Space4Time3Continuum2x (talk | contribs) Undid revision 1103681379 by DarkSide830 (talk) He may be a member but he doesn't hold any public office or party position. He tweets as a member of the general public, not really WP noteworthy Tag: Undo |
DarkSide830 (talk | contribs) Re-added Yang's reaction while specifying that he is no longer a Democrat. |
||
Line 83: | Line 83: | ||
House Representative [[Elaine Luria]] stated that "The FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago is an unprecedented action in reaction to an unprecedented presidency."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gillespie|first1=Brandon|last2=Spady|first2=Aubrie|title=Vulnerable House Democrats largely silent following FBI raid of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vulnerable-house-democrats-silent-fbi-raid-trump-mar-a-lago-estate|work=Fox News|date=9 August 2022}}</ref> |
House Representative [[Elaine Luria]] stated that "The FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago is an unprecedented action in reaction to an unprecedented presidency."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gillespie|first1=Brandon|last2=Spady|first2=Aubrie|title=Vulnerable House Democrats largely silent following FBI raid of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/vulnerable-house-democrats-silent-fbi-raid-trump-mar-a-lago-estate|work=Fox News|date=9 August 2022}}</ref> |
||
===Minor Party Politicians=== |
|||
Co-chair of [[Forward (United States)|Forward]] and former Democratic presidential candidate [[Andrew Yang]] tweeted "Mishandling documents doesn't seem like raid material. It does however seem like excellent campaign material for Trump."<ref name="FT"/> |
|||
===General public=== |
===General public=== |
Revision as of 17:09, 10 August 2022
FBI search of Mar-a-Lago | |
---|---|
Date | August 8, 2022 |
Location | 26°40′37″N 80°02′13″W / 26.67694°N 80.03694°W |
On August 8, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago, the personal residence of former U.S. president Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida. The search included a safe owned by Trump.[1]
The search focused on material Trump brought to Mar-a-Lago after he left the White House, which allegedly contains classified documents.[2] Trump was at Trump Tower in New York City during the search.[3][4]
Background
Trump's atypical handling of documents, including their destruction and declassification, has been discussed since early in his presidency. Former staff members have said that he would rip, chew, or flush down the toilet presidential records that were supposed to be preserved, some containing top secret intelligence.[5][6]
In mid-January 2022, the National Archives and Records Administration, as the independent agency of the United States government that preserves government records, discovered that Trump had removed 15 boxes of documents from the White House. These documents contained material subject to the Presidential Records Act, which requires certain documents to be given to the National Archives. Trump returned the boxes to the National Archives in February, which found that they included "classified national security information". In April, federal officials began investigating, initiating a grand jury process, and issued a subpoena to the National Archives, then searched Mar-a-Lago.[7][8]
Federal agents established probable cause to obtain a warrant against Trump because, while he had turned over some classified documents to federal authorities, agents suspected that Trump was unlawfully withholding other classified information.[9] Will Hurd, a former CIA agent and Republican Congressman, said: "Trump and his lawyers admitted to and then handed over presidential documents improperly taken from and stored outside the White House. Of course the FBI had probable cause to go in looking for more."[10]
FBI search
On August 8, 2022, at 9 a.m.,[1] FBI agents executed a search warrant approved by a federal magistrate judge[11] and searched Trump's residence at Mar-a-Lago. The Secret Service facilitated access for the FBI, and one of Trump's lawyers was present for the search.[8] The warrant had been obtained by the United States Department of Justice National Security Division at the request of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to – according to the Trump attorney – collect "presidential records or classified material" that Trump had potentially not turned over to NARA.[12] FBI agents worked in teams while searching through allegedly classified information to ensure that none of it was privileged correspondence between Trump and his lawyers.[9] The New York Times reported the FBI agents "carried out the search in a relatively low-key manner" and "by some accounts" were not wearing the usual navy agency jackets. Agents searched a storage unit in the basement; Trump's second-floor office in the main house, where they opened a "hotel-style" safe containing "nothing of consequence"; and finally Trump's residence.[12]
Peter Schorsch, the publisher of FloridaPolitics.com, was the first to report on the search.[13][9] In a tweet, Schorsch wrote that the FBI had "executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago", although he was unsure of why the search was being conducted.[9] Trump's attorney stated that FBI agents left the property with about 12 additional boxes of seized material[14] and – according to a New York Times source – provided a detailed manifest of what they had taken.[12]
The White House said that President Joe Biden did not know about the search before it took place.[15]
