents sought all records and other items that were “unlawfully possessed” in violation of three criminal laws, according to the search warrant and proof of ownership released last week. Agents seized 20 boxes of items and other materials, including multiple sets of documents marked top secret and classified, the proof of ownership showed. None of the three statutes — Title 18 of the United States Code, Sections 793, 1519 and 2071 — depends on whether the documents in question were classified.

title: “Affidavit Used In Search Of Trump S Mar A Lago To Be Partially Unsealed Judge Says Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-12” author: “Jonathan Mcmanus”

Marco Bello | Reuters A federal judge said portions of the affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort can be unsealed, NBC News reported Thursday. US Judge Bruce Rinehart’s ruling came after the Justice Department asked him not to unseal the highly sensitive document, which details the administration’s view that it had probable cause to believe the Mar-a-Lago investigation would show evidence of wrongdoing . . The administration’s investigation into the records seized from Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, residence is still in the “early stages,” said Jay Bratt, head of the Justice Department’s counterintelligence task force, NBC reported. The affidavit contains “important information from the grand jury” in a “national security” case, Bratt reportedly told the hearing. Reinhart disagreed, saying he believed “there are parts of him that can be unsealed.” He gave the government a week to file proposed amendments to the affidavit, NBC reported. Prosecutors had previously urged the court to reject calls from the media and other entities to release the affidavit, which supported the search warrant used by FBI agents in the Aug. 8 raid on Mar-a-Lago. Trump has publicly requested that the affidavit be released without redactions, though his lawyers have yet to file a motion asking the judge to do so. The former president “made clear his view that the American people should be allowed to see the unsealed affidavit related to the raid and invasion of his home,” his spokesman Taylor Budowitz said on Twitter after the hearing. His tweets praised Reinhart for rejecting “the Justice Department’s cynical attempt to hide the entire affidavit from the American people,” but insisted that “no redactions should be needed.” The search warrant itself was made public with DOJ approval last week. That document and the attached materials indicated that agents were seeking materials related to three pieces of criminal legislation, one of which was part of the Espionage Act. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who said he personally approved the warrant, argued for its disclosure in light of the “substantial public interest in this matter.” But the affidavit “presents a very different set of considerations,” federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing Monday. The still-sealed document contains “critically important and detailed investigative information” about witnesses and other “highly sensitive information” related to the ongoing criminal investigation, which “implicates national security,” prosecutors wrote. If disclosed, the affidavit is “highly likely to compromise future investigative steps,” said the filing, which was signed by Bratt, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Division. The current criminal investigation stems from an investigation of government records that were moved to Mar-a-Lago instead of the National Archives after Trump leaves office in 2021. FBI agents sought all records and other items that were “unlawfully possessed” in violation of three criminal laws, according to the search warrant and proof of ownership released last week. Agents seized 20 boxes of items and other materials, including multiple sets of documents marked top secret and classified, the proof of ownership showed. None of the three statutes — Title 18 of the United States Code, Sections 793, 1519 and 2071 — depends on whether the documents in question were classified.

title: “Affidavit Used In Search Of Trump S Mar A Lago To Be Partially Unsealed Judge Says Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-11” author: “Gary Gertsch”

Marco Bello | Reuters A federal judge said portions of the affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort can be unsealed, NBC News reported Thursday. US Judge Bruce Rinehart’s ruling came after the Justice Department asked him not to unseal the highly sensitive document, which details the administration’s view that it had probable cause to believe the Mar-a-Lago investigation would show evidence of wrongdoing . . The administration’s investigation into the records seized from Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, residence is still in the “early stages,” said Jay Bratt, head of the Justice Department’s counterintelligence task force, NBC reported. The affidavit contains “important information from the grand jury” in a “national security” case, Bratt reportedly told the hearing. Reinhart disagreed, saying he believed “there are parts of him that can be unsealed.” He gave the government a week to file proposed amendments to the affidavit, NBC reported. Prosecutors had previously urged the court to reject calls from the media and other entities to release the affidavit, which supported the search warrant used by FBI agents in the Aug. 8 raid on Mar-a-Lago. Trump has publicly requested that the affidavit be released without redactions, though his lawyers have yet to file a motion asking the judge to do so. The former president “made clear his view that the American people should be allowed to see the unsealed affidavit related to the raid and invasion of his home,” his spokesman Taylor Budowitz said on Twitter after the hearing. His tweets praised Reinhart for rejecting “the Justice Department’s cynical attempt to hide the entire affidavit from the American people,” but insisted that “no redactions should be needed.” The search warrant itself was made public with DOJ approval last week. That document and the attached materials indicated that agents were seeking materials related to three pieces of criminal legislation, one of which was part of the Espionage Act. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who said he personally approved the warrant, argued for its disclosure in light of the “substantial public interest in this matter.” But the affidavit “presents a very different set of considerations,” federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing Monday. The still-sealed document contains “critically important and detailed investigative information” about witnesses and other “highly sensitive information” related to the ongoing criminal investigation, which “implicates national security,” prosecutors wrote. If disclosed, the affidavit is “highly likely to compromise future investigative steps,” said the filing, which was signed by Bratt, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Division. The current criminal investigation stems from an investigation of government records that were moved to Mar-a-Lago instead of the National Archives after Trump leaves office in 2021. FBI agents sought all records and other items that were “unlawfully possessed” in violation of three criminal laws, according to the search warrant and proof of ownership released last week. Agents seized 20 boxes of items and other materials, including multiple sets of documents marked top secret and classified, the proof of ownership showed. None of the three statutes — Title 18 of the United States Code, Sections 793, 1519 and 2071 — depends on whether the documents in question were classified.