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FBI seizes privileged Trump records during raid; DOJ opposes request for independent review: sources
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Leroy N. Soetoro
Aug 14, 2022, 4:10:28 PM8/14/22
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-seizes-privileged-trump-records-
during-raid-doj-opposes-request-independent-review-sources
EXCLUSIVE: The FBI seized boxes containing records covered by attorney-
client privilege and potentially executive privilege during its raid of
former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, sources familiar with the
investigation told Fox News, adding that the Justice Department opposed
Trump lawyers' request for the appointment of an independent, special
master to review the records.
Sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News Saturday that the
former president’s team was informed that boxes labeled A-14, A-26, A-43,
A-13, A-33, and a set of documents—all seen on the final page of the FBI’s
property receipt —contained information covered by attorney-client
privilege.
The FBI seized classified records from Trump's Palm Beach home during its
unprecedented Monday morning raid, including some marked as top secret.
But the former president is disputing the classification, saying the
records have been declassified.
The warrant and property receipt from the FBI’s Monday search were
formally unsealed Friday afternoon.
Attorney-client privilege refers to a legal privilege that keeps
communications between an attorney and their client confidential.
Sources told Fox News that some records could be covered by executive
privilege, which gives the president of the United States and other
officials within the executive branch the authority to withhold certain
sensitive forms of advice and consultation between the president and
senior advisers.
It is unclear, at this point, if the records include communications
between the former president and his private attorneys, White House
counsel during the Trump administration, or a combination.
Sources told Fox News that, due to attorney-client privilege, Trump’s team
asked the Justice Department for their position on whether they would
support a third party, independent special master to review those records,
but sources told Fox News that the DOJ notified Trump's team that they
would oppose that request.
The Justice Department and the FBI declined to comment.
A spokesman for Trump did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for
comment.
The search warrant and property receipt for the FBI’s Monday raid of Mar-
a-Lago were unsealed by Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart on Friday
afternoon.
Prior to the release of the documents, Fox News reviewed the warrant and
receipt, revealing that the FBI seized classified records from Trump’s
home, including some marked as top secret. Trump is disputing the
classification, saying the records had been declassified.
Reinhart signed the warrant on Aug. 5 giving the FBI authority to conduct
its search "on or before August 19, 2022," and "in the daytime 6:00 am. to
10:00 p.m."
"The locations to be searched include the ‘45 Office,' all storage rooms,
and all other rooms or areas within the premises used or available to be
used by FPOTUS and his staff and in which boxes or documents could be
stored, including all structures or buildings on the estate," the warrant
states, but did not give authority to agents to search areas being
occupied by Mar-a-Lago members or not used by Trump and staff.
The warrant gave agents the authority to seize "all physical documents and
records constituting evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items
illegally possessed" in violation of U.S. Code, including documents with
classification markings and presidential records created between Jan. 20,
2017 and Jan. 20, 2021.
According to the property receipt, reviewed before its release by Fox
News, FBI agents took approximately 20 boxes of items from the premises,
including one set of documents marked as "Various classified/TS/SCI
documents," which refers to top secret/ sensitive compartmented
information.
Records covered by that government classification level could include
human intelligence and information that, if disclosed, could jeopardize
relations between the United States and other nations, as well as the
lives of intelligence operatives abroad. However, the classification also
encompasses national security information related to the daily operations
of the president of the United States.
The property receipt also shows that FBI agents collected four sets of top
secret documents, three sets of secret documents, and three sets of
confidential documents.
The property receipt does not reveal any details about any of those
records.
The list also includes a "leatherbound box of documents," binders of
photos, handwritten notes, miscellaneous documents, miscellaneous top
secret documents, miscellaneous confidential documents, and other records.
A police officer speaks with a woman outside former President Donald
Trump's Mar-a-Lago home after FBI agents raided it, in Palm Beach,
Florida, Aug. 8, 2022.
The government conducted the search in response to what it believes to be
a violation of federal laws: 18 USC 793 — Gathering, transmitting or
losing defense information; 18 USC 2071 — Concealment, removal or
mutilation; and 18 USC 1519 — Destruction, alteration or falsification of
records in Federal investigations.
The allegation of "gathering, transmitting or losing defense information"
falls under the Espionage Act.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced last week that he personally
approved the request to obtain a warrant to search the former president's
private residence.