Analysis
If charged and convicted under Section 2071 of Title 18 of the United States Code, Trump would be subject to a fine or prison time. He would also be "disqualified from holding any office under the United States".[9] However, a number of legal scholars, including former United States Attorney General Michael Mukasey, have questioned the constitutionality of that provision in the statute.[9]
Reactions
Trump
Trump condemned the search on social media, saying "These are dark times for our nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before."[16] He likened the search to the 1970s Watergate scandal and alleged that it was politically motivated to stop him from running for president in the 2024 United States presidential election.[16][17]
Trump called the search a "a politically motivated move" by the Biden administration and quickly began citing it in text messages and emails soliciting political donations.[18]
CBS News reporter Robert Costa reported that there were reactions among supporters of Trump. Costa reported, "Some allies are urging him to speed up his decision on 2024 in the wake of this, that no one in [the] GOP will challenge him now...others are telling him to stay cool, wait."[9]
Republicans
Former Vice President Mike Pence stated that the search undermined public confidence in the system of justice, noting that "No former President of the United States has ever been subject to a raid of their personal residence in American history."[19]
Several other Republican politicians, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida Senator Rick Scott and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham have condemned the search.[9] In a tweet, House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy said "I've seen enough. The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization. When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned. Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar."[9] Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene called for the FBI to be defunded.[9] Brian Fizpatrick, a former FBI agent and a Republican Congressman from Pennsylvania, stated "I will get to the bottom of this, will follow the facts wherever they lead, and will report with unimpeachable integrity."[20]
Several GOP Senators reacted on Twitter: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the next day that "the country deserves a thorough and immediate explanation of what led to the events of Monday ... Attorney General Garland and the Department of Justice should already have provided answers to the American people and must do so immediately."[21] Minority Whip John Thune said the FBI "needs to provide answers as to why they raided the home of a former American president",[22] Iowa Senator Joni Ernst decried the "unprecedented action by the DOJ and FBI – the same agencies who labeled parents domestic terrorists and sat on the sidelines while Justices were threatened and churches were vandalized",[23] and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton said that "Garland allows Hunter [Biden] to break the law, he harasses parents for speaking at school board meetings, and he refuses to protect Justices from harassment".[24]
Monica Crowley, in a post on Twitter, said "This is the hill to die on."[25] The New York Young Republican Club released a statement saying that "[i]nternationalist forces and their allies intent on undermining the foundation of our Republic have crossed the Rubicon ... nothing less than the future of the Union is on the line".[25] Florida politician Anthony Sabatini said Florida should "sever all ties with DOJ immediately" and said "any FBI agent conducting law enforcement functions outside the purview of our State should be arrested upon sight".[26] Republican senate candidate Mehmet Oz wrote that what the "DoJ did last night will only make things worse."[27]
Andrew McCabe, the former FBI deputy director, said that the raid would have required substantial evidence and would not have been made without a concern or specific information.[28]
Marc Zell, American-Israeli lawyer and chairman of Republicans Overseas, a GOP-affiliated organization for Republicans living abroad, and Israeli historian Gadi Taub drew comparisons between the FBI search and Israel Police's criminal investigations into Benjamin Natanyahu.[29]
Democrats
Democratic leaders were generally reluctant to discuss the FBI search.[27] House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that she expected the FBI possessed "justification" for the search, but had no further knowledge of the incident. She added that "No person is above the law". Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer declined to comment.[27]
House Representative Elaine Luria stated that "The FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago is an unprecedented action in reaction to an unprecedented presidency."[30]
Minor Party Politicians
Co-chair of Forward and former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang tweeted "Mishandling documents doesn't seem like raid material. It does however seem like excellent campaign material for Trump."[27]
General public
Talk of civil war and violence spiked online among far-right users on platforms such as Truth Social, Gab, Telegram and Twitter, including from conservative political commentator Steven Crowder and white nationalist commentator Nicholas J. Fuentes.[31][32] Following the news, "roughly two dozen" Trump supporters gathered outside of Mar-a-Lago carrying signs and flags in support of Trump.[16][32]
References
