The House Judiciary Committee has demanded copies of Department of Justice (DOJ) documents related to the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago. The demand stems from a congressional interview with a senior FBI official who was involved in the planning and execution of the raid. The FBI official revealed several “unusual features” and “abnormalities.”
The committee spokesman stated that “everything is on the table” regarding potential actions if the requested documents are not provided. This could include issuing a subpoena and potentially charging FBI Director Christopher Wray or other high-ranking DOJ officials with contempt. Jim Jordan has been persistently pressing Attorney General Merrick Garland and Wray for these documents but has yet to receive them.
During the interview, Steven D’Antuono, the FBI official, expressed concerns and highlighted several abnormalities in the DOJ’s handling of the raid. D’Antuono, who had extensive FBI experience, disagreed with the department’s approach and expressed frustration regarding the search of President Trump’s residence.
One abnormality mentioned by D’Antuono was the assignment of the FBI’s Washington Field Office instead of the Miami Field Office, which would typically handle the Mar-a-Lago location. D’Antuono stated that he was unaware of the reason behind this decision and questioned why the Miami Field Office was not leading the investigation.
D’Antuono also noted that according to standard FBI procedure, a U.S. Attorney should have been assigned to the case, which was not the case here. Instead, the lead prosecutor was Jay Bratt from the DOJ’s counterintelligence division. Jordan highlighted that Bratt was previously accused of improperly pressuring a lawyer representing a Trump employee.
Another abnormality was the opposition of FBI line agents to obtaining a search warrant for Mar-a-Lago. These agents preferred obtaining prior consent from President Trump before entering the premises. However, the search warrant was pursued despite their opposition, and the FBI agents entered without the presence of a Trump lawyer. D’Antuono said he disagreed with the decision.
Based on D’Antuono’s testimony, Jordan requested all relevant documents and communications related to meetings between FBI and DOJ officials before the execution of the search warrant and those concerning the execution itself and potential searches of President Trump’s residence.
Recently, Wray narrowly avoided a potential congressional contempt citation by allowing House Committee on Oversight and Accountability members to review an unclassified FBI document regarding alleged bribery involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida indicted Trump on 37 felony counts for allegedly retaining national defense information, obstructing the investigation, and lying to investigators.
The former president, Donald Trump, responded to the federal indictment by claiming that federal agents planted classified material in evidence they collected from Mar-a-Lago during a previous raid.
Trump posted on social media that the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago, and wouldn’t let his lawyers or representatives anywhere near them. Trumped added that they did not tell them what was taken. Trump also said, “Based on past performance, they probably later ‘stuffed’ in other documents,” while his lawyers had to wait outside on a very hot day. Trump said that the FBI took his medical records, birth certificate, passport, and just about anything else they could get their hands on.