Trump's office received a grand jury subpoena this spring for classified
documents he allegedly took from the White House when he left office in
2021. A source close to Trump told Fox News that the former president
cooperated with the subpoena by turning over documents to the FBI.
According to the source, a subpoena was issued to a "custodian of the
president," and was related to the materials that the National Archives
and Records Administration (NARA) was trying to collect after claiming
Trump improperly took those classified records with him from Washington,
D.C., to Mar-a-Lago.
A source close to Trump told Fox News that Trump has been cooperating in
the investigation into the NARA records for a year.
On June 3, the FBI visited Mar-a-Lago to retrieve the requested documents
in the subpoena, which Trump complied with, a source told Fox News.
This source said Trump and his staff were, and are, committed to being in
compliance with the Presidential Records Act, which requires presidential
administrations to preserve certain documents.
Trump received that subpoena two months prior to the FBI’s unprecedented
raid on a former president of the United States’ private residence — which
took place early Monday morning.
The source questioned whether the federal magistrate judge who signed off
on the warrant for the FBI's raid of Mar-a-Lago Monday was aware of
Trump's "past compliance with the subpoena," adding that, if the FBI was
looking for additional documents, another subpoena could have been issued,
as Trump and his team were "cooperative" and turned over documents and
records responsive to the subpoena issued in the spring.
Those investigators toured the area of the Florida resort where some
documents were stored, then briefly viewed and took custody of a small
amount of potentially sensitive material. Separate sources told Fox News
that federal investigators had spoken with at least one person who relayed
the possibility of more sensitive national security material in that
storage room and other areas of the property.
FBI officials, that day, asked to see a storage facility where the records
were located. The FBI asked that staff put a lock on the storage room,
which they later did.
--
"LOCKDOWN", left-wing COVID fearmongering. 95% of COVID infections
recover with no after effects.
No collusion - Special Counsel Robert Swan Mueller III, March 2019.
Officially made Nancy Pelosi a two-time impeachment loser.
Donald J. Trump, cheated out of a second term by fraudulent "mail-in"
ballots. Report voter fraud: sf.n...@mail.house.gov
Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden
fiasco, President Trump.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp. Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
President Trump boosted the economy, reduced illegal invasions, appointed
dozens of judges and three SCOTUS justices.
during-raid-doj-opposes-request-independent-review-sources
EXCLUSIVE: The FBI seized boxes containing records covered by attorney-
client privilege and potentially executive privilege during its raid of
former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, sources familiar with the
investigation told Fox News, adding that the Justice Department opposed
Trump lawyers' request for the appointment of an independent, special
master to review the records.
Sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News Saturday that the
former president’s team was informed that boxes labeled A-14, A-26, A-43,
A-13, A-33, and a set of documents—all seen on the final page of the FBI’s
property receipt —contained information covered by attorney-client
privilege.
The FBI seized classified records from Trump's Palm Beach home during its
unprecedented Monday morning raid, including some marked as top secret.
But the former president is disputing the classification, saying the
records have been declassified.
The warrant and property receipt from the FBI’s Monday search were
formally unsealed Friday afternoon.
Attorney-client privilege refers to a legal privilege that keeps
communications between an attorney and their client confidential.
Sources told Fox News that some records could be covered by executive
privilege, which gives the president of the United States and other
officials within the executive branch the authority to withhold certain
sensitive forms of advice and consultation between the president and
senior advisers.
It is unclear, at this point, if the records include communications
between the former president and his private attorneys, White House
counsel during the Trump administration, or a combination.
Sources told Fox News that, due to attorney-client privilege, Trump’s team
asked the Justice Department for their position on whether they would
support a third party, independent special master to review those records,
but sources told Fox News that the DOJ notified Trump's team that they
would oppose that request.
The Justice Department and the FBI declined to comment.
A spokesman for Trump did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for
comment.
The search warrant and property receipt for the FBI’s Monday raid of Mar-
a-Lago were unsealed by Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart on Friday
afternoon.
Prior to the release of the documents, Fox News reviewed the warrant and
receipt, revealing that the FBI seized classified records from Trump’s
home, including some marked as top secret. Trump is disputing the
classification, saying the records had been declassified.
Reinhart signed the warrant on Aug. 5 giving the FBI authority to conduct
its search "on or before August 19, 2022," and "in the daytime 6:00 am. to
10:00 p.m."