- ^ a b "Trump Says the FBI Raided Mar-a-Lago and Broke Into His Safe". New York. August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ Haberman, Maggie; Protess, Ben; Goldman, Adam (August 8, 2022). "F.B.I. Searches Trump's Home in Florida". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
- ^ Haberman, Maggie (August 8, 2022). "Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago when the search took place". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
- ^ Haroun, Azmi (August 8, 2022). "Trump was perched in Trump Tower as he decried 'unauthorized raid on my home' at Mar-a-Lago resort: CNN". Business Insider. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ Kilander, Gustaf (February 9, 2022). "Trump would eat torn up documents, ex-White House aide claims". The Independent. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ Allen, Mike (August 8, 2022). "Exclusive photos: Trump's telltale toilet". Axios. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ Haberman, Maggie; Schmidt, Michael S. (August 8, 2022). "A look at the inquiry that led to the F.B.I. search of Trump's Florida home". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
- ^ a b Caputo, Marc; Reilly, Ryan J. (August 8, 2022). "FBI search at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home tied to classified material, sources say". NBC News. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lizza, Ryan (August 9, 2022). "After the search: GOP torches FBI, hugs Trump". Politico. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ Bump, Philip (August 9, 2022). "Donald Trump has been preparing for this moment for a long time". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ Fineout, Gary (August 9, 2022). "Judge who approved FBI's Mar-a-Lago search represented clients linked to Jeffrey Epstein". Politico. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ a b c Haberman, Maggie; Protess, Ben; Schmidt, Michael S.; Broadwater, Luke; Rashbaum, William K. (August 9, 2022). "F.B.I. Search of Trump's Home Pushes Long Conflict Into Public View". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
{{cite news}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; August 10, 2022 suggested (help) - ^ Izadi, Elahe (August 9, 2022). "How a former Florida political operative broke the Mar-a-Lago FBI story". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ Barrett, Devlin; Dawsey, Josh; Helderman, Rosalind S.; Alemany, Jacqueline; Hsu, Spencer S. (August 9, 2022). "Mar-a-Lago search appears focused on whether Trump, aides withheld items". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ Quinn, Melissa (August 9, 2022). "Biden didn't know about FBI search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago ahead of time, White House says". CBS News. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ a b c Smith, Jillian (August 8, 2022). "'Under siege': GOP reacts to FBI raid at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home". KATU-TV. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ "Trump's Mar-a-Lago searched by FBI in 'official papers probe'". BBC News. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ Lynch, Sarah N.; Freifeld, Karen (August 10, 2022). "Trump uses FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago home to solicit campaign donations". Reuters. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ Schonfeld, Zach (August 9, 2022). "Pence demands 'full accounting' from Garland on Mar-a-Lago search". The Hill.
- ^ Sofield, Tom (August 9, 2022). "Congressman Fitzpatrick, Former FBI Agent, Comments On Search Warrant Execution At President Trump's Residence". LevittownNow. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ "Live Updates: Search of Trump's Florida Residence Signals Depth of Federal Investigation". The New York Times. August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ Thune, John. "The FBI needs to provide answers as to why they raided the home of a former American president..." Twitter. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ Ernst, Joni. "A totally unprecedented action by the DOJ and FBI..." Twitter. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ Cotton, Tom. "Garland allows Hunter to break the law..." Twitter. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ a b Feuer, Alan (August 9, 2022). "F.B.I. Search Ignited Violent Rhetoric on the Far Right". The New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ Kilander, Gustaf (August 9, 2022). "Florida lawmaker calls for arrest of FBI agents and for state to 'sever all ties with DOJ immediately'". The Independent. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Weaver, Courtney; Politi, James (August 9, 2022). "Justice department under pressure to explain raid on Donald Trump's estate". Financial Times.
- ^ "FBI raid on Trump's home sparks political reactions". The Punch. Nigeria. August 9, 2022.
- ^ Eglash, Ruth Marks (August 9, 2022). "Global reaction to Trump raid muted as some Israelis draw similarities to Bibi's treatment by establishment". Fox News.
- ^ Gillespie, Brandon; Spady, Aubrie (August 9, 2022). "Vulnerable House Democrats largely silent following FBI raid of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate". Fox News.
- ^ Feuer, Alan (August 9, 2022). "The F.B.I. search ignited the language of violence and civil war on the far right". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ a b Kayyem, Juliette (August 9, 2022). "The Bad and Good News About Trump's Violent Supporters". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 9, 2022.