Former President Donald Trump, mocked the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) heavily redacted search warrant affidavit, that was used as the basis for the FBI raid of his Mar-a-Lago estate.
After Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who approved the search warrant, ordered the underlying affidavit to be unsealed on Thursday, the DOJ released the affidavit on Friday. However, after Judge Reinhart found the federal government provided “good cause”, to keep portions of the document, under seal - the released affidavit was heavily redacted. It could be called severely redacted.
According to a DOJ filing, the redactions were put in place “in order to protect the safety of multiple civilian witnesses,” effectively making their release merely a formality, since there was little content (just more speculative commentary) to accurately evaluate. So, the DOJ and FBI can still keep the rationale to themselves, conjuring up who knows what that’s to come.
In a statement issued several hours after the affidavit was released, Trump mocked the highly redacted document, posting an edited version of the document, further redacted with all but four words: “Make America Great Again”
He said-
“They missed a page,” and earlier “total public relations subterfuge by the FBI & DOJ.”
-Former President Donald Trump
Earlier on Friday, in a statement Trump described the heavily redacted document:
“Affidavit heavily redacted!!! Nothing mentioned on ‘Nuclear,’ a total public relations subterfuge by the FBI & DOJ, or our close working relationship regarding document turnover – WE GAVE THEM MUCH. Judge Bruce Reinhart should NEVER have allowed the Break-In of my home.”
Trump continued-
“He recused himself two months ago from one of my cases based on his animosity and hatred of your favorite President, me. What changed? Why hasn’t he recused himself on this case? Obama must be very proud of him right now,”
-Former President Donald Trump
Others, also took to social media, mocking the heavily redacted affidavit. Donald Trump Jr. posted along with screenshots of three pages, of redacted text from the affidavit.
“Well this really clears things up,”
-Donald Trump Jr.
In other posted edits of the redacted document, content creators, included one with the “E” in President Joe Biden’s campaign logo, replaced by redacted lines.
Based on the fact that, Trump voluntarily provided 15 boxes of material to the federal government, the affidavit stated that DOJ believed Trump could have improperly stored classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. One section of the affidavit read-
“Further, there is probable cause to believe that additional documents that contain classified NDI or that are Presidential records subject to record retention requirements currently remain at the PREMISES”.
-Redacted DOJ Document – Trump Case
Essentially, DOJ released a heavily redacted document, with supposiedly,16 of 32 pages blacked out - that apparently shows no connection to Donald Trump for any possible any charge of espionage, which is what they are working on seemingly. What was released demonstrated – “No probable cause” according to Trumps Attorney in the above video. It does show they were looking for “stuff” of some kind, and apparently the heavy reduction is related to some possible witness names or statements made by others that the DOJ prefers to keep covered up.
That this could happen to a former president should really shock America. Who will be next?
Moreover, Joe Biden’s mocking of Trumps statements and reaction to this “witch-hunt”, is very telling of his lack of concern for the rule of law. Hopefully, when he leaves office – Biden will respond differently to his own investigation, as it relates to not only espionage but to the corruption he and his family have brought on America – from our Nation’s borders to Capitol Hill. His day is coming.
One blogger put it this way-
“What Trump really needs, what we really need, is to roll up our sleeves, get out of the house, and work, to win these elections and any election that comes around the bend. That means primaries, state house elections, federal elections, school board elections, and all the others the framers gave us to empower us. Don't sit this season out. You may not have another.”
-Rebaaron, Breitbart Blogger
“Supporting the truth, even when it is unpopular, shows the capacity for honesty and integrity.”
-Steve Brunkhorst