"The locations to be searched include the ‘45 Office,' all storage rooms,
and all other rooms or areas within the premises used or available to be
used by FPOTUS and his staff and in which boxes or documents could be
stored, including all structures or buildings on the estate," the warrant
states, but did not give authority to agents to search areas being
occupied by Mar-a-Lago members or not used by Trump and staff.
The warrant gave agents the authority to seize "all physical documents and
records constituting evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items
illegally possessed" in violation of U.S. Code, including documents with
classification markings and presidential records created between Jan. 20,
2017 and Jan. 20, 2021.
According to the property receipt, reviewed before its release by Fox
News, FBI agents took approximately 20 boxes of items from the premises,
including one set of documents marked as "Various classified/TS/SCI
documents," which refers to top secret/ sensitive compartmented
information.
Records covered by that government classification level could include
human intelligence and information that, if disclosed, could jeopardize
relations between the United States and other nations, as well as the
lives of intelligence operatives abroad. However, the classification also
encompasses national security information related to the daily operations
of the president of the United States.
The property receipt also shows that FBI agents collected four sets of top
secret documents, three sets of secret documents, and three sets of
confidential documents.
The property receipt does not reveal any details about any of those
records.
The list also includes a "leatherbound box of documents," binders of
photos, handwritten notes, miscellaneous documents, miscellaneous top
secret documents, miscellaneous confidential documents, and other records.
A police officer speaks with a woman outside former President Donald
Trump's Mar-a-Lago home after FBI agents raided it, in Palm Beach,
Florida, Aug. 8, 2022.
The government conducted the search in response to what it believes to be
a violation of federal laws: 18 USC 793 — Gathering, transmitting or
losing defense information; 18 USC 2071 — Concealment, removal or
mutilation; and 18 USC 1519 — Destruction, alteration or falsification of
records in Federal investigations.
The allegation of "gathering, transmitting or losing defense information"
falls under the Espionage Act.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced last week that he personally
approved the request to obtain a warrant to search the former president's
private residence.
Trump's office received a grand jury subpoena this spring for classified
documents he allegedly took from the White House when he left office in
2021. A source close to Trump told Fox News that the former president
cooperated with the subpoena by turning over documents to the FBI.
According to the source, a subpoena was issued to a "custodian of the
president," and was related to the materials that the National Archives
and Records Administration (NARA) was trying to collect after claiming
Trump improperly took those classified records with him from Washington,
D.C., to Mar-a-Lago.
A source close to Trump told Fox News that Trump has been cooperating in
the investigation into the NARA records for a year.
On June 3, the FBI visited Mar-a-Lago to retrieve the requested documents
in the subpoena, which Trump complied with, a source told Fox News.
This source said Trump and his staff were, and are, committed to being in
compliance with the Presidential Records Act, which requires presidential
administrations to preserve certain documents.
Trump received that subpoena two months prior to the FBI’s unprecedented
raid on a former president of the United States’ private residence — which
took place early Monday morning.
The source questioned whether the federal magistrate judge who signed off
on the warrant for the FBI's raid of Mar-a-Lago Monday was aware of
Trump's "past compliance with the subpoena," adding that, if the FBI was
looking for additional documents, another subpoena could have been issued,
as Trump and his team were "cooperative" and turned over documents and
records responsive to the subpoena issued in the spring.
Those investigators toured the area of the Florida resort where some
documents were stored, then briefly viewed and took custody of a small
amount of potentially sensitive material. Separate sources told Fox News
that federal investigators had spoken with at least one person who relayed
the possibility of more sensitive national security material in that
storage room and other areas of the property.
FBI officials, that day, asked to see a storage facility where the records
were located. The FBI asked that staff put a lock on the storage room,
which they later did.
--
"LOCKDOWN", left-wing COVID fearmongering. 95% of COVID infections
recover with no after effects.
No collusion - Special Counsel Robert Swan Mueller III, March 2019.
Officially made Nancy Pelosi a two-time impeachment loser.
Donald J. Trump, cheated out of a second term by fraudulent "mail-in"
ballots. Report voter fraud: sf.n...@mail.house.gov
Thank you for cleaning up the disaster of the 2008-2017 Obama / Biden
fiasco, President Trump.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp. Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
President Trump boosted the economy, reduced illegal invasions, appointed
dozens of judges and three SCOTUS justices.
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